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Balanced Passive Pre Amp

Hello everyone.  

Can anyone recommend a relatively decent balanced passive pre amplifier? My active speakers are balanced only. My DAC is also balanced but has no volume control. Since all I really need is volume control... I Was hoping to keep it under $200. I see a few Chinese items on Amazon that fit the bill but they seem to have a dollar store quality to them that makes me cringe. 
tmac1700
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 

tmac1700

For under $200
This one looks to be very good build and circuit quality, relay based switched resistor, (better than potentiometers, even Alps)
And it has a linear supply no rf from smp, and you may hear a little clicking only when turning the volume up and down).
https://www.ebay.com/itm/162637265690?hash=item25ddefbb1a:g:qX8AAOSwq3he16uO

Cheers George
nekoaudio's avatar
nekoaudio
489 posts
 
If you're willing to go above $200 to get something higher-quality, the one I'd recommend first is the Goldpoint SA1X, which is a very basic but uses precision-matched stepped attenuators. Another option is the Khozmo Passive Preamplifier.
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
OP I bought 3 different passives from 49 to 149 dollars. Three years ago.

All three had good traces on the board and ZERO problems with noisy volume control pots... Mine were all copper traces inside.

They should be inexpensive. It took me a whole 3 hours to build one from scratch.. and 2 hours for the second one.

I added a dirt cheap BASS XO circuit to one also for a additional 10.00 or so.. I just left the onboard passive XO (for the bass) out of the loop and direct coupled the amp to the bass drivers..

It worked perfect for the application.. XLR in or out with an option to go single ended (RCA ) if you wanted.. In or out..

That one was 59.00. I think it was Nobound.

I couldn't find one that wasn't made in China under 300.00 anywhere..

Maybe you'll have better luck.. if that is an issue. Wasn't for me..
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