Noble is a good place to start…..
???? for what?
How important is the pre-amp?
Hello all,
Genuine request here for other's experiences.
I get how power amps can make really significant changes to the sound of a system. And of course speakers have an even bigger effect. And then there is the complicated relationship between the speaker and power amp. But I wonder about pre-amps.
In theory a well designed preamp should just act as a source switch and volume control. But does it add (or ruin) magic? Can a pre-amp color the sound? Alter pace and timing? Could you take a great sounding system and spoil it with the wrong preamp? Stereophile once gushed (while reviewing a preamp that cost as much as a car) that the preamp was the heart of the system, setting the tone of everything. Really? Some people don't even bother with a preamp, feeding their DACs straight into the power amp. Others favor passive devices, things without power. If one can get a perfectly good $2K preamp, why bother with 20K?
What your experiences been?
Genuine request here for other's experiences.
I get how power amps can make really significant changes to the sound of a system. And of course speakers have an even bigger effect. And then there is the complicated relationship between the speaker and power amp. But I wonder about pre-amps.
In theory a well designed preamp should just act as a source switch and volume control. But does it add (or ruin) magic? Can a pre-amp color the sound? Alter pace and timing? Could you take a great sounding system and spoil it with the wrong preamp? Stereophile once gushed (while reviewing a preamp that cost as much as a car) that the preamp was the heart of the system, setting the tone of everything. Really? Some people don't even bother with a preamp, feeding their DACs straight into the power amp. Others favor passive devices, things without power. If one can get a perfectly good $2K preamp, why bother with 20K?
What your experiences been?
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- 130 posts total
It’s about the size of the signal.Truer than most realize - gain from low output MC to line is about 1500X. But i believe this thread would benefit form a very clear distinction between a **phono stage** and a line stage preamp with control circuitry. he question is clearly about the latter. That said, its the existence of the phono (mixed analog and digital) that sometimes makes a preamp totally mandatory rather than a convenience and sonic choice. |
If I have just a power amp hooked up I know you need one.Then it comes to tube or soild state.I have tried both and use many different brands.I still like switching things around. The point of this thread is ... no you don;t. But is it beneficial? You can use a DAC with volume control straight into your amp. Or a regular DAC with Roon and DSP based volume control. or ..... But as has been discussed extensively (read for the details that need not be lowed yet again) there are issues. |
The point of this thread is ... no you don;t. But is it beneficial? You can use a DAC with volume control straight into your amp. Or a regular DAC with Roon and DSP based volume control. or ..... But as has been discussed extensively (read for the details that need not be lowed yet again) there are issues.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Agree DAC with vol controls, is not going to deliversame detailed sonics as a tube linestage. Just not...so we all agree here a linestage has significant impact on ultimate soundstage/presence, details. Some a nuance better than others. back to my formula. Amp /5% Linestage 5% Source 5%.. Tell ya what, I;'ll give the 3, 10% each, hows that, Im fair, and generous. That leaves the speaker brand a wopping 70% of the equation. Take the finest ever made amp, and linestage say Usegi's very best linestage and very best tube amp... The Usegi is still going to adopt the character of the speaker. The speaker voice is the wopping 70%. It would be a waste to run a Usegi's electronics through most of the speakers on this list. Just like i would not pair my amp with any speaker on this list. Just wouldn't. I did not work on my system past 3 yrs, to have it brought down to a speakers lousey voicing. Perhaps you might see your speaker on this list. If horns are there and WBers are there,,,my apologies. I've not looked through the entire list. Linestage are extremely important, but not when we havea speaker that is hadicaped and is adding unwanted things to the ultimate expression. https://mynewmicrophone.com/full-list-loudspeaker-studio-monitor-brands-manufacturers/ |
- 130 posts total