2. amps-preamps
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Preamps can color sound considerably. Surprising?

Had the pleasure of listening to 4 hi end preamplifiers this weekend. And each preamp sounded very nice. But they were different. Each preamplifier has different circuitry and within the frequency spectrum there was more vibrancy in some areas versus other areas. Amplifiers are the same way.

It takes a while to appreciate sound differences between preamplifiers. And then you got the issue of Breakin which further changes the color.

clearly designers are playing around with all the internal circuitry in a manner that hopefully will be appealing. Clearly, these units do not get out of the way when it comes to moving a signal through the box.

I think solid state is more susceptible to coloring versus tubes. Tubes color sound as well.

It's all about marketing different ways to color Music. This isn't necessarily bad but it's never really talked about this way.

 

 

 

jumia
holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

If my two preamps sound similar, and it is not night and day.

Is it because they have the same tube type?
 

kennyc
2,033 posts
 

Preamps vs no preamp, tube preamp vs SS preamp - I don't believe one can make a global generalization on which is better because it differs depending on the components chosen in one's audio chain.  

immatthewj
3,300 posts
 

From Cary Audio regarding their SLP 05 preamp:

 

Here’s what Steve Huff, professional audio reviewer and critic, had to say about our SLP-05 vacuum tube preamplifier.
 

[. . . ]

 It has weight, body and texture yet it also delivers that airy treble delivery that brings the magic.

While it does all of this it remains true to the Cary sound. Big, slightly warm, rich and human."
immatthewj
3,300 posts
 

. . . so yes, I would say that Cary is cognizant their preamps "color the sound."

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,164 posts
 

when compared to a good passive, it's just no contest.

I've tried many passive preamps, thinking "that must be the answer". It isn't--they  are all dry and flat.

Passive Volume Controls are very susceptible to interconnect cable interactions, combined with the output capacitance of the source and the input impedance of the amp. If properly set up they can be excellent and if anything is off the very same unit can sound 'dry and flat' because of adverse interactions.

In any event you have to be careful of the interconnect cable; if you've auditioned cables and heard differences you know what I'm talking about.

Active tube preamps usually have output coupling capacitors which, no matter the quality of that part, will color the sound. In addition they are often single-ended circuits and so too are susceptible to interconnect cable interactions.

If you really want to hear what the recording sounds like, you have to eliminate the interconnect cable as a variable. The balanced line standard (AES48) offers a means to do that, but you have to adhere to its tenents to do that and most balanced high end audio preamps do not. 

I use recordings I made that are on LP and CD so I know what the recording is supposed to sound like. They are very helpful when a reference is needed (is it too lush or too dry or whatever...) to know what is going on...

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