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Eliminated my preamp with amazing results

I pulled my preamp out completely. The result's were not subtle. 

For those who stream music only... I was going from my laptop... to my DAC...to my preamp...to my amp. My preamps ONLY function was volume control. Source control not needed.

I started using Audirvana recently which comes with it's own high quality 64 bit volume control that was far better than the potentiometer in my preamp. It dawned on me that I could control volume using Audirvana and plug my DAC directly into the amp and bypass the preamp altogether. (Roon and Jriver also have excellent volume controllers) Note: Audirvana has an app download on a tablet/phone so it acts like a remote control. I'm loving it!

This not only eliminated the preamps volume control but it took out ALL the electronics associated in a preamp including some cables. A FAR more direct route. However, you must use caution and make sure the volume is controlled properly in the software since the amp will be fed wide open volume.

Having experimented with 'passive' preamps in the past (McCormack TLC-1) I thought the sound would possibly lose dynamics and bass response would suffer. WRONG!

The results were...Shocking!! Immediately the extended depth of the image was noticeably deeper. Background darker. The highs are the best I've ever heard. Pristine. The bass was dynamic, tight and most of all 'textured' in a way I never heard before. As I stated earlier the results are NOT subtle! 

This is an experiment that took a few minutes to set up and yielded the best performance improvement of ANY other tweak I've ever tried. Not anything like using a passive preamp.

Equipment used...  Peachtree DAC-itx. 

                               Preamps...McCormack TLC-1 and Melos tube preamp.

                               Amp is McCormack DNA 0.5

Understand that different components will have different interactions with each other. Your results may vary. However, IF you don't like it, it takes just a few minutes to put the preamp back in the system. Nothing to lose and lot's to gain. After hearing this, I will NEVER go back to using a preamp. 

Good luck!

 

 

gdaddy1
markalarsen's avatar
markalarsen
658 posts
 

Based on personal experience, I agree with Paul McGowen. Paul originally was a believer in the concept of the best preamp was no preamp at all. A decade ago, he then changed his mind about inserting a preamp in the system. I kept believing that the best preamp with no preamp until about a month ago. I then inserted a preamp between the DAC and the amplifier. What a positive difference it made.  I cannot explain how introducing more circuitry into the signal path improves the sound quality. I’m absolutely clueless on that from a scientific basis.

 

I think you need to keep an open mind and try your system with and without a preamp.  I will never go back to my previous position that no preamp is the best preamp

lanx0003
862 posts
 

Here is the tally so far. Just for fun. Don’t read too much into it.

Preamp effect Positive:   ///// ///// ///// ///// (incl. Paul & OCD mentioned in tread)

Preamp effect Negative: ///// /////

 

mitch2
4,011 posts
 

I have owned multiple discrete resistor passive preamps/volume controls, two autoformer preamps/volume controls (Acoustic Energy Jay-Sho and Smart icOn 4Pro), and two DAC-based volume controls that adjusted volume by changing the reference voltage (Metrum Acoustics Adagio and Jade).   

Of all of those, when operated passively, only the autoformer volume controls preserved the dynamics, tone, and bass and to my ears did not sound thin.  However, I tend to like the sound through discrete resistor volume controls so that is what I use, followed by a unity-gain buffer which preserves dynamics, tone, and bass. 

gdaddy1 OP
135 posts
 

@markalarsen 

I've watched Pauls video where he explaines, at one time , loved no preamp. For many years! I can't help but imagine that Arnie came to Paul and said something like..." Hey bonehead...we manufacture electronics and YOU don't like preamps??" "What gives? It could be a big expansion of our product line." 

After so many years...POOF... just like that...now he loves preamps. 

Money can certainly change someone's perspective and as a manufacturer you'd be a fool not to make them yourself. Arnie woke him up to this reality.  IMHO.

asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,682 posts
 

Been 'no pre' for quite awhile now.....haven't missed it

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