2. amps-preamps
  3. 188876-140796

Preamp - what's the purpose?

Intentionally dumb question...

I've heard various 5-15W tube amps in my room. EL84, 300B, etc. They all have input stages and the output stage. I send them a line-level signal from a DAC.

Sitting a few meters away from my loudspeakers, the first watt alone gives me roughly 80db of volume. I think these amps are biased to expect the line level signal directly. Why wouldn't the designer do that?

So what's the point of adding a pre-amp? Why do people do it?

thanks in advance

 

clustrocasual
danager's avatar
danager
945 posts
 

 

jkf011
290 posts
 

Funny no one seems to remark/notice that if your DAC has sub circuitry, gain, etc it IS a preamp too! 

tattooedtrackman's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
tattooedtrackman
884 posts
 

@mbmi   The BEST  sound  comes from. TUBE PRE and a SS amp. BS. I had a SS amp. A Krell FPB 600 and an ARC Ref  6se . Now I have the ARC Ref 750s mono blocks  with the ARC Ref 6se. Can’t compare. 

llg98ljk's avatar
llg98ljk
171 posts
 

I find it somewhat ironic that those purists who eschew the use of a preamp because it "colors" the sound will then seek out amps, cartridges, wires or speakers to achieve the tone color they seek. 

rwwear
2,867 posts
 

If you only have one source, no preamp is okay. As long as the source or amp has a volume control it will work. But some prefer the dynamics and/or coloration a preamp adds.

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