PASSIVE Preamp and LIFELESSNESS?

Passive properly done trounces any active stage. Actives add gain, then throw it away when the pot is down around 8 or 9 o'clock where they all sound their worst. You are then listening more to the preamp than the music. A tube-buffered and rectified dual mono passive betters every preamp that passes through the system [G&D Ref 1, XLR to Gen. Lens, EVS, Bel Canto, Impact Ventos] with full dynamic capabilites well intact. Buy a PS Audio IV-H or a B&K Pro 5, both under $200, for a taste of active vs. passive in the same box. A cheap test with potentially surprising results. Check tweakaudio.com for one [brilliant] man's considered opinion.

Hi Tomcat55. When I suggested you email me if you like, I forgot that this isn't possible for Audiogon right now. If you want to do it directly, it's nicetom@sonic.net. If you have only one signal source, it's especially worthwhile to go for a passive. The only thing better would be a digital processor that can go "straight in" to a power amp: Wadia, Accuphase, others. That beats even my best passives, even one with Audio Note Japan tantalum resistors. Even passives have parts--switches, connectors, resistors, wire--and there is nothing in a signal path that achieves the old mythical ideal for a power amp of "a straight wire with gain". I run my Accuphase DP-75 straight into my power amp(s), and use a passive only with a phono preamp. You can do better if you have only one line level source.

Thanks guys for the response. Well a Passive seems good when used with caution and good system matching particularly the poweramp that is being driven. One of the amplifiers that I am looking at is the Bel Canto EVo 200.2 Digital Amplifier. I think using a good volume control is key to building a passive preamp. I have heard of Penny and Giles, and Alps, does anyone know which one is best?

I am running the EVS Attenuator on the Bel Canto EVo right now. I am also getting a used First Sound Presence Preamp this week. I'm mainly evaluating an active preamp because the Sony SACD is known to have a poor output stage (I like SACD so I'm not going to replace the Sony) and a needs an active preamp according to some reviewers who have the same set-up as mine. The poor output stage results in the SACD not being able to source current well using a low input impedance preamp (10K on the EVS vs 150K ohms on the First Sound) - I'm told this. I will try to compare the two set-ups and let you know what works better. The EVS with the EVo sounds pretty good already. The debate of active vs passive is always a hard one and is system dependent. I'd much rather speed $225 on the passsive and put the money in music or better power cords.

Hi, I picked a Reference Line Preeminence One passive preamp here on Audiogon back in Jan of this year. Its been a revelation over the past 8months. During this period I've had several other preamps in and out (both tubed and SS, dealer loan and friends), I don't see myself ever going back to active. Reference Line is currently not back in business, they were sold to a gentleman in N. Carolina. When I last spoke with him (Scott) he was working on bringing them back. If this unit ever goes on me and I can't get it fixed I will have to go for a Placette passive or Monolithic, thats how hooked I am on the clarity and detail of passive. The Monolithic btw received an excellent review in Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity, you can read it online at their site. My Ref Line One has all internal silver wiring,direct input option, plus volume remote, I paid $700 used, I've seen remoteless units for $500. Anyway, regardless of what unit I compared to the passive in my system they ALL seamed _veiled_, and significantly so. Did I say seemed?, they were veiled compared to the passive. I have detected no loss of dynamics whatsoever, in fact I've been startled by my system as much as ever on music. I also noticed that I could listen at higher levels without worrying about glare or grain ,somehow it seems as if reduced to none existant,compared to before.Conversely the amount of detail and rock solid images at low levels blows me away too. Soundstage as wide as any of the tubed-preamps I auditioned, and as I said no detectable loss of dynamics. A recently purchased VPI turntable, Rotel 971(X-10 buffer) feed the Ref Line passive which feeds a Proceed HPA-2 through a pair of Vandersteen 1C's with 2 2W subs. I'm running 1 meter interconnects all the way around with the exception of a pr of 5 meter interconnects from an AV switcher which feeds one of the Ref line's inputs for HT. Based on my experience with this (my first) passive, I must rave and encourage you to audition (try,whatever) passive. BTW, I've only heard the original VR-4, which blew me away with its imaging,dynamics,soundstaging. If the 2nd generation is as good (I assume it would be), I'm sure you won't be letting them go for a very,very long time.