Preamp or Not to Preamp?

I have the Wadia 850 running straight into a Jeff Rowland Model 2 Amp. I have been very pleased with the results. This type of direct configuration, bypassing a pre-amp, is recommended by Wadia. There was a very interesting article on this subject (as well as the impact of the digital domain volume control) in a review of the Wadia 850 in FI magazine (now defunct). I do not recall the date of the issue but it had Paul McCartney on the cover. I adjusted the internal attenuation of the Wadia 850 so that I am usually listening at the 85 to 95 volume range (out of 100). If you are usually listening below 80 you will lose information. Also, there is a significant difference, as you probably know, between the effects of interconnects on the soundstage. Before considering a pre-amp, you may want to compare interconnects.

I have tried a Wadia 830 directly intu\o Classe and Krell amps. I did not like it. The air and dynamics were missing. It also sounded harsh and aggressive. With a good preamp, such as the Classe CP50, the sound is much better.

I have never found an active preamp to sounded better in context of my system. My theta gen. va has alway sounded best with a passive unit to the cary 805c. Details I was accustomed to were missing with active preamps. The two dogs on Roger Waters, Amused to death, would turn to one dog. If I Knew dogs, I could tell which breeds with the passive unit. This was not true with the active preamps I have tried. I will not name them because I have heard them sound great in the context of friends systems. You must try them yourself and discover your cup of tea. maybe the gen Va with 3.5 volts of output is all the 805c need being they only need 1 volt for full output. It could also be I am ignorant of other qualities I am missing. Please Keep me ignorant because my system sound great.

I've used both. Some DACs and CD players with volume work better than others. Bidats and Accuphase work well straight in, from my experience. My Wadia did not...too forward and digital sounding. Very transparent pre-amps have their advantages. There are trade offs either way. A good explanantion is offered by Guy Hammel on his web-site, www.placetteaudio.com.

I've tried the "No Preamp" approach...the music always sounded harder and less musical...passive preamps suck most of the "drive" from the music...a good active preamp is essential~