To tone control or not to tone control

I have two preamps. One a straightline low output MC preamp with separate transformer, no on/off button, no tone contros, no balance, one phono, one tape loop, only a variable (and defeatable +4 dB bas eq). It's a Biotronics Gestalt. The other preamp is a Proton with bass eq, loudness, bass, mid, treble, elrctronic crossover, dubbing, etc.

My opinion? Wish the Proton sounded as good and clean as the Biotronics!!!!! Would love to have that clean sound combined with flexibility. Closest alternative? Van Alstine's FET Hybrid preamp w/tone controls...

just an observation about the lack of tone controls on highend pre's: accuphase includes remotely controllable tone controls on their top-of-the line all digital dc-330. the control can be bypassed but if engaged allows you to select 2 frequencies in the "high" (2khz, 7khz) and "low" (200hz, 500 hz) ranges and adjust any or all of these frequencies in .5db increments. i have rarely used this feature but have found that it does not "distort" the sound, presumably since it works entirely in the digital domain.

accuphase also offers a 64 band digital "voicing equalizer" that may function as a super-sophisticated "tone control" allowing you to compensate for room anomalies. this product, the dg-28, as well as the dc 330 are quite pricy but they do work. there are less-expensive choices, too, including those sold by z systems. -kelly

Artemus, I can understand your dilema. My speakers are very revealing and while I have sorted out upstream components, it is still frustrating to listen to poorly recorded CD's. The more revealing and transparent your system is, the more source material becomes a factor. Like most people here I do not subscribe to tone controls in the circuit -- the simplest, most direct pre-amp circuit is best IMO. I am able to deal with poor recordings by clicking in a little more triode and a little less pentode on my Baron amp; how much depends on the recording. It doesn't transform a poor recording into a good one, but it does make it easier to listen to good music that is recorded badly. I will say that I rarely do this. If adding tone controls makes things better to your ears, I say go for whatever sounds best to you.

Tone controls are a necessity on alot of music. All you naysayers dead against them are correct from a textbook standpoint,but you must understand that all music is not Lyrita, RCA Living Stereo, Mercury etc. Put tone controls on those and you will ruin the sound. I am a back to mono man musically, I mean, that I listen to mostly artists from before 1958. The greatest voices ever recorded( I'm talking Ezio Pinza, Tito Schipa, Titta Ruffo, Lawrence Tibett, Billie Holliday, etc.)very much do need tone control compensation.In fact, I need to switch preamps for older music because my tone controless preamp does not work at all with them.
78 RPM transfers onto CDs are particularly offensive with a top end that simply isnt there. Tipping up the response with a good tone control makes them appear to have the data again.
Mark Levinson (the man), saw that some of his favorite music from the mono era was just that way and adressed the problem incredibly with the Palette. How I wish I could have afforded one.

Cornfedboy, I did check into the Z systems digital EQ. It retails for $2500 which i thought was pricey. Their literature seems to indicate that it hooks between the DAC and transport of your cdp so unless you are running separates you cannot use it , that is unless your 1 pc cdp has digital ins and outs. Mine does not and I suspect most 1 pc cdp do not.