Are passive preamps better?

Let us know your impressions. Interesting to see if you prefer the Endlers to your SIM; then there is tubes in the pre.....

Pubul57, I'd be more than happy to let you know. I'm isolated here in SE MN. Nobody here knows what an audiophile is. All dealers within 100 mi are busy installing surround sound and care nothing about high end audio. Not that I have anything against surround sound. My sister and brother both have enjoyable systems. I just like 2 channel audio better, and I'm not into the visual. You'd have to educate me all over again with tubes. I've never had any tube gear. I really appreciate all the help. Lynne

uuummmmmmmm....tubessss.....now you're talking.....
If 2 channel is your deal, your really should try tubes. Warm up those cold MN nights. :)
Especially since you have such great tube companies up there in MN, like Atma-sphere and Audio Research Corporation.

There's a first time for everything. If you're shy, it's probably best to start with a tube preamp, as there is less maintenance and tube replacement is less expensive.
A word of warning though, you may find tubes highly addictive, and there is no turning back.

My wife, who is by no means an audiophile, makes very few comments about items coming and going in my system. Most of them aesthetically based, and negative. In the 25 years we've been together, there has been only a couple of times when she has said that something sounds real, and yup, you guessed it, it's always revolved around tube components. Not cables/cords, not cd players/turntables, not preamps/amps, not even speakers. Only tubed components, and sometimes she cannot see the tubes and doesn't even know they are there.
There have only been about 2 or 3 comments in the last 25 years. She says they just sound real, and I agree.
Oddly enough though, she does hate the looks of tube amps with exposed tubes, but she doesn't complain once she hears them.

Cheers,
John

The Endlers aren't the last word in a passive attenuator, I preferred the EVS, but my reason for using them was to attenuate the gain from an active preamp/amp mismatch. In your case, to evaluate whether or not passive is an option for you, the Endlers will give you a glimpse, but eventually you'll need to move up to something like a Gold Point, Placette, Reference Line, Prometheus, Django, or Sonic Euphoria to hear the real value of a passive.

A passive linestasge (not preamp, it does not amplify) is very system dependant. You need high oputput, low impedance sources(my CDP is 2.5VRMS@50 ohms) and high impedance, sensative amplifiers. My CJ solid state amps fit that bill. I'm even able to drive two amps passivly just fine. Then the choice is resistor based or transformer based. There are inexpensive resistor based and more expensive ones. The inexpensive often use the DACT unit and don't have a remote. The more expensive units have a Vishay resistor ladder controlled by a logic curcuit. These have over 100 volume positions and a remote control. Placette uses this setup as does CJ in their preamps. CJ warns of sound gegredation through a volume pot. The Transformer based units can actually add 3-6db gain if needed but never have a remote. Some people like the sound of one type but not the other. I've tried a few of both and use a Placette by choice.

ET