Lightspeed Attenuator - Best Preamp Ever?

Terry I have heard that said about power regulation and believe it, my experience too - seems like those old technologies seems to still work pretty darn well:)

I do think we are on to something regarding passive and there use with SS versus tubes (in addtion to the fact that SS will generally, but not always present a more difficult impedance load). I always wonder about folks that have tried passive and find something lacking (besides noise:)) - I always thought that some of that must occur if the impedance/gain/IC capacitance issues are not properly. Now assuming all that is fine, than I can see why those using SS amps and no tubes in the chain might also feel something is missing (and it may very well be a form of distortion - but one I like and makes me happy). Oh, well, play around with this stuff is [more?] hald the fun!

Marqmike, I too find that much of what we look for in recorded music through our systems regarding 3D, imaging, spacial cues, etc. is simply not there in live perfomance, or at least far less than we seek it in our systems. What live music brings that no stereo system I've heard truly replicates is timbre and dynamics - every time I go listen to unamplified live jazz, I go home and remind myself to accept that while I love my system and listening to music on it, it is not the same as live (really, how could it be?) but a facsimile.

This thread has taken an amusing turn. Teajay, while you stated the obvious about George and this thread, he and his LSA flag wavers should be free to express their opinions. I have been a flag waver for different products out of enthusiasm over the years, and despite poor execution at times, the flag waving still has merits even if it is ugly. In the midst of this rather tribal discourse, useful information about the realm of passives has come out. I have always tried to keep an open mind in audio so as not to get stuck. If dynamic pre-amps are a dinosaur and sonically redundant, so be it. I am not wed to my equipment.

Audiophiles, despite throwing around a lot of pseudo-scientific jargon and technobabble, are often very undisciplined when it comes to testing equipment. Has anyone done a blinded comparison of passive units? Can anyone tell the differences between a LSA and a Truth passive behind a curtain? Would the lay public be able to say "wow, that one sounds SO much better..." I am doubtful.

I blinded my wife and had her listen to the Dude and LSA, and the differences were stark. I will readily admit that my system may not be LSA friendly. The impedance of the Samsons (68K) is ballpark based on George's parameters, but they are SS. My speakers are also not super sensitive and employ Scanspeak drivers. If I could intuit my way into the ideal LSA rig, it would be sensitive speakers (like Clio's), tube amplification, and warmer cabling (like Pub's)????

George, I tried to ask a few more technical questions earlier in this thread and and you failed to really address them and simply referred me to the DIY site which I did peruse. So, boil this technology down for us in a few sentences or less. In terms of material science, does Cadmium have a sound? Is that part of the reason why it is perceived as superior to carbon or metal? What specific measurements or measurable parameters separate the LSA from other passives or active pre-amps?

Marqmike, you made some interesting points about music and perception. I played music as a kid and come from a musical family. I have a reasonable framework for what things "should sound like." The thing that live music has that I crave for in my system is dynamics transients and an energized ambience. Any pre-amp that inhibits that, passive or active, is out in my books.

Finally, I have to comment on George's reference to testosterone. Testosterone and Audiogon or testosterone and diy don't really go together. They are like oil and water. Spending this amount of energy and time snipping back and forth about a volume control is not in the domain of manly men. I think if we all got hormone replacement therapy (and were treated for obsessive, compulsive disorders), Audiogon would start to wither....

"Would the lay public be able to say "wow, that one sounds SO much better..." I am doubtful." When it comes to preamps, amps with sufficient power to drive the speaker, and cables of any ilk, I would say you are 100% right. The difference between speakers however (and room placement) would be pretty obvious even to the most leaden, "untrained" of ears.

Disciplined testing? I don't know. Just kept switching between preamps with the same 2-3 "test" tracks for a week, over and over, brought audio buddies over to minimize the possibility I might be hallucinating, and I (we) enjoyed the LSA every bit as much as much as my relatively expensive tube linestage and so I decided to save the $7000 and not worry about tube replacement (I have enough of them to worry about). Not science exactly, but enough to make a decision. Hard since the linestage is probably the #1 recommendation by the speaker manufacturer for his speakers and the one he uses at shows, and I certainly loved it - but still....I also have no phono, and no switching requirements.

I would like to test the LSA against the $16,000 Music First Audio Reference Passive. Not sure that is going to happen though. Wonder if it includes an IWC for keeping time.