2. amps-preamps
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Who is using passive preamps and why?

Seldom has there been any discussions on passive preamps in the forums and although my experience with them has been limited I have found them so far to be very enjoyable and refreshingly different. They seem to fall into their own category, somewhere between solid state and tube. Finding a preamp that is satisfing has been difficult. Some active solid state preamps can be very good but they seem to inject grain to some degree in the upper registers and some tube preamps are not too far behind. So far I think they should at least be matched up with an amp that has sufficient gain which is often overlooked. Which passives are you using and with what amp? Why do you like them?
phd
herman
2,238 posts
 
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,

I'm not angry.

Passionate? ok

Tired of seeing people declare absolutes in a world with so many variables? ok

After so many years on these forums tired of seeing the same things debated over and over and over? ok

But I'm not angry. Amused perhaps after seeing the same preposterous statements repeated over and over (like passives are wimpy) but perhaps frustrated would be a better choice as it frustrates me that there are people like Phd who come here to learn and they get responses about passives that are so far off base that they are worthless at best and at worst scare the uninitiated away from a topology that could be the answer to their quest.

.
phd OP
1,307 posts
 
Herman, I am happy to hear that you share the same frustrations as I do but you never know when to take me seriously. I know you are not angry but still I respect you and have alot of love. Thankyou for being here to share your thoughts.
rrog
1,958 posts
 
Herman, My previous statement "If you want to select components, speakers and wire around a volume control it's ok with me. I prefer the sound of an active preamp because it sounds like music".

And this is why there is a variety of equipment for sale.

I knew someone would come up with an amplifier manufacturer that makes a passive preamp. That's why I threw it out there and I'm not surprised it's Modjeski.

I did infact buy an amplifier with a passive gain control and it was the best amplifier I ever heard and still is. When Kron developed the Vaic tube he wasn't getting the results he expected, so, he went to a little amplifier builder in Italy called Mastersound to build and amp around the Vaic tube. The amplifier was named after the founder of that company, Caesar, and uses the 32V output tube. This amplifier makes all other amplifiers sound ordinary.

I also own a Manley Stingray which uses a similar design, but these amplifiers were designed this way.



pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Yes, many approaches to finding sound we like individually, why I will proabaly keep my Joule and Atma-sphere preamps, no matter how much I might like the Goldpoint - they will sound different, none like the real thing, but all enjoyabkle in their own right. Not only does Modjeski prefer passives, but has said the debate is really silly as he thinks the superiority of passives is clear. In sense he might be right, but obviously, many of us still prefer what actives do. Passives are so relatively cheap ($312 for my Goldpoint)that it seems to make sense to have one on hand to play with, and in case a tube or transistors blows in our actives. As for Modjeski, don't him going on power cords....
clio09
3,353 posts
 
The manual for the RM-10 has a nice discourse on cable voodoo, not to mention ground loop hum.

I'm going to finish building my passive today. Sanded down, drilled all holes, and painted the chassis yesterday. Today its plugging in parts and wiring. Hopefully by tonight I'll have a new passive to try out.
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