"08-25-11: Liguy: The perfect linestage can be imagined as simply a wire with gain. If you do not need gain a passive preamp will do. So, you ask what about matching impedances? Well a simple buffer can be used. Enter the First Watt B1, a passive volume control with buffer. The buffer makes the passive preamp more versatile because the impedance issue is handled by the buffer. Expensive? Not in the least and very good sounding. Here is Nelson Pass's thoughts:Liguy"
Nelson Pass first designed that buffer for my Lightspeed Attenuator (passive attenuator) in early 2008 on "diyaudio" forums, it was so the Lightspeed could drive some of his very low input impedance amps that were 10k-30k input impedance that he and others were making. With his/others amps that are 47k and over there was no need for the buffer as the best sounding buffer was no buffer.
Cheers George
Nelson Pass first designed that buffer for my Lightspeed Attenuator (passive attenuator) in early 2008 on "diyaudio" forums, it was so the Lightspeed could drive some of his very low input impedance amps that were 10k-30k input impedance that he and others were making. With his/others amps that are 47k and over there was no need for the buffer as the best sounding buffer was no buffer.
Cheers George