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Is no preamp the best preamp of all?

As an experiment I hooked up my OPPO BDP-95 (which has a volume control) directly to my amp. I was very pleasantly surprised to hear a significant improvement in clarity and sound quality. Typically I have the analog outputs on the OPPO running through my preamp in Analog Direct. I have heard that the circuitry within preamps can cause cross-talk in the analog signal, deteriorating the quality of the signal. So, would having no preamp (and therefore no other circuits to interfere with the signal) be better than an expensive analog or digital preamp running in Analog Direct? I am not really interested in Room Correction or DSP of any kind. I was considering purchasing a Bel Canto PRe6 (which I've read is excellent for multichannel analog), but would it be better to just have the OPPO running directly to the power amp?
128x128cdj123
grindstaff
32 posts
 
I liked the response that said there is no such thing as no preamp.

It sounds like one must experiment to see if a preamp improves one's sound in one's system.

Removing the cables and circuitry when not needed should help, it seems.

I've been going from a Theta cd/dvd player to 300b amps with individual volume controls. Sounds great, but what am I missing?

I do need a preamp with phono and microphones, that's clear.

It seems like convenience is another reason to have a preamp -- selecting sources, remote volume in some cases.

But I probably don't need another preamp if the output from the cd player is enough and I have volume controls in my amps.

But I am tempted to try a tube preamp and remove the volume controls on my amps.

Your thoughts?
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,841 posts
 
If you have volume controls in your amps you stand a good chance of making it work. When you have a stand-alone volume control with cables feeding it and it driving a cable, the math tends to go against you and you will loose bass and dynamics as a result.
csontos
1,311 posts
 
So in this case, there could possibly be "no" pre-amp? I have a pair of SAR LABS "Little Walleys" monos with level controls. I tried this experiment with a player without controls to great success. Much better without the pre.
j_fav
26 posts
 
Whenever possible with a setup, I try going without a pre-amp and see how it works. More often than not, I do get an improvement by taking the pre out of the system. And that's with high end pre's too like an Aesthetix Calypso Sig. Currently I'm running a BMC DAC into the BMC S1, technically no pre although BMC calls their dac a DAC/PRE, and my Salon 2's have never sounded better.
mitch2
4,006 posts
 
"If you have volume controls in your amps you stand a good chance of making it work."
This can be done with any amp using Endler or EVS in-line volume attenuators, which plug directly into the amp(s). Even considering a special purity of sound with this set-up, I still prefer using a high end active preamp, which I find improves dimensionality, bass impact and dynamics. However, with mid-level preamps, and their sins of commission, things swing the other way and I would prefer the passive attenuators for their purity and absence of negative artifacts .
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