2. amps-preamps
  3. 1346098814

Preamps waste of money?

I've been forced to reevaluate the role of preamps. The best sound I have achieved is result of adding a stepped resistor volume control at the input stage inside of my tube amp. All other options I have tried or auditioned including both active and passive volume control(autoformer and LDRs)have "colored" the sound in one way or the other to an unacceptable degree compared the stepped attenuator at the input. Has anyone had similar experience?
dracule1
dracule1 OP
1,085 posts
 
Exactly, I have a Goldpoint passive stepped attenuator inside the amp. I haven't come across any preamp outside the amp that is better.
tmsorosk
1,013 posts
 
What preamps have you tried?
dracule1 OP
1,085 posts
 
In my system: Tap X autoformer preamp (own, very pure clean sound with exceptional high freq), LDR preamp (borrowed), Audio Research Ref 5 (borrowed), Gary Dodd battery powered tube buffer preamp (borrowed, very very good sound), Audible Illusions (owned), Threshold FET 9 (owned), and Placette passive (borrowed).

In other systems I am familiar with: Rowland Criterion, VTL TL 7.5, Atmasphere MP1, Bolder 2010, and Music First passive transformer preamp.
dracule1 OP
1,085 posts
 
I've also tried DACT attenuator in an amp I owned long ago, but I wasn't as successful. For some reason, the Goldpoint works exceptionally well in my current amp.
dracule1 OP
1,085 posts
 
Oh yea, I also had the Hovland HP-100 in my system.

I also auditioned the Ayre KXR preamp at a dealer. I guess I'm really not into active SS preamps. There always seems to be some residual thinness to the sound from a SS preamp, no matter how expensive, that a good tube preamp avoids. But that's just me. Others might describe the thinness as neutral, but I don't hear that in real life. I haven't heard the dartZeel, which according to some, is the cat's meow.
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