BAT vk-3ix and Parasound Halo A21 match?

Milpai,

Is your passive unit balanced? Also, what do you have going into it for a source? I don't mean to pry but I'm a big fan of passive preamps. Not that many people see the value in using them so its always good to get opinions from other users.

To the OP, I posted a reply after reading your reply to mine. That was about 4-5 hours ago. I hope it turns up. I just wanted to clarify that I think you made a very good decision to go with the BAT. I list a few reasons why.

No problem Zd542, I took you're comments as good advice, if I was unclear that was my fault. It may end up that the Parasound isn't the best match in the world, but if it sounds even a little better then what I have now I'll be extremely happy since I'm pretty happy with what I have now. If for whatever reason it doesn't I'll begin looking for a used SS BAT amps in the future. I'd love to go tubes, but my pockets aren't deep enough for high power tube amps - even used.

I've been torn about getting a preamp at all since the NAD works quite well as preamp (as it was designed to do). Just saw that stereophile just did a review of my DAC and gave what seemed quite favorable review - for whatever that's worth. I don't put too much value on reviews anyway.

My concern is am I adding less transparency and purity by adding another component in the chain. However my hope is the "tube" opens doors to the music for my Thiels as many claim it do for mixing the tube pre with SS amp. Fingers X'd. I've wanted to add a BAT for a while but they were out of my price range, and though I really didn't need it the price was right and I grabbed it. Worse thing that could happen is I end up with a nice piece of equipment.

Zd542,
My passive unit is a dual mono TVC that is completely balanced. My source is a Marantz SA8260 SACD player with RCA outs. The CDP outputs 2.2V whereas the A21 has a sensitivity of 1V for full output. Even with the RCAs in place from TVC to A21, the volts were 2.2 as it is now. I do not understand how the XLR affected the performance. So I assume that the A21 is optimized for XLR connection.
Yes, I love the TVC. The only negative against the TVC is - it does not have a remote...but who cares?
The XLR from TVC to the Parasound A21 made the biggest difference in my system. I should have done it on day 1 when I got the A21...but who knew.

Here's what BAT has to say on this issue:

"Is the requirement for minimum input resistance dictated by the output resistance of your preamps?

No. However, this is a popular misconception. It is common to apply some old rules-of -thumb to things like preamplifier to power amplifier interfaces and state that there should be some magic ratio between the output resistance of the preamp and the input resistance of its load. People commonly mention numbers in the 10:1 or 20:1 area, some as high as 100:1. Unfortunately, there is no truth to such claims. As many of us know, one can perfectly transmit a signal in a system where the load impedance is equal or even lower than the source impedance (witness any cable TV system). The unusual design of Balanced Audio Technology's preamplifiers allows their gain stages to drive loads with resistance much below what their specified output resistance ratings would imply. For example, the VK-50SE preamplifier can supply a load with 65mA peak current - an amount well beyond that of the great majority of preamplifiers on the market today. However, it is also important to understand the role of the output coupling capacitor, present at the output of BAT preamplifiers. It is the size of this capacitor that will dictate the minimum power amplifier input impedance, not the output resistance of the preamp."

Having owned a 3ix for several years, I've been down this road (even owned a BAT 250SE SS amp for a while.)

If you like the 3ix, I would not limit the amp search to those with 100k Ohm or above input impedance.

Atkinson measures the frequency response with a 600 Ohm load and 100k Ohm load, which is very unhelpful as no consumer amps are anywhere near a 600 Ohm load and most are below 100k Ohm. A 10k Ohm load would have shown the response to be down a few dB at the frequency extremes.

BAT's stated spec of 10k Ohm is a sensible minimum bound for the amp's input impedence. 66k Ohm is no problem for it at all.