RE: The only big advantage I can see.....

Posted by Ozzy (A) on April 23, 2024 at 04:57:54

In Reply to: The only big advantage I can see..... posted by AbeCollins on April 22, 2024 at 12:27:13:

The active preamps in my life:

Audible Illusions Modulus 3A
Conrad Johnson Premier 17
Don Sachs DS2
Audio Research LS3
Audio Research SP9 II (GNS modded)
BAT VK3i
BAT VK30
Cary SLP 98P
Lamm LL2
DeHavilland Ultraverve 2
Art Audio VPS

My system has always been passive friendly, even when there was no passive in house. As good as any of the above preamps were, none were any better than the best passive devices I've owned, and most were not as good. If you have a robust output stage in your source, don't run stupid long interconnects, and have high input impedance and gain in the input stage of your amplifier, there is absolutely NO reason why dynamics should be challenged when using a well designed passive preamp.

BTW, none of the passive preamps you mentioned are what I would call "top shelf". I can see why you might think them polite. Here are my favorites, in no particular order:

Hattor Audio resistor based passive (of course)
Tortuga LDR
TVCs using S&B copper transformers

The Schiit Freya + and Saga + are worth mentioning, very good, but not great.

Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you.
- Winston Churchill

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - preamps - KAMIS 01:58:51 04/22/24 (19)

RE: preamps - Chris K. 17:11:59 04/27/24 (0)

RE: preamps - PaulF70 13:39:04 04/26/24 (0)

Hattor Audio - Ozzy 04:34:54 04/22/24 (3)

70 bucks, that's it? Looks impressive too! /nt - Story 04:57:11 04/22/24 (2)

"Shipping from Poland was only 70.00" -nt - E-Stat 15:58:23 04/22/24 (0)

RE: 70 bucks, that's it? Looks impressive too! /nt - Ozzy 05:57:36 04/22/24 (0)

Passives work well sometimes, others not so much - Feanor 04:04:56 04/22/24 (11)

+1 Agree with everything you said...... - AbeCollins 09:33:39 04/22/24 (10)

RE: +1 Agree with everything you said...... - Ozzy 10:06:51 04/22/24 (9)

The only big advantage I can see..... - AbeCollins 12:27:13 04/22/24 (8)

RE: The only big advantage I can see..... - Ozzy 04:57:54 04/23/24 (3)

RE: The only big advantage I can see..... - AbeCollins 18:53:19 04/23/24 (2)

RE: The only big advantage I can see..... - Ozzy 02:57:37 04/25/24 (1)

RE: The only big advantage I can see..... - AbeCollins 11:41:33 04/26/24 (0)

Do you know anyone who has tried the Sonic Euphoria passive preamp? nt - alaskahiatt 23:17:15 04/22/24 (3)

Yes, me. I've owned two different copies of the Line 1 - Feanor 04:05:11 04/28/24 (0)

Yes...... - Ozzy 04:58:27 04/23/24 (1)

Thank you very much. I may finally hook it up after our final move this summer. - alaskahiatt 10:51:16 04/23/24 (0)

Passive Preamps - jedrider 03:35:22 04/22/24 (0)

Follow Ups

RE: The only big advantage I can see..... - Ozzy 04:57:54 04/23/24 (3)

RE: The only big advantage I can see..... - AbeCollins 18:53:19 04/23/24 (2)

RE: The only big advantage I can see..... - Ozzy 02:57:37 04/25/24 (1)

RE: The only big advantage I can see..... - AbeCollins 11:41:33 04/26/24 (0)

RE: The only big advantage I can see.....

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