RE: I see from their site it's 12 or 0db of gain but...

Posted by AbeCollins (A) on October 3, 2023 at 20:47:33

In Reply to: I see from their site it's 12 or 0db of gain but... posted by DAVID on October 1, 2023 at 21:39:12:

The Kara and some other preamps have a fully passive mode and a buffered mode in addition to having mode with gain.

0 dB Gain :

- This implies that there's an active buffer in the circuit. It could be a transistor or tube but it does not amplify the signal level (0 dB = no gain). The buffer provides "impedance transformation" meaning the input of the buffer presents a high impedance load to the source component (CDP for example) so it doesn't load down (or alter) the output signal from the source as the volume control varies . The output of the buffer is a low impedance that provides a robust signal to the amp that is also unaffected by long cables or cables with high capacitance that would otherwise alter the frequency response as the Volume Control varies.

The buffer basically makes it easier to match the source component to the amp w/o worry about cable length, cable capacitance, and how the Volume Control might affect frequency response which can be the case in a purely passive setup.

The downside of the buffer is that it can ever so slightly veil the signal. The most transparent sounding setups seem to use passive preamps but there are drawbacks and component matching between the source, the amp and cables is much more critical.

Not sure how else to explain it. Maybe someone will do a better job here!

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Been using a Schitt Saga+ for a while now and quite happy... but... - musetap 10:27:41 09/9/23 (26)

I ended up in the same boat. - ghost of olddude55 08:35:35 09/11/23 (7)

RE: I ended up in the same boat. - hahax@verizon.net 21:54:00 09/11/23 (1)

I think it's more accurate than the Saga + - ghost of olddude55 15:23:10 09/12/23 (0)

That is quite a nice unit from the 70s - E-Stat 15:50:53 09/11/23 (4)

Did Van Alstine eliminate that funky power switch? - ghost of olddude55 15:25:49 09/12/23 (3)

Wired around it - E-Stat 05:55:14 09/13/23 (2)

In my sonic memory, the PAT-5 sounded pretty good. - ghost of olddude55 06:17:38 09/13/23 (1)

Decent but opaque - E-Stat 06:20:16 09/13/23 (0)

RE: Been using a Schitt Saga+ for a while now and quite happy... but... - hutmacher 06:54:54 09/11/23 (0)

I still Have mine... - Cougar 20:31:08 09/9/23 (13)

There are certainly many situations... - mlsstl 07:36:40 09/10/23 (0)

Not about the Volume Level for me..... - AbeCollins 07:07:58 09/10/23 (11)

RE: Not about the Volume Level for me..... - DAVID 14:50:57 10/1/23 (3)

I see from their site it's 12 or 0db of gain but... - DAVID 21:39:12 10/1/23 (2)

RE: I see from their site it's 12 or 0db of gain but... - AbeCollins 10/3/2320:47:33 10/3/23 (1)

Yeah, that helps. Thanks! (mt) - DAVID 10:26:45 10/7/23 (0)

"full-bodied robustness and dynamics" - 1973shovel 10:24:09 09/10/23 (4)

RE: "full-bodied robustness and dynamics" - AbeCollins 09:08:08 09/11/23 (3)

RE: "it's not just about the volume level" - 1973shovel 06:52:25 09/12/23 (2)

Easy to do with op amp based circuits - E-Stat 06:02:42 09/13/23 (1)

That makes sense - 1973shovel 03:19:55 09/14/23 (0)

I never ran my Saga+ in Passive mode.... - Cougar 07:46:35 09/10/23 (1)

Passive mode doesn't cut it for me... (and thanks to all that posted to this thread)... - musetap 12:41:07 09/10/23 (0)

I had a Saga+ - mlsstl 18:22:13 09/9/23 (1)

The 6SN7 is nice... - musetap 12:49:09 09/10/23 (0)

Enjoying my Schiit Kara preamp - AbeCollins 13:53:15 09/9/23 (0)

Follow Ups

RE: I see from their site it's 12 or 0db of gain but... - AbeCollins 10/3/2320:47:33 10/3/23 (1)

Yeah, that helps. Thanks! (mt) - DAVID 10:26:45 10/7/23 (0)

RE: I see from their site it's 12 or 0db of gain but...

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