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In Reply to: Why do you think this is the case? posted by mkuller on April 11, 2006 at 11:49:07:
< < I always thought simpler was better. > >I did too. But "listening" is a much better way to evaluate sonic performance than is "thinking".
When our only product was the V-3 power amp (which you reviewed back then), we developed it by using a DAC with a variable output and no preamp. There was just a potentiometer inside the DAC box, with a buffer stage to drive the cable. This sounded very good.
In an effort to improve the sound we ran the fixed outputs into a stepped attenuator that plugged directly into the input of the amps. They were little boxes with a 12-position rotary switch and some Vishay resistors. There were no extra cables, nor any issues with driving cables. This sounded better still.
Finally we made fixed attenuators that consisted of rhodium-plated connectors back-to-back with two resistors soldered in place. Again, these plugged directly into the power amp with no extra cables, but now there were no switches and we could use our favorite resistors. This sounded unbelievably good.
When we made our first preamp, it was with some trepidation, because we figured there was no way that all that circuitry and switching and volume controls could sound as good as two resistors directly soldered to rhodium-plated connectors.
We were wrong.
I think the main reason that people like passive preamps is because there are so many bad sounding active preamps out there. (This is true of even some well reviewed units.) I'll take a mediocre passive over a mediocre active any day of the week. But a good active sounds better than the best passive.
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Follow Ups
- Re: Why do you think this is the case? - Charles Hansen 04/11/0614:27:07 04/11/06 (20)
- You didn't answer the question... - mkuller 14:50:03 04/11/06 (19)
- Nobody really knows the answer to the question "Why?" - Charles Hansen 19:17:16 04/11/06 (18)
- Re: Nobody really knows the answer to the question "Why?" - anthonyh 10:45:30 04/12/06 (16)
- Re: Nobody really knows the answer to the question "Why?" - LarryI 11:51:15 04/12/06 (10)
- Re: Nobody really knows the answer to the question "Why?" - morricab 01:55:55 04/13/06 (0)
- I too, am still wondering how much gain overkill is necessary (nt) - E-Stat 20:09:06 04/12/06 (8)
- Re: I too, am still wondering how much gain overkill is necessary (nt) - morricab 01:59:05 04/13/06 (7)
- So, how many times must a signal - E-Stat 05:33:03 04/13/06 (6)
- That's what you get for thinking... - Charles Hansen 08:24:53 04/13/06 (5)
- Actually - E-Stat 09:52:19 04/13/06 (4)
- Re: Actually - Charles Hansen 12:06:03 04/13/06 (3)
- Details - E-Stat 12:44:36 04/13/06 (2)
- OK, this makes sense - Charles Hansen 15:21:15 04/13/06 (1)
- I still believe the future is simpler - E-Stat 15:32:01 04/13/06 (0)
- I don't want to be TOO fussy, but the model designation is 'ACT2', :-) ... - jeffreybehr 11:27:24 04/12/06 (4)
- Re: I don't want to be TOO fussy, but the model designation is 'ACT2', :-) ... - anthonyh 12:03:55 04/13/06 (3)
- Mr. Fussy is back. :-) It can't be both Act 2 and ACT2. - jeffreybehr 15:22:13 04/13/06 (2)
- Re: Mr. Fussy is back. :-) It can't be both Act 2 and ACT2. - anthonyh 08:14:28 04/14/06 (1)
- That's what they tell me, too. In fact, Tor, the marketing director... - jeffreybehr 14:11:15 04/14/06 (0)
- Thanks for your response...(nt) - mkuller 10:14:19 04/12/06 (0)
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