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Thread: passive pre-amp

  1. #11
    Join Date: Mar 2011

    Location: Preston

    Posts: 197
    I'm Paul.

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    I have about 1.5m of cabling and it works fine but shorter is definitely better in my experience. Certainly more than 3m starts to have a detrimental effect in my system
    SBT/Chromecast/TEAC T1 into TEAC D-T1 DAC or olde-worlde Rega Planar 2 controlled by Rotel RC850 into HH S500D or DACT Passive Pre into Mullard 5-20 monos. Then into Tannoy Cheviots and a Wharfdale sub. All connected by colourful cables.

  2. #12
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,779
    I'm Martin.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RothwellAudio View Post
    I think people tend to be over-cautious where interconnect length is concerned. Of course, it depends on the impedance of the passive pre, but you can usually get away with more than 1m of interconnects if you need to.
    Yes, you're absolutely correct that people shouldn't worry about having the dial over half way for normal listening. Some people get unduly nervous about seeing the volume control set so high, but it's not really a problem at all.
    People are used to amps where full output is only half way round the dial and at a quarter the way round it is too loud for any normal room and speakers. Deliberate of course so rubes are fooled into thinking the amp must be really powerful and have loads in reserve.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  3. #13
    RothwellAudio Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by Macca View Post
    People are used to amps where full output is only half way round the dial and at a quarter the way round it is too loud for any normal room and speakers. Deliberate of course so rubes are fooled into thinking the amp must be really powerful and have loads in reserve.
    You're absolutely correct. However, I can't complain about it - I've sold literally thousands of pairs of attenuators to people with systems like you describe

  4. #14
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,779
    I'm Martin.

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    Yes, I have a set of them myself left over from when I used active pre-amps CD player always too much output, or so I thought in my naivety. Get rid of the pointless extra gain stage, problem solved and you can hear what the player is actually doing without all the glare you thought was just the crapness of 'digital'.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  5. #15
    Join Date: Nov 2013

    Location: Scotland

    Posts: 185
    I'm Michael.

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    Get yourself a Schiit Freya and you can have passive, JFet buffer or Tube Gain all in the same box with full remote control.
    https://schiit.eu.com/preamps/Schiit-Freya
    You can then see which suits your system the best. In my system active tube is best because I use insensitive power amps. My Monarchy Audio SM70Pro needs 1 volt input for full output and my SDS470C class D needs 2 volts. The JFET buffer sounds very good with the Monarchy's and some might prefer this to the active stage.

  6. #16
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: NE England

    Posts: 4,173
    I'm Jez.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RothwellAudio View Post
    I think people tend to be over-cautious where interconnect length is concerned. Of course, it depends on the impedance of the passive pre, but you can usually get away with more than 1m of interconnects if you need to.
    Yes, you're absolutely correct that people shouldn't worry about having the dial over half way for normal listening. Some people get unduly nervous about seeing the volume control set so high, but it's not really a problem at all.
    Indeed all sorts of strange ideas abound! A customer just a few days ago wanted the output of a pre increasing as he thought the main amp was "being worked harder" by having the volume control at a higher setting!

    Generally 4M or so of coax is fine with a 50K pot or attenuator and even 10M would be fine with a 10K pot
    Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)

    Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
    ReVox PR99, Studer B62, Ferrograph Series 7, Tandberg TCD440, Hitachi FT-5500MkI, also FT-5500MkII
    Digital: Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (Digital Swiss army knife-CD recorder, player, hard drive, DAC and ADC in one), PC files via 24/96 sound card and SPDIF, modded Philips CD850, modded Philips CD104, modded DPA Little Bit DAC. Sennheiser HD580 cans with Arkless Headphone amp.
    Cables- free interconnects that come with CD players, mains leads from B&Q, dead kettles etc, extension leads from Tesco

  7. #17
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    I just bought one of these for a giggle. Passive pre-amp with tone controls. I think I can just about stretch to the expense.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2915687233...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

    Apparently there is a significant insertion loss and it may well sound awful. Just a bit of fun!
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  8. #18
    Join Date: Feb 2016

    Location: yorkshire

    Posts: 61
    I'm terry.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dauntless View Post
    Get yourself a Schiit Freya and you can have passive, JFet buffer or Tube Gain all in the same box with full remote control.
    https://schiit.eu.com/preamps/Schiit-Freya
    You can then see which suits your system the best. In my system active tube is best because I use insensitive power amps. My Monarchy Audio SM70Pro needs 1 volt input for full output and my SDS470C class D needs 2 volts. The JFET buffer sounds very good with the Monarchy's and some might prefer this to the active stage.

    looks good, but at £700 is a considered purchase, but seems reasonable for what it appears to offer

  9. #19
    Join Date: Nov 2013

    Location: Scotland

    Posts: 185
    I'm Michael.

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    Quote Originally Posted by shire View Post
    looks good, but at £700 is a considered purchase, but seems reasonable for what it appears to offer
    There's also the Saga at much less. It deos without balanced and tube gain but still has remote control. Never used one myself but it had a very positive review in this month's HIFI World. https://schiit.eu.com/preamps/Schiit-Freya

  10. #20
    Join Date: Nov 2013

    Location: Scotland

    Posts: 185
    I'm Michael.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dauntless View Post
    There's also the Saga at much less. It deos without balanced and tube gain but still has remote control. Never used one myself but it had a very positive review in this month's HIFI World. https://schiit.eu.com/preamps/Schiit-Freya
    Oh schiit!! Try this link https://schiit.eu.com/preamps/Saga

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