Are LDR pres the ultimate passive?

[Figlet108]

I actually agree with you Marco. It's just where I am right now in my hifi journey. I just want to focus on passives for now, but I didn't say it would be that way forever.

[Marco]

Sure, that's fair enough

Marco.

[CornishPasty]

What it is about a passive that floats your boat Figlet?

I have a Django TVC which I use occasionally, currently configured to +6dB but can easily be reset to 0dB and a B4 buffer stage which whilst it's powered is unity gain. It's a very interesting listen. However I've pretty much returned to my Grounded Grid valve preamp in my main system for the same reason Jandl gave.

[Light Dependant Resistor]

Hi Jason
Magnificent effort with all of the hifi hardware including building casework, and arranging a bake-off with more to come.

Would be interested to know if you used our earlier control board or the last one we sent you ? As usual updates are sent without cost to our customers, and some improvements are being researched.

Cheers / Chris

[Figlet108]

What it is about a passive that floats your boat Figlet?

I have a Django TVC which I use occasionally, currently configured to +6dB but can easily be reset to 0dB and a B4 buffer stage which whilst it's powered is unity gain. It's a very interesting listen. However I've pretty much returned to my Grounded Grid valve preamp in my main system for the same reason Jandl gave.

Hi Ralph, the thing is that in my system the negatives that Jerry describes about his former LDR, (the same criticisms that I've heard in general about passives), I just don't experience. I get the transparency and detail but with plenty of drive, lots of excitement and not at all limp (so I guess er... stiff )

The Young DAC I use sends a strong signal and has a low impedance, the EAR509s have a relatively high impedance and my speakers have super simple cross-overs that are really easy to drive. Passives just work really well in that setup.

On the other hand if Marco's Croft blows me away it will certainly change my perspective.

[Figlet108]

Hi Jason
Magnificent effort with all of the hifi hardware including building casework, and arranging a bake-off with more to come.

Would be interested to know if you used our earlier control board or the last one we sent you ? As usual updates are sent without cost to our customers, and some improvements are being researched.

Cheers / Chris

Hi Chris,

I used the latest control board you sent and the latest (500k) pot too.
And the PSU was back up to 12v as we discussed.
The only thing that I realise now I forgot to do was remove the ground connection from the control board. I think you said that would improve things slightly and I'll make sure I make that change.

[Light Dependant Resistor]

Hi Chris,

I used the latest control board you sent and the latest (500k) pot too.
And the PSU was back up to 12v as we discussed.
The only thing that I realise now I forgot to do was remove the ground connection from the control board. I think you said that would improve things slightly and I'll make sure I make that change.

Hi Jason
The latest control boards already break that connection to other circuitry. So you can try with or without. The effect with J2 Control board ground connected with the latest boards is to place in parallel with the DC output a small capacitor and resistor if you wish to use it.

Cheers / Chris

[Marco]

On the other hand if Marco's Croft blows me away it will certainly change my perspective.

As ever in life, it's a benchmark thing, and so ultimately a question of what one is used to. In that respect, sampling a glass of Cava may initially be wonderful, but only until one savours the delights of Dom Pérignon...

Marco.

[awkwardbydesign]

This is interesting. I have been following Jason's limestone box build over at the other place, as I am using the same stone on my speakers. Then I get a PM from Chris mentioning this pre (I used to buy opamps from him). And I use a Promitheus TVC! Sadly Plymouth is a bit far to pop over for a bake off, but I will be back in Manchester next month visiting friends, so maybe something could be arranged. Hopefully someone else will turn up with a comparable TVC so I can see how it compares with the LDR.
I don't know what it would cost to make the LDR pre, but it is something that might interest me.

[Paul Hynes]

I first tried using LDRs for volume control around 20 years ago and was immediately impressed with their musical attributes compared to any other volume control I had used. Still using them, and still not found anything better for use in my system.

For those new to LDR volume control there is a very long thread on DIY Audio Forum covering the ins and outs of using them at :-

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/analo...ve-preamp.html

Paul