Kriton Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 I saw and heard the craziest thing tonight - I met an old boy for some unrelated business, and heard this fine gentleman's set-up; he was running a Lexicon CD transport directly into a pair of recetly DeWick refurbed MC60's hooked up to a pair of Crites crossovers in a pair of Industrial LaScalas - he was using the gain on the monoblocks to control the volume! I can't say that I have ever seen this before, but I have to tell you that it sounded fantastic! The scalas were very well balanced in my opinion, and I wanted to overstay my welcome and pull out some more music just to hear that system cranked up - My question is - is there any downside to running without a pre-amp in a situation like this? Does he run the risk of blowing up anything? I suggested a BB pre just so he could have a remote if nothing else, but I don't see how that could improve the sound that much, if not detract - what say you who know more than I ever could? PS - Loved those LaScalas - looks like I am on the hunt again. B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg928gts Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 I don't see any problem with it. On almost all my systems I have no preamp. I like to use a Creek OBH-10 remote controlled passive volume attenuator. I find that these little buggers don't add or take away a thing from the sound, so it's just like running straight into an amp. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 NRB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 I don't see any problem with it. I agree... (and not just to stoke Gregs Ego! [6]) I forget the specifics but several years ago when I had my Khorns I was mixing/matching various goodies... I ended up plugging my cd player straight into my amps by accident (forget which ones). I was a bit dumbfounded as to why the volume control didn't work however, I was also taken back by just how good it all sounded. I liked it better than what I had with a preamp however, I needed some kind of volume control as well as input selector so I had to fix my mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Richard Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 Since I got my Oppo, which has a volume control on the remote, I have not been running a preamp. CD player>crossover>amps>Khorns. The system has never sounded quieter or cleaner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Richard Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 Double post Double post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kriton Posted April 15, 2009 Author Share Posted April 15, 2009 Well alrighty then - then why did I bust nuts to secure a spanky new BlueBerry? ( I don't regret it a bit, by the way, as the Dynaco's don't have that pesky "gain" thing anyways...) Those Industrials were *thumping* - those of you who say that LaScalas have anemic bass? They were very well balanced, and while I wouldn't necessarily listen to the same source material - they sounded kick ***, just marvelous. The screw driver on the gains to the MC60's was a little disconcerting, but those 6550's were cranking away - it was a sweet set-up, and the gentleman was nice as he could be, good guy. I don't think he is a regular over here, but he should be...His wife was gracious when we paraded thorugh his home to look at his second pair of LaScalas inside, and she had that tired beaten down accepting look of a woman who has resigned herself to the fact that her husband and the sstrangers he brings into the house have a sickness for speakers... and big Klipsch Heritage at that... B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sootshe Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 I too run a passive preamp (purely for gain control & source selection) & I find the sound much cleaner & purer than with an active preamp. Everyone says you won't get the same bass control with a passive or with no preamp, but then they hear my system & they can't quite believe it. To be fair, it may be system dependent & I've only ever had highly efficient speakers, so that may count for something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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