Preamp selection or not

[Madman1]

So I recently had 2 pairs of mono blocks fall in my lap and coincidentally a lot of money fall out of my pocket at the same time...🙄. I have a restored pair of MC30 and my tech is finishing a pair of Eico Hf-60. I’m attempting to understand where a preamp fits in. All the amps make full power at .5 volts so tech says preamp selection doesn’t even matter and I know some people just feed a volume controlled dac or streamer into the amps directly. 90% of my listening is vinyl and I may eventually have one setup for vinyl and one for digital but for now that’s not gonna happen. So my question is why would I spend 2k on a mx100z or even more for an ARSp3 or even 5-600 on a new/restored pas if the gain is wasted? I have played with a Schiit saga but feel as though it’s a bit sterile. I do prefer tube sound and “coloring” without being veiled or dark. Then some people say use a ss preamp. I will obviously need some preamp to use my turntable. I know there are so many choices and opinions but that is what I’m looking for from people who own MC30s or Hf-60s. Also at different times these will power Chorus,Chorus2,Forte2, and someday a modded pair of Cornwall. 
 

Thanks,

Mark

[Coytee]

19 minutes ago, Madman1 said:

All the amps make full power at .5 volts

 

I had a pair of MC-30's and a MC-2102.  I thought they required 2.5v for full power.  Then again, that might have been the XLR input (of the 2102)

[henry4841]

I have found that a preamp, linestage, is not need with our speakers. I just use a quality buffer with no gain for volume control mainly where I can use a sub when there is not a sub outlet on the amp. If anything a pre with gain will more than likely, depending on amplifier, give you no control over volume. In other words off and then too loud with just a slight turn. If your amplifiers do not have pots just use a passive linestage or buffer. Just what I have found and I have numerous quality linestages. They all will contribute their tone to the sound as well. 

[Coytee]

I wasn't using the Mc's at the time, but I accidently wired my CD player directly into the back of my dbx BX-1 amp (input 1v) 

 

Turned things on, and was wow'ed at the difference (perceived improvement) of the sound.  I loved it.... went to turn it up and nothing happened.  ???  WHA???

 

Found out I bypassed the preamp and that was my first experience of learning how much it can impact the sound.  I begrudgingly keep it in the system because of needing a selector and ability to change volume (be nice if the CD player had the output control on it but mine didn't)

 

Changed that gear so today', not an issue but it was an eye/ear opening accident.

[Les Lammers]

38 minutes ago, Madman1 said:

So I recently had 2 pairs of mono blocks fall in my lap and coincidentally a lot of money fall out of my pocket at the same time...🙄. I have a restored pair of MC30 and my tech is finishing a pair of Eico Hf-60. I’m attempting to understand where a preamp fits in. All the amps make full power at .5 volts so tech says preamp selection doesn’t even matter and I know some people just feed a volume controlled dac or streamer into the amps directly. 90% of my listening is vinyl and I may eventually have one setup for vinyl and one for digital but for now that’s not gonna happen. So my question is why would I spend 2k on a mx100z or even more for an ARSp3 or even 5-600 on a new/restored pas if the gain is wasted? I have played with a Schiit saga but feel as though it’s a bit sterile. I do prefer tube sound and “coloring” without being veiled or dark. Then some people say use a ss preamp. I will obviously need some preamp to use my turntable. I know there are so many choices and opinions but that is what I’m looking for from people who own MC30s or Hf-60s. Also at different times these will power Chorus,Chorus2,Forte2, and someday a modded pair of Cornwall. 
 

Thanks,

Mark

 

Look into a TVC, transformer volume control. Google is your friend.

[Madman1]

6 hours ago, Les Lammers said:

 

Look into a TVC, transformer volume control. Google is your friend.

Thanks Les, can you give some suggestions of any of these that don’t require diy and do these have a stepped attenuator? 

[seti]

Preamps Matter.

 

 

[Les Lammers]

12 hours ago, Madman1 said:

Thanks Les, can you give some suggestions of any of these that don’t require diy and do these have a stepped attenuator? 

 

12 hours ago, Madman1 said:

Thanks Les, can you give some suggestions of any of these that don’t require diy and do these have a stepped attenuator? 

 I re-read your original post. *I* would get an active preamp with a phono stage.

[Ole Dollar]

Go with the MX110z, a great match. I use it with MC30’s and an MC240 with my Chorus 2’s and it sounds pretty awesome.

[Madman1]

On 9/19/2020 at 4:13 PM, Ole Dollar said:

Go with the MX110z, a great match. I use it with MC30’s and an MC240 with my Chorus 2’s and it sounds pretty awesome.

Dang it! Ole Dollar, I had just gotten that 110 off my brain and you had to bring it back up!!