JJJeffries Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Which way should I go and why? Thank You! Best, Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg928gts Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 I'm using a passive pre with my tube amplifier right now and it sounds great. I really don't notice much difference between the passive pre and the tube preamp, except that I don't have to get up to change the volume with the passive pre, it has a remote (Creek OBH-10). How about a tube pre with a tube amp? Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJJeffries Posted April 27, 2004 Author Share Posted April 27, 2004 Greg: I am using a Creek OBH-10 passive pre with a SS power amp and the sound is exceptional. Very clean and airy and warm in the mid. Maybe I need to save some coin and then buy a tube pre and tube power amp. I have researched the Jolida JD502B INT. tube amp. Have read a lot of positive reviews. Since I am on my own again and don't have a home w/ a fireplace maybe I need a tube array to feel warm in the winter. LOL! I do have an Adcom 555-2 pre that is clean. Maybe I will use the Creek for remote control only and down the road spend some of that moldy money on the all tube set-up. I appreciate your comments. Best, Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 The entire notion of paying more than a few dollars for a "passive preamp" with or without tubes is a puzzle to me. As far as I have been able to determine a "passive preamp" offers nothing more than a means of attenuating the source signal prior to it being presented to the power amp and in some cases these so called passives provide for input source switching which might be limited or even non-existent on the amplifier which is fed by the preamp. As I see it the term Preamp as used in these cases is a prime example of language manipulation ie. twisting terms: In most peoples' understanding of life in the lala land of stereo it has been commonly understood that a preamp served the purpose of equalising input signals ( in both the sense of presenting a power amp with signals from a turntable,tuner,tape deck,microphone etc. that was at very nearly the same voltage level) Passive preamps are pure BS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 Lynm, You would prefer "input selector with volume control"? Pre-amp in this case is just a shorthand. Still, I had no idea you could have a passive pre with a remote control - I thought that they weren't powered, by definition. Passives have a following. Many people want the nearest thing to a source - amp direct connection with nothing in the way. If you have multiple sources and no volume controls on them it is a logical step. And having said all that - I am not a fan of them either. I find a tube pre adds to the sound, but, as ever, YMMV... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundog Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 I have attempted to get the best of both worlds by combining a modern update of an old dynaco stereo tube preamp design (dynaco PAS-4) with a great solid state Home Theater pre-amp and amp (Outlaw 950 and 7100). I also use Perpetual Technologies 1A & 3A Dacs and jitter reduction to upgrade my CDs. The preamp provides a tube mellowness combined with the power of solid state amplification and the ability to easily switch to multi-channel HT and SACDs. Works great with my Heritage speakers. The 950 has a pass through mode which I use when I play stereo CDs or records(seldom anymore). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurch Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 I've gone thru many iterations of the above. Passives are nice, but they lack dynamics with tube amps and don't have the same midrange magic as a tube pre w/SS amp. Tube and tube is nice, but can be too much of a good thing. I like tube/ss (at this juncture) because: a. No output tubes to mess with (biasing, thermal runaway, etc) b. Tube colorations in amps are generally more obvious than preamps c. Kids won't burn themselves on preamp d. Wife will feel comfortable listening to system This doesn't mean I don't have tube amps lying around (HK Citation 2, Heath W-4Ms, Quicksilver 8417 Monos), but they're seeing less and less time in the system. My current favorite tube pre is one I bought from China on ebay (uses 6SN7s). I also have a Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 Signature (hybrid), McCormack TLC-1 Deluxe ("passive"), HK Citation 1 (tube), AES SE-3 (tube), and HK Citation 21 (SS). Of course, YMMV. Just be aware that if you use an unbuffered tube or passive pre, then you'll want the input impedance of your amp to be pretty high (upwards of 100K). Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheltie dave Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 Craig, I'm a little confused about the direction you are taking. Coming from a member of the MIT Audio group(one of the more knowledgable and widely versed audio clubs in the country with VAST amounts of equipment,) and having some decent equipment yourself, I would place your level of experience and knowledge to be higher than the majority of us on the forum. Where do you want to go with any purchases, and in what environment are you stuffing any new equipment? Give us the paradigms in which you want to operate. Rank your priorities, and we can get on with the nitty gritty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 Your system profile doesnt tell us what loudspeakers, music, or room that you have: what are your needs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg928gts Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 O.k., passive pre's are B.S. I have no less than 5 of these B.S. devices in my house right now and I love em. I don't have to get up off my fat *** to change the volume. Call them what you want, I call them convenient. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leok Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 Greg, No way. The only "active preamp" I've ever used is for my phono cartridge. I have worked so hard to minimize the stages of electronics between line sources (cd player, tuner, phono-pre) and speakers, I just don't see, the point in adding a few more stages of "amplification" that just has to be divided out anyway, since line signals are all greater amplitude than I need for max volume from my amps. The line out impedances from my sources are all lower than a few hundred ohms. The line input impedances on all my amps are 20KOhms and higher (tube amps are several hundred KOhms), and my line cables are all .5M long, so impedance isn't an issue. However, I don't use tone controls, loudness, blend, etc. So, a simple volume control with a few source switches, and a remote, is perfect for me. Leo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 ---------------- On 4/28/2004 7:24:59 AM sheltie dave wrote: Give us the paradigms in which you want to operate. ---------------- Let's see, you get 4 McIntosh MC30s for $20 each, and now you're asking for free speakers? Talk about "best score ever"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJJeffries Posted April 28, 2004 Author Share Posted April 28, 2004 Hello Fellow Posters: (I am the originator of this posting) Thanks in part to my former frat brother now audio middle man for many major loudspeaker and pre and power firms I have gotten the in person results I inquired about. The room I am now using is strictly a test lab for my broadcasting business. The new studio in my soon to be finished new home will be 32'x32' with 16' cathedral ceiling. It will be treated with Armstrong acoustical cork. The entire back wall behind the speakers and related equipment. The side walls as well and the wall behind my sweet spot. The floors I have to decide on: either tile or wood inlaid. I will also have a large oriental rug in the center. The ceiling will be Armstrong cork with a coating of non absorbing gel. I am using for now (La Scalas are crated) Heresy 2s with Velodyne ULD 15/2 subwoofer with 500 watt amp for the sub. I am using a Creek OBH-10 passive pre to have remote capabilities from my sweet spot and for power a heavy modified Audiosource 2 (w/ sweet back lighted vu meters LOL) I have decided to go with a tube pre by Philly as listed on Audiogon. My frat bro brought over several all tube pre and power amps and also two different INT tube amps. We had a royal time. It was a lot of fun and the lifting was done by his two teenage sons so it was an easy go of things. My impression of all tubes: too warm sounding. I like a little edge. The pre tube with SS power amp was to my way of thinking the best of two worlds. The Jolida JD502B was a wonderful sound. Yet, too much up and down to change things. I will still have to build a switching device for all my toys. I also plan on picking up a tube INT amp for my computer loudspeakers as I will use the Heresy2s for that app. I am looking forward to hearing my La Scalas again. What convinced me was an old Basie/Ellington LP First Time. The tube pre kept what the audio engineers intended yet brought a smoothness to the sound. When I audition new components I don't use CDs as I have a tube player I use LPs from the past as they are the most revealing. Granted LPs are baby tube players and have that special warmth that CDs in the present generation don't have. I am talking software here and not the players themselves. Your thoughts on my decision. Best, Craig Broadcast standard equipment. Too numerous to mention! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manuel Delaflor Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 I use an Hybrid Integrated which give me the best of both worlds. Cant recommend it enough. And now my model is old, they have a brand new one, with more power and (they say) better sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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