D-Rex Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 okay, anyone want to give a brief tutorial on the purpose of a pre-amp, when one would be needed and if the Denon PRA-1500 is a good one. Thanks, D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooting_monkey Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 Ok, to be brief, a pre-amp is exactly what its name suggests. Its a small amplifier for the imcomming signals. It increases a signals strenght so that the amplifier stage has a nice strong healthy signal. I'm sure other people will be a bit more technical with it, but it's still the same idea. You would need one when the incomming signal is weak, like a mic or phono. Most receivers have these built in for the inputs labeled mic and phono. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckears Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 Another good name would be "control amplifier"... it will usually contain the switching for selecting different components, and the volume attenuator. A basic power amplifier is just going to be a box that receives the signal from the pre-amp, amplifies it, and sends it to your speakers; a basic power amp will not have volume controls (although, some might have controls in the back, to change the signal for the separate channels). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 There may be a little to add to the above. The box called a "pre-amp" does indeed have a small amplifier. As the name implies, this is in the chain of components before the main power amplifier. The box also has the switches necessary to select the input. Most also have the typical controls to adjust left-right balance, treble, bass, and "loudness". The latter is mostly bass boost. Purists contend that these filters and adjustments somehow hurt the sound even when they are adjusted "flat" i.e. with no influence. They further contend that the need to make adjustments only shows there is a problem which should be addressed otherwise. Maybe a better recording, better components, etc. In my experience, a judicial use of balance, tone controls and loudness can touch-up some problematic recordings and listening situations. Others consider them useless frills and argue that the money can be better spent elsewhere. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scriven Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 And these days it is sometimes a place to put the surround sound decoder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jheis Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 On a more basic level, a pre-amp is needed to control "separate" amplifiers - whether it's a two channel amp(s) or a seven channel amp. An "integrated" amp includes a pre-amp in the same chassis with the amplifier. A "receiver" usually includes the pre-amp, an amp, and a tuner in the same chassis. The advantage of "separates" is that, since each component has it's own chassis and power supply, each component can be optimized for it's intended purpose and there is less chance of "cross talk," interference, or feedback between the various components. James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Rex Posted May 16, 2005 Author Share Posted May 16, 2005 Thanks for the info guys! D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kriton Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 OK, then the next question is...how do you guys feel about a receiver used as a pre-amp? I have a Yamaha receiver, it has pre-outs (more of a top end yammie), and I really like the surround sound decoding, but I think I need more ooooph. Would you suggest I not use this thing as a pre-amp? Also, I have repeatedly heard about Yamahas being bright with say RF-7's, and one guy said he wouldn't let his RF's near a Yamaha...is this "brightness" dimished or eliminated if the Yamaha is used only as a pre-amp? Thanks! K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.4knee Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 Years ago I had a Denon PRA 1000 and was quite fond of it. It was a two-channel pre. Over time it did developed a problem in that the channel separation seem to decrease a bit and more of the sound seemed to be shared by the L/R speakers. It did not sound bad, but when I got the dBx unit I used to have it was a noticeable difference. But the sound quality of the Denon was very good IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 ---------------- On 5/16/2005 1:45:25 PM Kriton wrote: I have a Yamaha receiver, it has pre-outs (more of a top end yammie), and I really like the surround sound decoding, but I think I need more ooooph. Would you suggest I not use this thing as a pre-amp? K ---------------- I am using my Yammie HT rcvr pre-out to a McIntosh 2-channel stack, and so, of course, I'd say go for it. The other 3 channels (center and rear surrounds) run off the Yammie. DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scriven Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 ---------------- On 5/16/2005 1:45:25 PM Kriton wrote: OK, then the next question is...how do you guys feel about a receiver used as a pre-amp? I have a Yamaha receiver, it has pre-outs (more of a top end yammie), and I really like the surround sound decoding, but I think I need more ooooph. Would you suggest I not use this thing as a pre-amp? Also, I have repeatedly heard about Yamahas being bright with say RF-7's, and one guy said he wouldn't let his RF's near a Yamaha...is this "brightness" dimished or eliminated if the Yamaha is used only as a pre-amp? Thanks! K ---------------- If you are happy with the tuner/preamp section of the receiver there is no reason not to use it to drive other amps if that is what you want to do. I would not worry that someone else might not like your combination of preamp, amp and speakers. Remember, you are - or you should be - setting up this system for your enjoyment not others! Remember, large part of what you hear is due to the room you have it in. In your room the combination might sound just great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 I liked Scriven's response. It matches a bit with my own. Even in the old days it was a box to switch between inputs and do a little bit of passive signal processing via tone controls. We had a bunch of inputs, a few outputs, and all of these went to the power amplifiers which would drive our speakers. Today we've got the same name for something which does a heck of a lot more but with somewhat the same goal of being a control center. It must switch more inputs, audio and video. It processes more with digital decoding of sound and upverting of video, etc. Over the years the single tube pre-amp / rotary switch center has become the domain of a mini super computer. What a wonderful modern world we live in. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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