mmiles Posted May 27, 2005 Share Posted May 27, 2005 I am leaning strong to the Cary 303/300 with the variable output. My 2 channel music collection is 100% CD and I have no plans to go LP. So what are the pros and cons of not having a preamp? Regards, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted May 27, 2005 Share Posted May 27, 2005 not as soft, most people who try it in hyper critical situations, eventually get the pre-amp... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurs Posted May 27, 2005 Share Posted May 27, 2005 Mike - I have tried mine both ways and went with the pre (tube). Best I can do for a description is it just plain sounded overall more refined and smooth with the pre in the chain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmiles Posted May 27, 2005 Author Share Posted May 27, 2005 As I thought more money... Some say (other forums and even the equipment manufactures) go straight to the amp let the player do the work and not allow the preamp to add to or color the signal path. I have a Parasound C1 mulitchannel pre-pro and could feed the Cary 303/300 directly to either the XLR analog inputs or the Main Right and Main Left of the 7.1 analog inputs. Parasound claims analog to the 7.1 would have less noise and the only thing the preamp (again the C1 home theater pre-pro) would do is act as a volume knob. Regards, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leok Posted May 27, 2005 Share Posted May 27, 2005 I'll chime in on the reduce coloration side. If you use short cables and there is sufficient gain in your amp, why add more active circuitry? I've tried preamps and find they just make things a little less clear and sometimes add their own brand of distortion. Now I use simple attenuators. How to tell if you have enough gain? Check "sensitivity" of your amp .. usually around 1V which means you get rated output (into the rated load) at 1VRMS input signal. Some amps, esp some tube amps have 2V and higher sensitivity. Check the output capability of your source. CD players are usually around 2V. If your source output is equal to or greater than your amp sensitivity, Max output from the source will result in rated output or clipping from your amp. However, if you have an amp that needs several volts in order to generate max output, the preamp is required and appropriate. I've considered removing one of the gain stages in my SET amps and trading it for the gain on one of the better preamps, like one of mdeneen's. In that case I've removed the loss in clarity due to the extra stage of gain in my amp, but added some back with the preamp. The advantage? a more flexible input device and the possibility that the preamp gain is higher quality than the stage I removed from my amp. Leo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted May 27, 2005 Share Posted May 27, 2005 I know artto is using some fancy cd player with a volume control that is connected directly to his tube amp monoblocks. You might send him a PM or dig up some old threads to see what he's using. It was an extremely clear great sounding player (and looked really cool too). In fact, I think he's using the Cary that you're looking at??? who knows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholtl Posted May 27, 2005 Share Posted May 27, 2005 Mike, I can somewhat relate, as I am running my Classe CDP-10 CD player into my Parasound Halo C2 using XLR's, going into the "balanced routing bypass" via the setup menu. It sounds significantly, significantly better than having the bypass switched off, or running analog inputs instead. I think you will be pleased will the results. As Parasound has already stated, your C1 will simply act as the volume control, but all other internal circuitry (digital or otherwise) is bypassed. Heck, you even hear a LOUD click once the bypass function is engaged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonga Posted May 27, 2005 Share Posted May 27, 2005 I will throw my thoughts out there....but if you decide to get a preamp, then you have to look into another pair of Interconnects....possibly another power cord ( ?), and of course that means more money that you are spending on the system ( which could be a good or bad thing ). For me, I have had a preamp for years and just recently decided to go direct from my cd player into my tube mono-block amps and have no regrets at all. Like to keep the system as simple as possible, less things in the equipment chain the better( for my system at least). I guess the only way to find out which one works better for you is to try them both, as you are the one that listens to your system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudret Posted May 27, 2005 Share Posted May 27, 2005 To my understanding, this is also related to the quality of the CD player. With a good CD player direct connection might be the preferred option. With a so-so CD player, preamp can help by adding a little more punch to the low end and some bloom to the midrange and soundstage. This was an explanation given by Ron Welborne to a similar question, which makes sense. no? Kudret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JewishAMerPrince Posted May 28, 2005 Share Posted May 28, 2005 I recently purchased a Shanling CDT100 player which has tube output and variable output control in 100 steps so that one can eliminate the need for a preamp. Although I have yet to try this option, I believe the tube output should provide the "softening" that some seek from a tube preamp and tube amps. Jerry Rappaport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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