How much dose preamp matter?

[Sal1950]

All things being equal, ie appropriate voltage drive levels and impedances a pre amp can do nothing to improve the sound.

Amen, it's only possible to degrade SQ. I tried whenever possible to use a passive device when I could arrange source and amps with appropriate impedances and levels. My first was a DIY box with Alps pot and quality switches, then later a McCormack Line Drive was the sweetheart controller of my 2 ch rig for 20 some years. A jewel.

 

[Hypnotoad]

Amen, it's only possible to degrade SQ. I tried whenever possible to use a passive device when I could arrange source and amps with appropriate impedances and levels. My first was a DIY box with Alps pot and quality switches, then later a McCormack Line Drive was the sweetheart controller of my 2 ch rig for 20 some years. A jewel.

Agree entirely, I had a NAD integrated amp and tried a passive pre which was a simple affair with a stepped 10k pot, through the power amp section, the difference was amazing, even my wife noticed the sound stage was more 3D. Had to turn it up a little higher than when using it with the internal pre, but still plenty of power in reserve.

 

[Kmac]

Further to March Audio’s comments, I also have been using Hypex ncore monoblocks for several years without a proper preamp and I don’t think a proper preamp is necessary in my system. I only use digital sources and my DACs (first OPPO 105d and then Topping D50) have had good quality volume control.

Where a proper preamp may be useful would be to have some subwoofer bass control. Some preamps do offer bass control with an output to the sub. But I haven’t felt strongly enough about this to get a proper preamp.

I use a Schmitt SYS which is a $100 passive preamp/switch box which allows me to switch between 2 sources (AV receiver and DAC) but it does have any gain or color the sound and is flow through only.

 

[Daverz]

In his review of the Schiit Sys, Amir recommended not going below 12 o' clock on the volume control That's a pretty narrow range of useable volume and illustrates one of the problems with passives.

 

[Kmac]

In his review of the Schiit Sys, Amir recommended not going below 12 o' clock on the volume control That's a pretty narrow range of useable volume and illustrates one of the problems with passives.

But you can use volume control on your dac and leave the sys volume fixed, which is what I do.

 

[Daverz]

Of course, if DACs and power amps didn't have so much goddam gain, or at least gave us a choice, having to throw gain away somewhere else in the system would not be necessary.

 

[Hypnotoad]

Of course, if DACs and power amps didn't have so much goddam gain, or at least gave us a choice, having to throw gain away somewhere else in the system would not be necessary.

Wasn't that Nelson Pass's First Watt ideology?

 

[Sal1950]

Of course, if DACs and power amps didn't have so much goddam gain, or at least gave us a choice, having to throw gain away somewhere else in the system would not be necessary.

Having such a plethora of gain, that you have to throw some away,
An enviable position to be in, no?

 

[Deleted member 6802]

Sorry for not replaying for such a long time, thank you for all of your answers. In the end we choose to order 3 preamps, one tube pre-amp, one from Auralic and an Primare PRE-32. Out of all these the PRE-32 sounded the best and would anyone in future just buy the pre-amp that comes with your setup unless there is a better recommendation.