Best Preamp New or Used up to $3,000 ??

dsper

Hi, my answer to your question is first, but the last paragraph is the way to go.

With your 10kohm input impedance on the DNA500 it need 2.2v for full output, very hard to get a tube or passive to work with this.
But a 10kohm passive because it’s essentially a another resistive load to ground like the input of the amp. What the source will see is 2 x 10kohm load to ground which equals 5kohm.

Your lucky because your HD30 is a very low 22ohms output impedance at 2.6v, this should be no problems driving into combined 5kohms above, and you have 2.6v at you disposal from your source, you only need 2.25v in for full output on the DNA.

But why go this way you Hegal HD30 dac has a "high quality volume control" use it direct into your amp instead as it will be the very best for transparency and dynamics and an absolute perfect match. This way you can use rca or balanced because the Hegal and DNA500 have both, try both as it can go either way which sounds best.
(read your manual on how to activate and use this 0-100 level remote control volume control)



Cheers George

 many sources don't really provide an adequate means of controlling the artifacts of the interconnect cable and often have substandard means of controlling volume (the Oppo is a good example of the latter).

The correction to the above is. That only a "very few" sources don't provide. (some tube ones).
And they all have to "control" interconnects going to the pre, I don't know any that don't pass their signal without using interconnects, unless you use wireless transmission. 
And many have volume controls better than what's in many preamps.
 

A passive control is **not** a simple bit of wire-

I don't ever think I said it was, but what I have said it's the next best thing to doing direct, which is "like a piece of wire".

  Reducing impact is the most common complaint we hear about passive volume control systems.

And this is your most common complaint, there are a multitude of others that say it's the other way around.
Because an "active preamp" cannot increase the dynamic range any more than what source is giving, unless it has an inbuilt "dynamic range enhancer" (DBX and they sound s**t).  It can only serve to reduce the dynamic range, because it's not "a piece of wire"    

Cheers George
   

firstnot OP
As I do not have a preamp now I am running the Oppo direct to the Cary
which leads me to another question: Will a good preamp improve or detract from the sound?

Thanks,
Jeff

If you like the sound you are getting then leave it be, as it will be the most transparent/dynamic you can get.

But should you feel the need to "color" eg: distort the sound, you can do it by adding a preamp, but they all sound different coloration distortions, so you’ll be on a bit of a merry go-round to find the right one that suits your needs.
As the fabled "perfect" preamp "sound like a piece of wire" adding or detracting nothing which is what your doing now by going direct.

Cheers George

firstnot

Lets look at this with some sanity, no-one else has yet.

1: Oppo 205 voltage output 2.1v se 4.2v xlr
2: Cary120 sensitivity only 1.2v in for full output, at 100kohm input z
3: Tannoy FMS 97db efficiency!!!

Look at this closely, the last thing you need is an active preamp with even more gain, you’ll be at 8 o’clock for full ear spitting output.

What you need is a preamp with little or no gain or a passive preamp.
And that 100kohm input impedance on the Cary means anything will drive it.

Cheers George