The Best Preamp is no Preamp?
So recently I've discovered the possibility of completely removing my preamp from my rig. I've never heard or considered this before, so much audio tradition... But in going directly from DAC to amplifier the sound quality is absolutely incredible, instantly had me grinning. Using music server to Chord M Scaler to Chord Qutest (cut out Marantz SR5015) to go directly to dual Emotiva XPA-DR1 monoblocks, to GR Research's 24 strand speaker wire to Magnepan 1.7i's. Only difference is running volume on server vs Marantz remote, sound quality is the biggest jump I've ever heard with any gear.
Have you guys had experience cutting out the preamp from your rig? What's your thoughts?
op this, as you can imagine, has been discussed numerous times on this board pls use search bar, find old discussions, which i believe you will find most informative @mikelavigne made a series of replies that i personally feel is the last word on the subject |
this is a case where specifics drive the outcome, generalities are fun coffee table chatter, but are inconsequential what really matters is whether the source has enough capability to drive the downstream power amp well enough, and whether the built in volume control of the source degrades the sound many wonderful linestages add their own coloration, but improve drive and impedance match, thus compensating for the source inadequacy in that regard... most top tier pre’s pay close attention to high quality attenuation... so in the end, we pick the lesser of all evils in the op’s specific case, he has highly resolving speakers in the 1,7i maggies, an exceptionally pure and capable source in the chord stack - sonically this combo will be very very hard for any linestage to beat, unless the op seeks a specific sonic signature to be added, the marantz receiver in the chain is definitely a major major sound degrader 1 caveat and 1 question to op -- caveat is i have never heard the op’s emotiva amps, they certainly have the iron fist aspect to drive maggies, dunno if they also have the needed velvet glove to fully please sonically -- question is what is op using to control volume running qutest into power amps? qutest is a fixed output dac (sorry if i missed this if already covered...) |
yup... that makes what might initially sound like a hard question a really easy one... |
