2. amps-preamps
  3. 1139354443

Bypass preamp, better sound, yet fatiguing?

Does anybody know a good reason why running from the CD player direct into the amp will produce a better, detailed sound (e.g., piano sounds more real, instruments are better separated), but on the other hand, after a while, after an hour or so, the sound becomes fatiguing?

Is there any thing as too much detail?

System consists of Levinson 390s, 380s, VTL MB-450, B&W 802n. Interconnects are Transparent super. Speaker cable is Transparent super bi-cable.

Are the cables not up to it? Room acoustics? B&W tweeter to bright? I don't experience any fatigue, if I listen through the preamp, but the sound is somewhat duller (but better rythmically) than if I go direct. Any suggestions are welcome.
hgabert

Showing 2 responses by hgabert

hgabert OP
41 posts
 
Well, it's not the cable. Just tried a Transparent reference MM XLR cable, directly from the player into the VTLs, and it's still "too" detailed (i.e., fatiguing).

Maybe there is an issue with the impedances (i.e., impedances are not well matched without a preamp in the chain). The output from the CD-player is 2.2 volts, so without a preamp, the volume control in the CD-player is probably only attenuating the signal. There is something the preamp does which minimizes distortion, and which appears to give the music more "body".
hgabert OP
41 posts
 
I had a Powerplant P-300 for a while, powering the preamp and CD player, but then I installed dedicated outlets (three total; one for each mono block, and one for CD and preamp), and I felt that the sound was more dynamic without the powerplant, so I took it out.

If bi-directional digital noise is an issue, why don't I hear it with the preamp in the chain?

Stehno, what kind of line conditioning are you referring to? Thanks.
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