Never used a passive preamp, but tried my Monarchy DAC, which, says the manufacturer, was designed for direct-to-power amp, straight into my Meitner STR-55 driving 93 dB Tannoys and quickly switched back to my active preamp. The system had enough volume without using the preamp, but as others have observed, bass was flabby and muddy (if loud) and dynamics severely compromised. Has anyone tried the Meitner Bidat direct-to-power amp? Regards, Joel Tatelman
Preamps - Active, passive...???
I have seen a number of comments in magazines as well as on-line about preamps as an "unnecessary evil", (my words).
There are products such as Volume Controls and Passive Preamps that are supposedly designed to be as simple as possible; thereby changes to the signal are to be minimal. My question is, "Why then would you buy an active preamp, IF these "simplistic" devices are "better""?
Let me state that I am not ridiculing anyone for there purchases. I am in a state a flux in my stereo and the preamp department leaves me scratching my head. Such as, is something simple, such as a Plactte passive the way to go or a highly rated active preamp.
Thanks in advance for your comments.
There are products such as Volume Controls and Passive Preamps that are supposedly designed to be as simple as possible; thereby changes to the signal are to be minimal. My question is, "Why then would you buy an active preamp, IF these "simplistic" devices are "better""?
Let me state that I am not ridiculing anyone for there purchases. I am in a state a flux in my stereo and the preamp department leaves me scratching my head. Such as, is something simple, such as a Plactte passive the way to go or a highly rated active preamp.
Thanks in advance for your comments.