THE THREAD ACTUALLY STATED THE OPPOSITE! Most manufacturers utilize capacitor coupling. Very few use transformer coupling as it is expensive and time consuming.
The most unusual feature is line output stage, which is configured as a small power amplifier stage with a 5687WB double triode per channel. An output transformer is then coupled to the output signal which serves as an interface to the power amp being used. This allows the pre-amp to utilize not only two sets of single ended RCA outputs but also a 600 Ohm fully balanced output using a Lemo type connector. This unique way of transformer coupling the output stage means that the pre-amp can be used with any power amplifier whether valve or transistor.
Transformer coupled pre-amps are much more expensive but in all the shootouts we have done here are much better. I have attached one of those posts where a passive device (several) were compared to transformer coupled pre's. In addition we have done shootouts with pre-amps that were capacitor coupled costing as much as $15,000. always with the same result.
Why do the Audio Note preamps sound so much better
I took Joe over at JC Audio up on the offer of a shoot out. Actually it was the second time. About nine months ago I went over and had a shoot out between my EVS Nude Attenuators and the Kora triode preamp. I have to give Joe credit he agreed if you could live with the inconvenience and lack of flexibility that the EVS attenuators sounded as good.
But I made a bad mistake today. I went over and did the same shoot out with the Audio Note M5. I should have never done this. The M5 made the attenuators sound dry and lifeless. The M5 sounded prettier with much more top in extension without ever sounding bright. It was more transparent and fuller bodied at the same time. And the layering and the soundstageing was just beautiful. This is disturbing to me for I have been a big proponent of passive, especially the attenuators since you even eliminate a set of interconnects and a power cord. Why does this line stage sound so much better.
[email protected]
08-02-02
Responses
08-02-02: [email protected]
Dear Bilbondo,
Why??
Quite simple, in the M5 (and all our other transformer coupled pre-amplifiers, the M3, M6 and M8), there are no impedance mismatches, there is more than sufficient gain to maintain the dynamic envelope of the signal intact combined with a natural (meaning not created artificially by feedback or other trickery!) drive impedance so low as to render the load (the power amplifier input) irrelevant.
The disadvantage is cost, you heard for yourself the sonic advantage.
Sincerely,
Peter Qvortrup
The most unusual feature is line output stage, which is configured as a small power amplifier stage with a 5687WB double triode per channel. An output transformer is then coupled to the output signal which serves as an interface to the power amp being used. This allows the pre-amp to utilize not only two sets of single ended RCA outputs but also a 600 Ohm fully balanced output using a Lemo type connector. This unique way of transformer coupling the output stage means that the pre-amp can be used with any power amplifier whether valve or transistor.
Transformer coupled pre-amps are much more expensive but in all the shootouts we have done here are much better. I have attached one of those posts where a passive device (several) were compared to transformer coupled pre's. In addition we have done shootouts with pre-amps that were capacitor coupled costing as much as $15,000. always with the same result.
Why do the Audio Note preamps sound so much better
I took Joe over at JC Audio up on the offer of a shoot out. Actually it was the second time. About nine months ago I went over and had a shoot out between my EVS Nude Attenuators and the Kora triode preamp. I have to give Joe credit he agreed if you could live with the inconvenience and lack of flexibility that the EVS attenuators sounded as good.
But I made a bad mistake today. I went over and did the same shoot out with the Audio Note M5. I should have never done this. The M5 made the attenuators sound dry and lifeless. The M5 sounded prettier with much more top in extension without ever sounding bright. It was more transparent and fuller bodied at the same time. And the layering and the soundstageing was just beautiful. This is disturbing to me for I have been a big proponent of passive, especially the attenuators since you even eliminate a set of interconnects and a power cord. Why does this line stage sound so much better.
[email protected]
08-02-02
Responses
08-02-02: [email protected]
Dear Bilbondo,
Why??
Quite simple, in the M5 (and all our other transformer coupled pre-amplifiers, the M3, M6 and M8), there are no impedance mismatches, there is more than sufficient gain to maintain the dynamic envelope of the signal intact combined with a natural (meaning not created artificially by feedback or other trickery!) drive impedance so low as to render the load (the power amplifier input) irrelevant.
The disadvantage is cost, you heard for yourself the sonic advantage.
Sincerely,
Peter Qvortrup