What is a passive preamp?

It's not really a preamp without a phono stage. And it can't really be called a preamp if it doesn't pre-amplify. It would really be a passive linestage.

Not true Herman, only passive devices are used to attenuate. A preamp or linestage amplifies the signal. Therefore they are actually amplifiers in their own right. Which is the reason a passive device lacks dynamics in most instances. By the way, we had a good laugh at the stereo shop where I work about your comment that a preamp is called so because it comes before the amp. And yes, technically a preamp is not a preamp without a phono stage. Most people call linestages preamps including myself but they are not. You can call them bicycles or anything you want but that doesn't make it correct.

Herman, you are wrong. A real preamp contains a phono stage. Look at Audio Research for example. None of their linestages are called a preamps unless there is a phono stage.

From the Audio Research Data Base:
pre·am·pli·fi·er (prmpl-fr)

Preamplifier is the name applied to the first amplifier in the audio chain, accepting inputs from low output sources such as CD players, tape recorders, turntables, etc. The preamplifier increases the input signals from tape-level, for instance, to line-level.

line stage (ln stj)

A line stage is a preamplifier without a phono section.

Just trying to answer the question correctly. I don't give crap whether anyone likes the answer or not. Maybe I just can't understand the english language. I have a question. What is a linestage?

I knew you were joking when you said preamp meant before the amp Herman. Come on you had to be. You don't call speakers postamps do you?

I am trying to be nice Herman but obviously you are one of those people that will not admit it when they are wrong so let's stop even discussing the subject. You can be right if you say you are. But ARC as an example names all of their preamps with a phono stage with the prefix SP for stereo preamp as in SP-9, SP-10 and so forth. They use the prefix LS for their line stages which contain no phono stage as in LS-9, LS-16 and so forth. I use ARC as an example but there are many others and the ARC Data Base is not affiliated with ARC anyway.

As I stated earlier, you can call a linestage a preamp if you want. A lot of people do including myself.

0db is wide open on many preamps and receivers that have a numerical readout.

As I stated earlier, you can call a linestage a preamp if you want. A lot of people do including myself.

03-02-08: Herman
A linestage is a preamplifier that can only deal with line level sources (CD players, DACs, tape decks, tuners) i.e. it is a preamplifier that does not have a phono stage.