Placette pre amp

I can't disagree with anything Pipetman said, but could add that I'm using a DIY passive with OTL amps with no problems. Placette looks very good to me but if you're a DIY type at all, you can make a world-class passive using Shallco switches, Holco resisters (Michael Percy Audio has kits) and good input and output connectors, RCA or (better) XLR, for about 1/3 of a Placette's price. But will it be as detailed and transparent as a CD player with a good digital volume control? In my experience, with an Accuphase DP-75 going into my OTL power amps, definitely not. There's little in a good passive to degrade the signal--but in a refined system even a little degradation can be clearly heard. Bu the way, there's a recent post on passives you might want to look at.

Of course you understand that any signal coming out of your cd player has to be attenuated, whether it be passive, active or digital. The quality of the attenuation is the key.

I use a Placette, because like yourself I like the remote volume control. I like passive preamps because I believe that the less you do to the music signal they better; less is more. Active preamps seem to give the music a "processed" sound (some give the music more life and dynamics than it actually has), the good ones do this much less. This is not always a bad thing, so I keep a tube preamp when I want this effect for certain types of music. The problem with really good active preamps is that they are more expensive than a really good passive preamps or simple resistor controls that you can stick on the back of your amp, as the above post suggests.

I cannot comment on the Accuphase above, but digital attenuation is accomplished by removing information in the signal. So, as the music gets quieter there is less information. If you go this route definitely listen before you buy.

The cd players that you may want to look at with really good built in analog attenuation are: Levinson 39 (might actually have active attenuation), Resolution Audio 50 and 55.

Ultrakaz- re: active attenuation, would not the Audio Aero Capitole have it as well? (mine has analog volume control). Must admit though- I have often wondered if adding a quality passive could benefit things at all...

Thanks for the info. I am not a DIY person, so would want to buy my passive. I think I will buy my source with a volume control(probably ML or possibly Audio Aero) and try it first that way, then move on from there to a passive if I feel the sound can be improved upon. Then if I don't like a passive, I will know that I need an active pre-amp. I want to play records, so will need a pre-amp eventually anyway. I just don't want to degrade the sound of my system. It's hard to demo a pre-amp, especially where I live. Thanks again for the input

I assume that the author of this thread has triode monoblocks from Legend Audio and I dare do dissapoint the author that these amps will loose some of its performance if driven by passive stage. These monos have low sencitivity and relatively low gain. The great deal of detail and dynamics may dissapear if the source with high output(~3.V on the output) isn't used.
CD players with volume control can have a sufficient output voltage for your amplifier but won't you use different components as well?