Placette RVC review in Stereophile

Mike...Makes sense. I have noticed that every pre-amp I've tried masks detail and lacks the micro-dynamics needed for realistic music production. The Placette seems to give me exactly what the source, amp, and speakers are producing and I can't ask anything more. I have no need for other colorations or some sort of mystical "balancing act" between the pre-amp and amp. Buy an amp that works for you and get a Placette (or some other well designed and made) passive.

The last rock show I attended was in a concrete and steel venue and the bass slam was there and sounded awful. So did the rest of the spectrum. I have no idea what this band can do or whether they can play; this was no musical experience.

Thanks for the definition of "bass slam". I, probably like you, will stick with music.

Mike and Tomryan, I think you guys are kidding yourselves or you like your music without dynamics if the Placette is your cup of tea. If you like the sound of the Placette then get the one with active circuitry and enjoy the dynamics. Spend some time in a small venue listening to live music and you will realize that the biggest difference between your recorded music and the live event is dynamics.......Music isn't supposed to be pretty, it is what it is and it is big and it is dynamic.......

Rcrump...We have very good concert halls in our area, four of which I visit at least 3 times a year. This is total of 12 live, unamplified concerts. My wife and I also go to Baker's Keyboard Lounge 5-6 times a year and a number of other small clubs in town for jazz and other stuff. Unfortunately, 95% of these are amplified by inexpensive SS equipment, P.A. speakers, etc. and sound like it. YOU are fooling yourself if you think electric performances in any size club have anything approaching the dynamics of unamplified music in a good hall (like Orchestra Hall).

We eat at a number of restaurants with musicians and/or small bands but of course most of these are amplified. The most recent real music we heard was at a restaurant in Ann Arbor with a voilinist and pianist. The room acoustics weren't that good but then, not too bad and we were quite close. My wife commented on how much the two women sounded like my stereo, I had to agree. I have no idea where this crap about restricted dynamics comes from, but I've had pre-amps from BAT, Krell, C-J, AirTight, and Classe (from $3,500.00 through $8,500.00 in cost) in my system, and the major problem was THEY restricted dynamics relative to the Placette. Every pre-amp sounded like someone stretched varying thicknesses of membrane across the music. I had to go back to passive to bring the music back in my room. With every pre-amp I had to keep turning the volume up to hear properly - not so the Placette as the music "popped" right there in my room. I think it may be that actives cause people to keep increasing the volume to where they think the wall of noise is some sort of increase in dynamics. Remember when people thought Bose 901s actually had bass? Same psycho-acoustic phenom: Play it loud enough and neopohytes think lower midrange is bass.

I untimately judge a component by how excited I am to get to my stereo every night. The Placette makes me itch to get there, the BAT came close but nothing drew me in like the Placette.

Last performance I heard was John Renbourn in a club here in Houston that could seat 75 and was just over half full.......That was about three weeks ago...Going to Bluesfest in Maryland this weekend after a rib infestation in Pennsylvania at Muskmike's and expect the sound will only be fair.....Glad you like the Placette as that is an inexpensive solution. I have directly compared an active preamp with the Placette passive at Mike Lavigne's and it wasn't even close as respects focus, venue information or dynamics......Love to stay and chat, but off to Pennsylvania at daybreak.......

Bob Crump
TG Audio/CTC Builders

"...inexpensive solution." Aye, there's the rub! It only costs $1,500.00 so it must not be "...even close..." to an active pre-amp. I tried an $8,200.00 C-J, a $3,500.00 Classe, $6,500.00 BAT, and a used Krell (think around $5,000.00 new). The Placette put the music in my room with the most authority and seduction, period. Maybe I just have a magic match between amp, CD player, and Placette. I don't know as I've only used it with one amp. I get excited by music with the Placette and have substantially increased listening time (and music expenditures).

By the way...John Renbourn! I haven't thought of him in 25-30 years. Thanks for the tip and I'll spend some time at my favorite record store (Dearborn Music in Michigan) and at Amazon.com to pick up some things I had back in the early 70s. Last performance I saw was Brahms Symphony, hall was about 2/3 full, music was actually very well done -sound was excellent. Made me want to go back for more, just like my stereo.