Placette RVC review in Stereophile

I don't know what the Blowtorch is (a passive of some sort?) and I also am not familiar with CTC. I recently listened to a CAT pre-amp, series III I think, and found it slightly veiled and resricted...pretty, though. This was with the CAT amps which I was told were the most recent iteration. I have to admit all the pre-amps I tried were very well built and a joy to use. I couldn't live without remote volume, though (CAT).

Last night I listened to Yo YO Ma's "Appalatian Journey" - micro and macro dynamics were stunning and this with my ProAc 2.5s which some say are not the best with wide dynamic swings. Couldn't tell by my experience. AND, all from a 9wt AirTight 300B amp...small room, though. Also listened to part of a Lloyd symphony which had the same wide swings (and micro inside of macro in both records which is thrilling).

I think the 300Bs with Tamura trannies does dynamics in a way that sounds most like the concert hall, at least in my experience. Anyway, off to Royal Oak this weekend for dinner and live, unamplified Flamenco guitar and singing.

CTC Blowtorch is a HIGH-END preamp made by CTC Builders: John Curl, Carl Thompson, and Bob Crump.It is an active preamp all the way, and is very highly regarded by its owners and by a couple of reviewers as being the best available.It has two chassis and weighs close to 100 lbs.
CTC Builders designed the Parasound Halo JC-1 monoblock amps for Parasound.

Tomryan, the Blowtorch is a built to order active preamp that starts at 15K and goes up. CTC is John Curl, Carl Thompson and Bob Crump. We average about five units per year is all and have 26 in the field so it has very limited appeal due to cost and lack of convenience features. It is the best we know how to build and never will go into production, but will remain built to order.

Last time I heard flamenco guitar was at the La Mansion Hotel in San Antonio and that was years ago. Amazing how well a hardwood stage will resonate to foot stomps! Rather hear the Flamenco than Mighty Sam McClain anytime! Thinking about foot stomps you ever heard John Hammond? The guy is a one man band as he plays guitar, harmonica and stomps his foot on the stage for the bass.......Sounds like we will both have an enjoyable weekend, but I have to drive 1,400 miles to enjoy it over at MusikMike's in Chambersburg, Pa.......Just as well as it is going to be 95 here today with a heat index of 107........Off to get the oil changed and get a haircut before I start treking Northeast........

Bob,

I saw John Hammond in Kalamazoo maybe 34 years ago. My girfriend had a crush on John but never did meet him. Ha!

Seem to remember Hammond having a father who was also a performing musician.

Mr. Crump:

The Placette was never designed to sound a certain way in any particular system. It can't be used as a tone control. Our only goal was to build a Linestage that has no sonic signature of it's own. To be literally transparent. This applies to dynamics as well. You can insert a Placette in series between a Blowtorch and your power amp and the sound of your system will be unchanged since the Placette will accurately pass the coloration's of whatever Preamp it's being used with. I will be showing in Las Vegas next year with Bob Gross (Speaker Art) and will be happy to bring a Placette to your demo room and show how a Placette can "sound" just like a Blowtorch. Although the system will sound the same as it did without the Placette, it will gain remote control!

Guy