Passive/Active preamps: pros and cons....

There's a certain group that advocates passive pre's because they do not "color" the sound - it's like the pre is a volume control and that's it. I've read good things here about the McCormack TLC-1 (see http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1081433013&openfrom&1&4#1 for a discussion of McCormack's gear). There seems to be a consensus that you cannot use long cables with passive pre's. Those who do not like passive pre's usually claim they lack the dynamics of an active pre. I've read several threads that indecate passive preamps don't even have to be plugged in to work. I've never heard a passive pre, so I can't say much about them.

Active preamps act as a buffer and tend to be more lively and dynamic, but most add or subtract something as all electric components seem to do.

I tried to find resources on the web that directly compared the two, but wasn't successful. Others here will be able to explain the differences in detail though.

Good luck!

Passive preamps have some sonical benefits compared with active ones butat a cost, passive designs are very transparent, clean midrange reproduction units and closer to the thrith as for impact and attack of solo instruments (cymbals, woods and most of acoustic music foundation) BUT there is unfortunalty a lack of dynamics, continuity and exceptions of the above virtues when not properly matched thatmade me go back to GOOD active designs preamps.

My commetn would be, get a passive preamp (inexpensive) and don´t invest on an active until you are ready to go up in the dollar value.

Hope this helps

Fernando

If your system is passive friendly (amp with high gain, low input sens., appropriate source, and reasonably efficient speakers) then there are absolutely no drawbacks at all to my ears in using a transformer based passive attenuator. I have a custom preamp using S&B trannies and it has bettered many other preamps, mostly tubed and a couple of passives, in my system. It has the body and weight of a tubed device, but the transparency you expect of a passive. And hands down the best bass of any active preamp I have heard.

Oz

I think the previous response has it nailed.
One option though, when faced with the same question I picked up the channel island $250 list passive and gave it a try. If you don't like it you shouldn't lose much on resale. I found it a quality component and playing with it was a good learning experience.
FWIW, my system ended up in the 'mostly sounds better but lost dynamics' catagory and I went looking for an active that otherwise sounded like a passive.
Good luck! (And no I ain't in cahoots with Channel Island.)