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Best Preamp and Amp combination, interesting finding!!!

Hi all,

Yesterday, I decided to conduct a very interesting experience using my amp and preamp combinations. In the interest of fair discussion and also avoiding brand war, please allow me to conceal the name of the amps and preamps, knowing that both amps and preamps came from the same manufactures. The combinations are as below: 

Combination 1 (C1): $3000 preamp + $1000 amp
Combination 2 (C2): $1000 preamp + $3000 amp.

I went back and forth between C1 and C2 several times with multiple people, using the same speakers and DAC. The volume of both C1 and C2 was adjusted to be equal using my Db meter. 
At the end of the experience, almost everyone including me prefers C1. Which is a higher-end preamp combined with the lower-end amp. 
I was surprised by that finding. I always thought that the amp has a greater impact to sound quality, but my experiment proved otherwise. If you have any similar experiences, please let me know. I would like to understand why it happens that way. Why the preamp has a greater impact on the overall sound quality comparing to the amp?
viethluu
oldaudiophile
385 posts
 
Just a general two cents, based upon my research of about 4 years ago. Things may have changed since then but I doubt it.  Unless you are wiling to shell out, at least, $8,000 to $10,000 on separates, you are not going to achieve an appreciable improvement in audio quality over a quality integrated amp in the $5,000 to $6,000 range.
rbstehno
1,635 posts
 
oldaudiophile - your statement isn’t true for all cases. I thought the same way by owning nice integrated amps costing $6000 or more. With those systems I used more efficient a little smaller speakers. I upgraded my speakers to larger bigger speakers and the integrated amp couldn’t drive them. I ended up selling the integrated and bought separates with each component costing more than the cost of the integrated.

As for preamp or no preamp, I sold a newer $5k McIntosh preamp and went directly from dac to amp. Paul early on promoted going directly from his DS dac to the amp until they built a preamp and now he promotes using a preamp. I can’t say if his preamp does make it better sounding, I haven’t heard the combo,  I do know what I’ve experienced using another quality preamp vs not using 1
william53b's avatar
william53b
211 posts
 
Preamp is the resolution/depth/sound stage/dynamic range tool, amp adds the SPL. So, like computers, GIGO. Garbage in, Garbage out.
richopp
760 posts
 
Not taking a side on this one, but I do remember what a revelation the Audio Research SP-3 (and later the 3-A-1) was to the industry when it came out.  

We sold it for 595, then 695, then 795 pretty quickly.

Today, used ones go for many thousands--and they came out in 1977!

Cheers!
sgreg1
612 posts
 
I would say one thing missing from your report is the class of the amps. Price aside were they both class A, or A/B? Was one A and the other A/B? Was one tube? Same for preamp. Did one introduce a different set up or were they the same and one just cost more than the other with better materials used? For your experiment to work I would say these factors need to be equal or it is a moot point. Could just come down to the fact you like class A amp sound better than class A/B no matter what the preamp is. Then again I don’t have the details of what you tested.
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