1st sound vs. placette?

I owned both the FS and the Placette Active at the same time for about two years. Finally I sold the Placette, but it could have gone the other way. They are both terrific and I loved them both. Currently, the FS is duking it out with a Klyne. The jury is still out.

My feeling is that Placette is "known" for the active unit. I'm less sure about the passive models. It's the active that has garnered the great reviews, and with good reason.

You can't go wrong either way.

I compared both in detail. They are both wonderful. It would be hard to go wrong with either. I would choose the First Sound over the active Placette, because the sound of the FS is more to my taste. But the Placette is astonishingly transparent without being harsh at all, and it does not sound weak the way passive stages often do.

I have the Placette and find it nearly invisible, sonically. I have tried one other passive and three pre-amps in the last few years (including an $8,000.00 tube type) and find the Placette the most neutral and finest sounding. And the remote volume control works superbly.

Try the Tom Evans SS Vibe preamp, it was no contest with all the preamps I have tried so far.

Happy Listening.

Bigkidz, have you compared the Tom Evans Vibe to some of the other top preamps mentioned in this thread--First Sound, Placette active, Klyne, Pass, Ayre K1? I'd be interested to hear more about this unit since it is not well known over here.