I have a passive pre in my system right now and the music sounds great: tubes on the top end, ss on the bottom, and I have no idea whether impedance matches or doesn't match.
That said, when I get my active pre (tube) back from being repaired, I'll put it back in my system, not b/c of a difference in sound but b/c I like my active pre-amp. Yes, that's audio insanity for you, but it's my own.
The point is, this an audio equipment forum for people--the vast majority of whom are males, who are either wired for it (pardon the pun) or culturally conditioned for it, or both--for people who are interested in equipment, in stuff. The more cool stuff the better. So no one should be surprised that the majority opinion falls in favor of pre-amps, and active ones at that. As others have said, let your own ears--which in this case necessarily means your own psychology--be the judge.
That said, when I get my active pre (tube) back from being repaired, I'll put it back in my system, not b/c of a difference in sound but b/c I like my active pre-amp. Yes, that's audio insanity for you, but it's my own.
The point is, this an audio equipment forum for people--the vast majority of whom are males, who are either wired for it (pardon the pun) or culturally conditioned for it, or both--for people who are interested in equipment, in stuff. The more cool stuff the better. So no one should be surprised that the majority opinion falls in favor of pre-amps, and active ones at that. As others have said, let your own ears--which in this case necessarily means your own psychology--be the judge.
