2. amps-preamps
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Best preamp is no preamp: always true?

There seems to be a school of thought that between two well-designed (read no major flaws) CDP and AMP, the best PREAMP is NO PREAMP at all (let's assume that the AMP has a sort of minimalist volume control).

Is this a solid and robust statement? What would be situations where this is not true (still no major design flaws)?
newerphile1cf0
s23chang
615 posts
 
From my experience, 3V is min for passive. I have 2V CD players and it just not enough gain
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
"From my experience, 3V is min for passive"

I pretty much agree with you, my experience as well.

Dave
newerphile1cf0 OP
7 posts
 
Can you explain to me why you fell that 2V is not enough for passive if the amp has, for example, 0.4V input sensitivity? I trust your experience and will likely go active but that puzzles me a little.
Thanks
s23chang
615 posts
 
3V is almost double the volume of 2V. It sounds more normal while 2V sounded sleepy and slow and weak.
There are few CD players gives you 3V output but it all comes with $$$ price tag.
Meridian
Accuphase
Wadia

Not sure about others since I didn't measure them.
rrcpa
23 posts
 
Intuitively the answer is Yes. However, in practice in ain't necessarily so I've found. My Wadia 6i will drive the ARC VT100 direct but I can truly detect no difference if I insert the ARC Ref 2. As a purist I wanted it to be better but I can't honestly say it was.
Maybe it boils down to the quality of the CD output stage?
Anyway, no rules or opinions can replace YOUR ear. If you like it that way - listen to it that way.
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