Modern Linestages

Georgelofi, what you say in posting #51 does not prove the superiority of passive line stages.

I do not believe for one moment that EE laws are all there is to know. This is just another stage of the argument that ultimately can not be resolved. Without a test such as I propose, there is no resolution to this, other than for you to enjoy your passive device and for me to go with whatever sounds best to me.

The perfect linestage can be imagined as simply a wire with gain. If you do not need gain a passive preamp will do. So, you ask what about matching impedances? Well a simple buffer can be used. Enter the First Watt B1, a passive volume control with buffer. The buffer makes the passive preamp more versatile because the impedance issue is handled by the buffer. Expensive? Not in the least and very good sounding. Here is Nelson Pass's thoughts:

http://www.firstwatt.com/pdf/art_b1_man.pdf

Getting back to the wire with gain. That will be the B3 and that will be coming soon. If you have a look at the pdf above, note how simplistic his designs are. Well designed and great sounding line stages do not have to be complex or cost a fortune.

I am not a dealer and have no affiliation with Pass Labs or Nelson Pass.

Yes, if I take Grannyring's line of reasoning, he is talking about using synergistic effects to make a system work.

Its my opinion that its a Bad Idea to use synergies, for example using a dark preamp to go with a bright source. What you wind up with is additional distortions and you can't get it to sound like real music.

You also wind up flushing huge amounts of $$$ down the loo.

I prefer instead to have each component stand on its own strengths and not need synergistic effects to make it work. The system will thus editorialize less, will be more transparent and the system will allow you to listen all day and all night.

However I'm not buying George's approach either, although I do think that as PVCs go his is one of the best. I've just never found a passive that did not suffer from colorations depending on the volume control position, and I've not found the quality of the passive to be able to affect that.

We use this phrase "a straight wire with gain" and say a passive is very close. Despite this no two straight (why straight I have no idea) sound the same. So what we need is no wire with gain or an attenuator with no sound of its own.

Its my opinion that its a Bad Idea to use synergies, for example using a dark preamp to go with a bright source. What you wind up with is additional distortions and you can't get it to sound like real music.

You also wind up flushing huge amounts of $$$ down the loo.

Thanks Ralph, I wish I could have expressed my thoughts as coherently as you just did.