Any thoughts on removing a preamp from your system

AL, thanks for that.

Yes, I suppose I'm back to my original post. Passive appears an attractive option for cost, small size, and simplicity, inc cases where those things matter, like mine, and perhaps other reasons, but you never know or sure what will work best until you try.

I'll probably stick with the various pre-amp options at my disposal already for now, in that these are working out quite well already, but I am thinking this is something I would like to give a go someday when the time is right, like if my trusty old NAD decides to finally give it up. OR maybe just something to toy with in comparison to the ARC sp16 in my main rig just for kicks, if I get a few extra bucks I don't know what to do with (ha!).

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.

06-05-14: Stewie
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

Hi Stewie, if you tell me the input impedance of both your tube and SS amps, and the output impedance of your source. I can let you know if your bi-amped system is passive friendly and with what value passive pot.

Cheeers George

Hi George,
Tube tops have 470k ohm input impedance; ss bottom has a 50k input impedance. Passive pre is a Canary CA-200. Thanks.

Stewie hi, you have no problems as far a I can see with these impedances.

Interconnect capacitance is the more important factor to you as you are bi-amped.
From the Carnary to your amps, because you are (bi-amped) and using two x interconnects per channel, I would use interconnects of 2mts or less, and of less than <50pf (picofarad) capacitance per ft. If only using 1mt lengths, then 100pf per ft is fine. This is so you will maintain proper high frequency extension.
Any decent interconect maufacturer should know this and should have it on their specs

Cheers George