How much do I need to spend to get a preamp that sounds better than no preamp?

@georgehifi 

Loosing you're cool there, huh? I'm sorry you can't just look at the schematic and see what it's doing. The numbers do make it obvious though. The "typical" distortion figure... The 20kR input impedance.... Straight wires don't do that. 

I couldn't care less about being able to use it or not. The B1 is a vastly better performer by the numbers. And who cares where you're getting your gain? If your power amp has 25 or 30 dB of gain, guess what? It's got 3 gain stages! The same number I'm using! I'd much rather have the most delicate gain stage isolated to it's own chassis, on its own power supply, in the most noise free environment. SE BAGS boards are $9 and I can put them anywhere I want. 

kosst, when you design and implement the manufacture of an amp that is competitive with FW, maybe, and only then, maybe, will I ever take what you say seriously and worthwhile to read. So, like many other posts of yours on various threads, keep convincing yourself of how smart and wonderful you are. Enjoy ! MrD

@mrdecibel 
It's not my fault you can't read a schematic! Just look at the thing! There's NO point on that ladder that doesn't carry the signal of the gain devices. Imagine it to work any way you please. You're just plain wrong. 

Give it a rest, it’s like you get on your horse, when you got a few shots of something under your belt, and that turns you into some one that just need to create angst.
  
Leave it alone no-one is going to believe you over Nelson Pass about his own product the Aleph L, any thing you say against him is immediately swept under the carpet by anyone with any sense.


Cheers George