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What's your "diminishing returns" preamp choice?

What preamp would you consider is at the point of diminishing returns for you? I realize this is a vague and subjective question, but I think it will be interesting to hear the answers.

Of course, a $10,000 preamp will (probably) sound better than a $1,000 preamp but everyone has a different point at which they feel they have spent enough money. In some cases, one may feel that there isn't a significant difference between a $2k piece and a $10k piece to justify such a purchase.

I've noticed that there are some gems in the audio world that defy their price point. For instance, Apogee Centaurs, Halfer 9505 etc. I've always found such pieces fascinating.
woofer72
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
7,068 posts
 
In fact passives are usually better if they are full up, as there is less shunt resistance to ground, so the source (if a weak tube output) sees an even easier load, which equals better dynamics for them.

Passives sound just the same down low as they do up high, so long as the source is not a weak high impedance tube output stage >1kohm

These two contradict, both written by you. So which is it?

My experience mirrors the former rather than the latter (we used to build a passive years ago and continue to test them); all (and I do mean all) weaken the bass as you turn it down from full. For our testing we used a CDP with a solid state output; it is by no means 'weak'.

Some of this of course depends on the source- for example if an output coupling cap is involved (which it almost always is). But its all moot if you have a preamp as it buffers the input from the output cable.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
4,966 posts
 

Both! You can't see the forest through the trees?

These are both in reference to a source with a weak tube output stage, geeeeish!!

And don't even come into play if the source has a good low solid state output impedance.

Cheers George
bombaywalla's avatar
bombaywalla
1,957 posts
 
07-15-15: Zd542
I buy audio components for the status they place me in the audiophile community. For me, the law of diminishing returns runs backwards. The more I spend, the better the value.
and you forgot to write that we respect you more & more when we know how many $$$$$$ you have spent on audio gear....... ;-)

image is everything!
bodhi
49 posts
 
For me, i'd be done once I upgrade to a Vitus SL-102 preamp which is as good as I could ever need or want for my tastes. The nice thing about this preamp is it is modular in construction & is able to be upgraded in the field as new modules become available. Obviously not cheap, though that would likely be my last preamp (accepting upgrades over time).
roscoeiii's avatar
roscoeiii
1,155 posts
 
It took a $2000+ preamp (Musical Fidelity kW) to give me what I felt combined the best aspects of the passive (detail) and active (bass impact, dynamics, oomph) preamps I'd tried previously. Prior to that preamp, there were more tradeoffs that had to be made in my consideration.
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