The future of preamps

Yes Brownsfan:
Arthur Salvator's "Bolero Test" (linked) is most enlightening to the need of active preamps.

If you like the sound of your system without the colourations of a active preamp involved using this test, then don't use it use a passive preamp. As this test gives exactly what the source is giving to your poweramp/s nothing added nothing removed.

BTW you can do it with other cd's that start of low in volume.

http://www.high-endaudio.com/RC-Linestages.html#BOLERO

Cheers George

Hi Brownsfan,
Ironically Salvatore was a very staunch supporter of passive preamps or direct source to amplifier until he auditioned the active Coincident line stage, same outcome concusion as you experienced. He utilized the Bolero test during his evaluation.
Charles,

Thanks George for the link,
It appears that Salvatore has two top recommendations which depend on system needs and configuration. These two are his only class A selections .
Passive) EMIA TVC.
Active) Coincident line stage.
Charles,

In short do the "Bolero Test" with your source directly connected to the poweramp.
And go with Arthur Salvatore's 2 closing statements:

1/ "In short, if you need an active line stage because your source is not up to the task of driving the amplifier(s), then...
Any good active line stage, from any era, will improve the sonics in some obvious and clear manner"

2/ "Alternatively, if your source is up to the task of driving your amp(s), then...
No active line stage, no matter how good it is, will ever equal the sonics of your direct connection (or an equivalent passive)"

Cheers George

Arthur is a man with opinions like all of us. It is strange all of the products he says are the best of the best are Coincident. Is this just a coincidence for Coincident? Highly unlikely in all honesty folks. At the minimum, it simply reflects his sole experience and preferences. At minimum.

He likes a particular sound from his system as we all do. No right or wrong, just preference. One is not truer to the music then the another as all systems are not true in some way. A preamp less system is still a sound system producing sound from a series of wires, components, parts etc...with a resulting sound. The END result is still compilation of the total system.

Arthur may like it without a preamp and I like it with a preamp. No ultimate right or truer system, just opinion and preference.

I have done the Bolero test numerous times and owned the LSA twice and borrowed it a third time. I have owned the Placette, gone direct with great DAC's, direct from amps and scaled the mountains of passive and direct options. In the end, music sounded more like music with my best in class tube preamp.

No, my music is not more more distorted, less resolving, tone controlled, etc...it merely sounds more like music does and should to me, based on my experiences with music and my preferences.

If a passive, or direct from DAC or amp does this for you, then that is wonderful. It does not mean anything more than that however. No far reaching general conclusion about the state and result of music systems for all of humanity. That conclusion is leaping well beyond the scope of what is reasonable and true.