moving on from Emotiva UMC-200 pre/processor

Ive used McCormmack TLC and Pass Aleph L passive preamps mostly, plus DIY passive volume attenuators and, of course direct DVD player to amp combinations mostly, for my passive experimentation.
Now granted, I've not played with passive setups in at least 8 years, honestly. But my experience with many amp and passive or direct combinations pretty much exclusively has always yielded me less than optimum dynamic results from the sound, and so I just gave up trying, to be truthful!
Now it may very well be possible that the combination of source components and interconnect cabling which I used, was running into impedance issues, and the CD players nowadays very well might be offering lower output impedance than previous units I experimented with (plus maybe I didn't consider restrictions from cabling being an issue there either???), allowing for better signal flow between the components, for more dynamically unrestricted sound, but I'd have to go back and experiment and research some more. Dunno.
I was reading a recent article where more than a couple of posters stated they also experience a " loss of dynamics and some compression in the audio signal going passive,too! So I definitely know that others have had similar experiences as I had in the past..so it's not just me! However, why aren't nearly ALL magazine professional industry reviewers MAINLY using high end ACTIVE preamps as a reference in their own systems, if passives work and sound better/more pure sounding???! That makes no sense.
I did also read this article from a year ago, claiming that passive preamp require careful cabling and source component selections for good results from passive preamp, so maybe that's it.
Maybe I really DO need to go back to experimenting. Because certainly I'd MUCH rather be able to ditch a preamp in the chain altogether. If I can simply get the full dynamic capability from my sound, large open, unrestricted full soundstage that I've experienced with the best high end preamp I can get?! ..maybe my old Card as and Harmonic Tech interconnects were either not compatible with my DVD player n amplifiers impedance matching compatibility, and combinations were simply not compatible with each other? Hmmmm...
immature need me some more research n tinkering, I guess. If anyone out there who listens to occasional Metalica, eclectic world beat, hip-hop n pop, rock, and even movies through their 2 children system, and they exclusively use a passive front end setup with great dynamic results, in their opinions, ..lemme know what you are using in your setup, if you'd be do kind?!!!! I'd like to try out your combo, fer sure. Otherwise, my results of trying paramount amps w built in volume controls, high quality attenuation n DVD players w built in volume haven't cut it for me, compared to better active...is all I'm sayin.
Yes. I'm willing to be enlightened, otherwise, and shown the error of my past ways...

Yes, I too had played with the old Adcom gfp 750 (forgot about that) and that was at least 12 years ago. But, with whatever CD sources I tried, the active setting sounded definitely weighted and more punchy than the more closed-in sounding and subdued, dynamically, passive setting! Once again, even though the passive setting was clearer n less colored, rock n dynamic stuff had more soul n powerful overall sound in active...that's just what I found, and Im pretty certain I sold that piece retail in two different WiFi stores at the turn of the century! ...in fact I'm also certain that we sold other ACTIVE preamps then, that were much superior over the passive adcom setup,if I recall. In fact Im pretty certain just about every hiend audio equip you could think of produced better sounding top end preamp during that time, of which the Adcom was no match, if I recall correctly?! I mean if the passive section of that 750 was that good, why wouldn't more reviewers using them as reference pieces in their own systems???!
Anyway, what was I missing then?...

ANYONE FOLLOWING THESE LAST FEW POSTS REGARDING PASSIVE PREAMP FRONT END VS ACTIVE, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING STEREOPHILE ARTICLE FROM COREY GREENBERG,NOV 1991 STEREOPHILE MAG BELLOW

http://www.stereophile.com/solidpreamps/54/

..then you'll all understand my troubled frustrations and shortcomings with the passive thing over the years...

Avgoround,

I believe the source that was originally being considered as a substitute for a preamp was an Oppo BDP-105. The Oppo has very low output impedance and sufficient level to drive nearly any amp to full output. I use three analog sources, a Parasound JC-3 phono stage, an Ayre C-5xeMP, and stereo from an Oppo BDP-105, so I use a JC-2 to switch among them. I have tried the Oppo direct to my Proceed HPA 2 & 3 amps, and the sound is superb with no lack of dynamic range -- remember, any amplification amplifies both signal and noise, so doesn't change S/N. Even though I use a preamp for stereo, the surround outputs from the Oppo go directly to the amps.

db

Avo - the stereophile url you provided was incomplete. can you try again? thanks.