2. amps-preamps
  3. 1256796839

Passive preamp vs. powered

I have a custom made passive pre-amp that I purchased from A-gon some months back for about $150. It only has a volume control and 2 inputs - perfect for my needs.

It sounds excellent...

My question is... what would be the advantage of a much more expensive powered pre-amp? Sure, maybe I would have powered switches and more inputs, but I don't need any. Are there some differences in sound quality that I'm not hearing?
djembeplay
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
Phaelon, hearing everything on the disc can sound so natural, it never draws your attention to the detail, as it becomes part of the whole package. Blocking out detail detracts from the trueness of every part of the performance, every singer, and every player.
phaelon
1,038 posts
 
You all make good points. Ralph, I think that's a very interesting observation - that the retrieval of ambient information effects the perception of truthfulness relating to imaging.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
I think I know what ambient information means, it puts the instruments within a specific space or venue. So ambient information provides that additional sense of instruments in a particulat environment, not simply localization within a soundstage. If that is what it means, then it makes sense to me how this allows for some of sense of "truthfullness".
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