(Gainclone Preamp) ACTIVE or PASSIVE ?

[Nuuk]

Nordic, I hadn't seen your thread before so thanks for the heads up!

If that is a better layout, I may have to build another one for myself, although the one I am listening to right now is excellent! It's one of those circuits that is so good, I will one day get round to making up a PCB for it!

Anyway, between us, we should have provided all the information needed to complete a Pedja buffer. I really think it is one of the things that is a 'must try' with a Gainclone (but I do qualify that by saying get the PSU right too)!

[avr300]

OT:

Nuuk, you got a misprint.

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/nuukspot/...gulator15V.jpg

C3 is the wrong way around.

[Nuuk]

Thanks AVR300, it is now corrected!

[avr300]

My pleasure.

[Peter Daniel]

Originally posted by nickthevoice
I built gainclone with two Mono LM4780.

I want the best sound quality as possible.

I don't know if I need buffered preamp or unbuffered preamp.

Why many people make gainclone with OPAMP buffer and why other use only volume attenuator ?

WHAT'S THE BEST ?!?

Since he already built a GC, and I assume it is non inveritng, there is no point in discussing here the virtues of inverting topology.

If you want the best sound quality, don't use preamp.

If your source is not up to a task of driving the amp directly, install a buffer at the output of the source.
Somebody told me that simple Borberly buffer, (figure 15C) from the link: http://www.borbelyaudio.com/adobe/ae699bor.pdf works very well, better than more complicated designs, and that's what I would recommend for a start.

You will need volume control, and it's best to install it directly at the amp's input. I was running a similar setup for a while, but later switched to S&B TVC, and to me, this is the best sound so far from a GC, especially if the amp is driven in a balanced mode and TVC is inside the amp. The amp in the following link is way better than my original Inverting Amp circuit, I was beginning with.

The most advanced GainClone amp yet

So, getting back to to the issue of ACTIVE or PASSIVE, I would say, if everything is done right, with passive you have more chances to achieve purity of the sound, which not neccessarily means your best sound.

[nickthevoice]

Thanks Peter !

for YOUR INFORMATION

[nickthevoice]

when I take a look at the price of transformer volume control.

it's very very EXPENSIVE !!! wow ! 350-400$ and more & more.

TVC with 6dB gain in passif gooD but no money for that parts for the moment.



P.s. it don't have JAPAN great copy for 50-100$ hihihi !!

NicK

[Nordic]

I also agree with Peter to some extent, on my DX HRII discrete amp, the buffer is second to just a pasive volume control....

With my myref_c I find with passive, I have better (more neutral) bass and midrange, but the higher frequency sounds just don't seem to be smooth. With a buffer it seems to smooth out the trebles a little but it is at the price of a less convinceing overall impression of realism.

So I am infact running a passive control at the moment... but, as you may know the myref is no gainclone... (SS amp being modified a the moment).

With plain gainclone configs I find the music tends to be lifeless and without impact without a buffer.

The cost of experimenting with some of the basic buffers like the rogic buffer and the one suggested by Peter is low enough to take it as a learning experience, and it may just fit your needs perfectly.

[nickthevoice]

for the moment I stay in PASSIF with volume control only.


but when I have free time, I will do AudioNote M7 "japan version".

It's tube preamp and it's simple !

Thanks !

NicK

[ceebmoj]

hi all,

I have yet to even realy start with this as a hobby.

Why does any body not ofer a kit for source switching, volume control, pree amp and buffer. if it is as simple as you are saying the kit could have more than one implementation varios stages alowing true amiters like me to build and find out what thay like or for that matter dont like.

the fact that there are kist avaloble for chip amps are what are inticing me in to this as a project and for me I would find a kit that offred this tipe of thing very useful.

blake