(Gainclone Preamp) ACTIVE or PASSIVE ?

[nickthevoice]

Hello Guys !!!

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 ?!?

Thanks !!!

Nick TheVoice

[cuibono]

Hi Nick

You're going to have a real hard time finding an answer to 'WHAT IS THE BEST?" because there probably isn't one.

There are lots of opinions though. Something that is important though, is the output impedance of your source, and how far it is from the amps. Is it a CD player, computer, or something analog? I suppose you need some sort of volume control? There are many options, and lots of the designs on this board are high quality. Look at the different options and their different strengths, and try and weigh your priorities

[Nuuk]

My thoughts .

[nickthevoice]

if I take a look at the integrated amp of audiosector unbuffered

and the original gaincard is unbuffered too !


but I don't know if the sound is great........... I did not hear.

okay if I know the buffer serves to "balance input" & "gain boost" ?


P.s. The source is CD player.

[Peter Daniel]

Originally posted by Nuuk
My thoughts .

Not too many except for stating that "there is little doubt (IMHO) that the inverted Gainclone works better when used with either a buffer or a pre amp."

What about noninverting GC? Will it work better with a an active preamp or passive?

[nickthevoice]

but for me
in my electronics 101

if the signal is boosted by 1 good electronics piece, it's more good than if you pass by many many OPAMP buffer + LM4780 + etc...etc....


NO ???

[Nuuk]

What about noninverting GC?...

When I wrote that, I was only using IGC's, and unlike many who love to appear knowledgeable about everything, I prefer to limit my remarks to what I have actually tried myself.

...Will it work better with a an active preamp or passive?

Is that a rhetorical question Peter? I can't believe you don't know the answer! The answer is of course system dependent but generally, now I have built a few NIGCs, I would say the addition of an active buffer/pre is a good thing.

[Nuuk]

BTW, the above remark wasn't aimed at anybody in particular!

[nickthevoice]

If I want try Buffer in my gainclone. How plug it ?

Because in the diagram of national.com, I have many choice of diagram RIAA phono preamp, and other but the simple boost gain OP-AMP is not illustrated ?

I put the voltage +-15v and that's it ??? I need more parts ? resistor & capacitor, what's the value and quantity ?

P.s. I don't need phono input or other only 1 CD player input !

Thanks !

NicK

[Nordic]

Hi there guys, sorry for letting you sweat this one on your own Nuuk.

I'm in Nuuks camp, IGC + active buffer brings the best out in these chips, in my opinion.

My buffer experiements included among others, a valve based cathode follower, Rod Elliots P88, and most of the buffers on Nuuks site, my favourite is the Pedja rogic jfet buffer... low parts cost and almost "blameless" sound, pure, clean and natural.

You can use the search function on the website and searh useing my nic and the search term Pedja Rogic Buffer, the thread is called pedja rogic buffer for dummies.

In there you will find an easy veroboard layout, wich has been tested and works perfectly, and is easily adjustable to cater for diffirent size caps...

It is the same schematic from Nuuk's site, just a "better" layout.

Guess you can buy all the components for the jfet buffer for less money than 2, or maybe even one opamps

It works well on a wide supply range... tested same board without modifications from 12V to 18V, and it kept on working just fine... I would say sound quality improved the higher the voltage went...

In my opinion you are going to have a hard time beating that circuit for a gainclone buffer with chips.

Like Nuuk I also preffer and limit myself to the inverted configuration, although I have tested non inverted...

Non-inverted seems to me, to give slightly better soundstage, but it doesn't have the nice "feel" to the sound that the inverted modules do. Every time I set out to build a NIGC, I went back and rebuild the thing cause I couldn't live with the sound..