So many amplifier builds, what about preamps?

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#23
I have an all opamp headphone amp, schiit magni 3 heresy, I have tried as a preamp and when I switch it to high gain (18db I believe) to have reasonable head room I loose almost all bass. Even in low gain (6db) its still fairly flat sounding compared to my Pioneer SX1500TD as a preamp. System is 2.0 channel so I need the bass to be there, otherwise I may as well just listen to head phones, which I do not want to do.

Is there an opamp based design with 12-24db of gain and still sounds good?
 
#26
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#28
Jeffh01 said:
I had to laugh at the "yikes" 🙂. I suspect that much of the music I listen to was mixed and mastered through consoles using 5532s at best, so another half dozen isn't going to make a difference. They are a known and well understood device though and display few vices so are easy to work with for a beginner, although by today's standards not the absolute best anymore. I haven't rebuilt any of my early stuff yet, so have not had the epiphany of newer devices! (I did also let a TL072 into the signal chain for a giggle and it didn't mess things up, but maybe that is telling in itself perhaps??)

I now have some LM4562 and OPA2134s in stock, so I'll give them an outing for my next opamp project, although no doubt there are still better devices to choose from.

Great to see all the ideas on this thread!
Jeff.
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Yeah , I use TL084's for my subwoofer filters. Heck , I'll even use LM324's as ADC buffers for my arduino audio stuff.
But , why have -120db DAC's and buffer with 5532's. The OPAxxx's are just a few $ apiece , what's wrong with consistency.
 
#30
Fast14riot said:
What would be a good beginner level preamp kit or build for someone who already has a nice class A amp? I am finding out that "front end" "line stage" "preamp" and more can all mean the same thing as far as control goes, so it can be very confusing for the beginner.
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I don't know how it all came about, but there are many forums here at Diyaudio and this is the "solid state forum" - the designated place to find discussion, details and and projects specifically about solid state power amplifiers, class A or AB. A lot of folk use it as a general chat base too, probably because its the most popular forum, gets the most views and they don't read descriptions anyway. Preamps actually have a separate forum, known as either the "Line Level" or "Analog Line Level" Just click and select from the Forums menu above - plenty of variety in preamps and related gear there.
 
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#31
To be quite honest, a lot of this talk is above my head and understanding of electronics. I'm a builder kind of guy, I know enough not to shock myself or blow things up with electricity, especially mains voltage, but would ideally need a foolproof kit for the first time around.
 
#33
I've got fed up of no having a good preamp.

So don't go thinking pre-amps are not worthy, in fact after having built a number of amps my entire focus is on building the best of best tube-based pre-amps which can be more work than a power amp. I am finding it a rewarding change in direction after focusing on power amps. For example,

1/ I'm currently building the modern Kondo-Ashizawa M7H with the line amp upgraded to the G-1000 and with the phono amp upgraded to the GE-10, constructed using the copper plane + FR4 turret board technique you'll see on their website: https://www.audionote.co.jp/en/products/pre_amplifier/m7heritage.html

2/ And I'm also currently building a replica of the vintage Shindo Claret pre-amp (two stage version) which follows the construction method and parts you'll see on various websites: https://cheaptubeaudio.blogspot.com/2008/07/review-shindo-claret-preamplifier.html
 
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#34
@Fast14riot, Sadly, you won't find a 'kit' like you want that's affordable, if at all. Back in the day, Heathkit was the king of electronic kits,(50's-80s) and as a teen and young adult I built my share. But they are long gone. It was a fun and very rewarding experience. I even had the opportunity to visit their retail store in Benton Harbor, MI in the early 70s. What a thrill that was. But I digress.

Actually, the Yarra pre I mentioned earlier is not a difficult build. (If any kits are still available.) But, like most things DIY, it takes a little planning, ordering of parts, and an enclosure. If you're handy with a small soldering pencil, and apply an extra measure of 'perfection' to your build, you are likely to succeed. However, one must know the limits of their ability to tackle this hobby. In addition, whatever you choose, you'll find a ton of support from this community. Most everyone here is willing to help whatever your skill level may be. Good luck on your quest.
 
#35
A classic hi-fi preamp, like 1970’s or 80’s with front panel knobs and switches is relatively easy to implement. Pick your poison - discrete transistors, op amp of the day/week/month, or tubes. If you want something remote controlled or app-controlled it’s much more about digital design and microprocessor implementation than it is about the audio chain. The audio chain is simple, and takes a back seat to all the digital hoops you have to jump through just to get something to work.
 
#39
wg_ski said:
A classic hi-fi preamp, like 1970’s or 80’s with front panel knobs and switches is relatively easy to implement. Pick your poison - discrete transistors, op amp of the day/week/month, or tubes. If you want something remote controlled or app-controlled it’s much more about digital design and microprocessor implementation than it is about the audio chain. The audio chain is simple, and takes a back seat to all the digital hoops you have to jump through just to get something to work.
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This is really all I'm after. I don't need remote, haven't had one yet anyway. I'm also not entirely against tubes, I just prefer SS for robustness. Only tone control I really want is bass/treble because my epi100 speakers sound best to me with the highs dialed back just a touch and mine don't have an L pad to do it at the speaker. Only other option I would consider to be nice to have is an input selector for two inputs, but not necessary.
 
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