And don´t get me started on the supposed magical virtues of "passive preamps".
Or multitapped transformer volume controls.
Solve nothing and add a myriad new problems.
When I first saw mention of "passive" preamps, I wasn't sure what they were talking about.
I thought: "How can something non-powered be a preamp"?.
In my world, a preamp uses active amplification, period.
It's just a pot outside a power amp, making it an integrated amp. I don't understand the agitation over it, seems to work just fine. Doesn't cost 60,000 dollars either, so that's a relief.
Indeed, that's why I called mine a source selector switch, a volume and a balance control (even though it is in the same enclosure as my phono preamp). It works well enough for me as long as the cable to the main amplifier is very short.
Back in the day, analog audio electronic components were steadily improving; there were noticeable differences in sound quality of different components like amps & preamps, so reviews made sense. Nowadays, in the digital age, the race is over. Stop running; you crossed the finish line. Sound is as good as it will get with electronics. Speakers and other electromechanical components are a different story, however.
I noticed when I got a laptop power supply capable of twice the current for my class D amp, the sound improved. Warmer, more bass. No comparison really.
Definitely disagree with that statement.
But have absolutely no interest in arguing or trying to convince someone otherwise.
Heard plenty of preamps with miniscule unmeasurable distortion sounding like crap. Dry, boring, fatiguing.
Well designed tube pre just run over all of those with musicality.
Never heard $60k pre, but i like its colour.
Aren't they at least decent used as potentiometers? Those multitaped transformers ? I do have Stevens & Billington unit which was heavily promoted by Thorsten some decades ago. I never warmed up to the sound of that thing finding it kind of impotent therefore was scheming using it as a pot followed by a buffer alas since I already got 3 preamps better than I really need the pressure wasn't there to follow up. I like tone controls and also think that removal of them was dictated by savings sold as improvement of a sort. Out of mainstream high end I think only McIntosh is using them in their preamps .
Me too. Did $tereoPhile chnage the picture?
dave
That is the most BORING hunk of crap that I've seen yet!
BORING - absolutely NO style!
You can KEEP your boring Engstrom box.
Without sounding "superficial", which incidently all human's are known for, I'd much rather have something with some style...
Like the front control panel of my 1963 RCA Victor console stereo - WHICH, by the way, sounds quite thrilling whenever it's in use.
You can be excused wiseold .Nobody ever counted on Yankees in the taste department. Their best achievements are elevating absolute kitch to such heights that it becomes almost art
C'mon now. It was merely a joke.
Me thinks those Engstrom boxes are rather stylish and far from boring. I guess a few splashes of ketchup on the top and a big smear of mustard across the face plate would make them a lot more palatable for refined US tastes.
Me thinks those Engstrom boxes are rather stylish and far from boring. I guess a few splashes of ketchup on the top and a big smear of mustard across the face plate would make them a lot more palatable for refined US tastes.
This is a coloration device, right? I would just get proven professional mastering devices instead of this unproven unit, and it will still be below 60K even if I get many of them. If this preamp can magically make everything sound better, they should promote this to professional market.
It's a toy for rich people. It probably does not aspire to compete with professional mastering devices it simply aspires to entertain (on many levels , visual too) people who can afford to buy absolutely anything, professional mastering devices with mastering engineers included.
Professional market is producing such amount of bad sounding **** on their professional mastering devices that their professionalism should be questioned. DeaF morder crackers . to hell with em'