I really love the topics and explanations that you talk about. As someone that's try to learn about hifis and how all the bits fit together these videos have been really helpful.
Sometimes UA-cam recommends some good stuff, glad it did here. I plan to learn a lot from this channel now that I'm a bit older and less impressed with "loud" and more impressed with clarity and resolution. Hearing things in old recordings I've never noticed. Subscribed.
I used a highly regarded passive preamp for several years, then borrowed a BAT preamp from a dealer. The sound improvement was so great, I bought it. When I went to a separate DAC (Benchmark) which had a headphone amp, I tried using it direct to the power amps, but the stereo image shrank to half size, so I put the preamp back.
What is wrong in your mind that motivates you to make such a slanderous comment? What are your credentials Pepe? Could you please link us to your audio videos?
Just shading some light on to why one could make such comment, as PS Audio does dabble into more 'questionable' audiophile power technology... along with their no doubt quality audio hardware.
I have heard sound systems that made me feel like I was In the studio. I agree with anything that brings that experience closer to my audience. (Ray Charles)
Hey i have just subscribed to your channel ! I im allways up for learning and you have some interesting content on your channel :D greetings from Puerto Rico!!
Every single time I have a question about audio, I Google it, and end up watching one of your videos. Thank you for what you do for us audiophiles! In this case, I had answered my own question and just wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy. My story: For several years I had been using a Universal Disc Player, which has a digital preamp, as a source in my A/V system, and running it straight into a power amp. It sounded ok, but truly lacked pizazz. A few days ago I decided to put an old headphone amp (from another system) between the two, and the results were absolutely astonishing. It was actually just dumb luck; the headphone amp I am now using as a preamp is Class A, balanced, with XLR inputs and outputs. So yes, preamps can make a HUGE difference. But as everybody knows, it all depends . . . .
I respect such elegant explanations. I always wondered why can't I feed a power amp directly through DAC, which never sounded better than with a high-end preamp. Thanks.
Totally agree on the need for a good pre-amp. Back in the late 80s/early 90s, there was a push for passive preamps. I came close to building one until I heard one demo'd at CES. It sounded dull... A good pre-amp provides a vital gain stage to the signal, especially in analogue.
I have found the same thing. I even owned some older PS Audio preamps with the "straight line" option (5.5, 6.0), and preferred it with the line stage engaged. I'm pretty sure that it all comes down to impedance matching, and the inability of the source component's line output to drive some cables and power amp inputs effectively, especially when buffered by the passive volume pot. Impedance matching is one of those topics that too often gets ignored in high end audio.
I have a pioneer set to 3/4 volume going into a eq then a line driver. The output from the line driver enables me to have the gain down all the way on my amp which also helps my amp work less and have wetter bass = sound quality skyrockets. For only 600wrms on 1 ct sounds 18 she gets down. even if you have a aftermarket head unit (a preamp/line driver is a must in my opinion)
Thank you for a great video! Question is, I have an Audio-Tenhnica at-pl120 usb turntable with preamp connected to my Klipsch the sixes powered. Can I add a preamp between them for enhanced sound? Also, would you recommend tube amps?
I like tube preamps mixed with solid state power amplifiers. When you have tubes in both power amp and preamp the sound becomes too pillowy for my taste.
Hello I just came across your channel it’s very informative. Hope you can assist me. I was wondering if there was any small preamp that you would recommend using for shooting videos with a Dslr. I currently have a Tascam DR60 however I would like to get something much smaller so I can travel more freely with thanks.
On a hybrid set up, would you use the monitor outs on the console or on the focusrite 18i20... Question number two how could I set up my patch bay for both options. Thank you for your time
I think of a preamp as a control and buffer stage. If you have multiple sources and they have varying output levels you need something that can handle the switching and amplification requirements. Also some sources have high impedance outputs that are not suited to cable capacitance that you see if you have the power amp at any distance from your sources. I've had a Conrad Johnson PV-10a in my system for close to 20 years now. My sources are a turntable, cd player, tuner and a DAC that is fed by my iMac with a toslink cable. The preamp feeds a musical concepts modified Haffler d220 amp. With the exception of the Shiit DAC this is an old system but it's capable of very good sound with good source material. I repair all my equipment myself and the circuitry of the preamp is stunningly simple, a single triode stage for the line level and another for the phono section. The components used are all very good, I've changed the tubes 3 or 4 times since I bought it used. I used to repair tektrpnix qscilloscopes so I know properly designed tube equipment is very long lived
I have a Rotel RB-980 BX power amp and an old Hafler pre-amp. I switched my pre-amp out with an Adcom GFP-1 and WOW! What a difference! My Monitor Audio Silver 300's came to life! So, yes, in my case a better pre-amp SURE enhanced the sound.
I discovered similar, Paul. I own a collection of passive preamps, some with switchable inputs. Then I decided to build (via a kit) an active preamp based on a Mark Levinson preamp mkll design. Though some components had to be sourced from Europe as well as the USA (including some recycled caps) to get it as right as possible. I didn’t expect anything to work let alone sound good. After a short warmup, I thought something was wrong as I could hear what seemed like ‘strange harmonics’ deep in familiar recordings. Then I realised my mistake. What I was hearing was greater resolution. I was hearing details in the upper mids and extreme highs that I’d never noticed before. Only three inputs, but that’s enough for most of my listening. It has no phono preamp so I connected (for vinyl use) a schiit mani phono preamp (don’t underestimate this little guy as it sounds very high end with cartridges up to £1000) And once again, everything seemed better. Only problem is (from an audiophile purest point of view) are we hearing added character or the truth? Being able to test things in a studio environment, I can say it’s a little of both. In the studio, various preamps are used from the mic’s to the 24bit digital desk which uses class A preamps with a huge 130dB of dynamics. It will also have a combo of hardware/software plugins adding EQ and various Effects (in moderation) Very few recordings are ‘true’ audiophile inspired, sadly.
My Schiit Saga preamp added a tremendous amount to my system. Also, for multi-amp configuration, having the two sets of pre-outs seems a lot better than trying to Y-off my outputs from my DAC.
cableaddict Yeah, it sounds better because it's coloring the sound in a pleasant way. It's not allowing you to hear greater detail, it's bringing out harmonics because it's saturating the signal. Distortion can be great, but it's altering the sound, not somehow adding clarity.
Hey Paul. I Love your channel! I know it’s all subjective and there is so many variables involved when it comes to picking out components. I’ve been putting my 2 channel system together for almost 20 years now. Based on budget I’ve taken my time to put it together. I have a Krell KSL preamp and Oppo. HA-1 dac ( not a big headphone listener although I have a pair of HiFiman headphones). I’m using an old Proceed amp 2 and Dali Grand Coupe speakers with a Marsntz 8004 and Music Hall mmf 7 with Jolida JD9. The funny thing is that my wiring which is all Siltech and Nordost is worth almost as much as the gear. My problem is that I hate the volume control on the Krell. It drives me crazy. It needs to be played loud in order to sound good. Also no remote or digital setting. Do you think if I sell off my Krell and Oppo, and purchase the Stellsr Gain Cell, it will work out for me? I have Tidal HiFi.
Nice video, just one question. I just bought a 2.1 sound system with a built in amp, the sound is great when I play music from my note 9 through bluetooth that has aptx and atmos built in, but when I play something from the tv (lg oled c6) connected through optical audio cable the sound is not that good especially the sound separation. What can I do so the sound thats coming from the tv will be as good as the one from the phone?
My A&H v6 valve preamp is everything to my sound, great analysis and turnaround story! I wonder if this extends to their use within amps themselves. I know in the olden days you would have PA systems with all valve amps, preamps, i can only imagine
I'm relatively new to tube amps. Just got a Yaqin MC84l. I noticed how holographic it is and how airy and spacious it sounds. I am noticing the mid bass is balanced but seems to drop off around 100hz. Not sure if this is the amplifier being at its limit, or if the tubes being rolled may help. My question is, which side should I try first. Preamp side, or Power side? Which do you think makes the biggest difference in sound?
Besides convenience and amplification, a preamp often solves impedance related issues , like capacitor coupled connections with high output impedance and low input impedance resulting in poor frequency response.
I personally think a good quality pre does more to improve the sound than the power amp. Yes, you have to have a power amp that will drive the load, w/o clipping, but that being a given, the pre is king.
If synergy is the goal I've successfully experimented with different combinations. My current best of is an Audio Research LS10 SE into my Luxman M900u. It's a fully balanced system from ARC CD player CD9 ref to speakers. The cd player is tube output, and all solid state preamp/poweramp have delivered the results that Paul speaks of, just gorgeous punch and soundstage from 2x 12" woofers to horn mids enhanced by super tweeters. It's a dream system. Synergy. Experiment. Listen and enjoy.
Pretty general question. Answer is yes and no, depending on the preamp. My preamp is a homebrew 76 triode tube with a 6688 tube as a current source. I keep it's volume at 10 and use the Kimmel Mu Stage fed 6550 amps volume control. It sounds harmonically rich and ever so dynamic with digital sources. For cassette and vinyl I use the preamps volume control. Loves me some 2nd order harmonic harmonics at over 100 dB. Only for short sessions though. Then the volume goes back to 80dB or so.
so Paul, how to identify 3 preamps in $800 to $1600 to evaluate & buy. I cant find many comparisons of better preamps. Have 1850 Ati amp, 180 watts per channel, 5 channels driven from 2003. My ead (enlightened audio design) 2001preamp seems faulty, it lately only runs the 2 front channels. My equipment was bought used in 2001 on audiogon, so I spent much less than the selling price of the ead/ati combo. But cant find good evaluations for a resonably priced, but good quality preamp
I wonder how much of the difference between preamps and between preamp/preamp-less can be attributed to level matching. I have definitely seen different results putting my CD player line outs through aux inputs of a vintage luxman receiver vs putting a pre-attenuated signal through. Turns out the input sensitivity was 150mV. Similarly, if using a separate power amp and either the Luxman or a Benchmark DAC1 PRE as preamp, the full level signal sounded better to me going through the Benchmark (which has higher max input level).
One thing i really like about your videos is your explanation in detail and one more thing is that small Dog statue ...probably resemble to HMV ...logo (His Master's Voice)...
I got other questions relate to this. For instance, I use my computer to feed my DAC which has optional pre-amp. Should I active/de-active when I use the xlr cables to feed my Dynaudio active speaker? If I don't use the pre-amp, I have to control the volume in my computer through software. Which way is better? Or in general, I am quite confuse about the software volume control.
Paul now you have carte blanche, does the PCA-2 pre amp (w/out external power supply) sound as good or better than a Bryston BP-25 or Benchmark DAC1 driving an amp directly? Asking for a friend who doesn't want to make a lateral move on this.
The answer is definitely yes! Today ,we back to the vinyle support and most audiophile have not any experience we gain during the golden age from the seventies to the eighties...it was the period of the analogue audio... At the first stage, the stereo monitoring of the recording involving the respect of the phasing in acoustic was allowing to highlight the sensivity of and treatment of the analogic source without any strong signal compression as we do today! We lost both culture and know how as well! The preamp according to Lew Johnson (CJ) is the most difficult element to achieve audio electronic componant... As a result a good preamp unit is bringing music space, soundstage, respect of the dynamic and the rythm to be as well as matters.. As measure we developp numeric technology only fews companies have been involved by the preamp unit interest.... So the listening session in the seventies and heighties of the preamp competition between audio research,Conrad johnson, Mark Levinson have shown the sound difference between these units... The situation was similar for the turntable! The feed back experience is poor today,Thank you Paul to remind us the reality... Raymond (from from Blois France)
Yes a good preamp just sounds more real and yes a tube preamp is much more likely to give you that big open soundstage and more holographic /room filling sound.I have heard that time and again with Supratek preamps for example.I remember hearing one of them inserted into a very good system using Magico speakers and Audio Flight Strumento pre and power amps and the difference it made was huge-from sounding good to sounding wonderful.And the Supratek was about a third the price of the Audio Flight SS preamp.
I've found that a premium preamp can transform a lower quality amp into something more wonderful than a premium amp alone. The same preamp with a quality amp makes a marginal difference that starts to minimize the cost/ reward investment... at least with the equipment I've gotten my hands on.
I bought a used Adcom preamplifier tuner for about 250.00 and this thing is a Trainwreck. Channels going out and not working. Suddenly it will work for awhile and go out again. The technician said that there's a intermittent problem with old Adcom stuff and there's nothing more he can do to fix it. But the Adcom power amplifier I bought with it works like a charm.
I have watched several of your posts regarding audio, and you are obviously very knowledgeable. I have a Marantz 2230 I was using as a pre-amp to my NAD power amp, a CD player, and KEF speakers. This system sounded good, but after awhile decided to purchase a Pro-Ject turntable which requires a phono pre-amp, a Sonos Port for streaming, and still using the NAD C268 power amp. As a somewhat new convert to using separates (vs. the integrated, turntable, CD set-up I had prior) I am finding that understanding and learning how to connect each component can be confusing. Are there videos you (or others) do that show visually how (and why) connections between components look?
Is it possible that the system sounded better with the preamp because the DAC to amp directly had some impedance issues and slipping the preamp in essentially corrected this?
A very convenient feature of the Aesthetix Calypso is the existence of a remote controlled "Phase" switch. Some audiophiles state that they are unable to distinguish when a recording is being played back in proper phase, but for those that are sensitive to it, the Calypso provides a valuable control which is not a feature of all that many pre-amps and certainly not many DAC's.
You should probably distinguish between the pre-amplification necessary for bringing up the signal level of a phono cartridge from a piece of a volt to signal level equivalent to the output of a CD player or other device, and on the other hand, simple attenuation/adjustment of the signal level of a CD player. The phono input is subjected to whatever the quality of that pre-amplification circuit, whereas the CD input is not. Having said that, the preamp, or what I like to call the control device, may or may not have an audible effect on sound quality for those devices whose input is already at signal level and is simple selected for and sent on to the amplifier. I would love to hear your comments on this.
I was using an integrated amp as a pre for years. It worked on standby, so I don't think it was doing anything other than connecting two signals through a volume control. Didn't detect a difference pre-less. Recently replace that with a dedicated pre and wow. Tighter and better controlled bass, more detail and dynamics and the instruments have more attack. Some signal gain too it seems.
So, what you're saying is that a preamplifier that perhaps slightly colours the sound might improve the way a system sounds. I must say that I agree. Graphic equalisers are an excellent example of that, but only if correctly implemented.
I like NAD preamps. I'd have one except that I live in an apartment and all the stereo I need is powered by a TubeCube 7, through a pair of Infinity 5 1/4" Kappa coaxials that I mounted in a custom made ported enclosure.
Another fun and informative vid. Thanks Paul. ...A bit of a ridiculous title for this video. .. Of course my preamp matters to the over overall sound of my audio system.
Very very valuable advice. Thanks for this very precious video. I would like to add that digital sources exacerbate the issue of preamps and tubes in particular. LPs can sound quite good also with a complete solid state system. Instead with digital sources tubes provide that sense of space that fully solid state rigs have difficulties in providing. I have a feeling. It depends on how the solid state units are designed. But i am not an expert at all. Thanks again and best regards, gino
Hi may I suggest the separate mono amps are put at the speaker and use longer coax leads from pre amp. Long speaker cable into low impedance speaker will / can result in voltage drop / power loss. The long leads from the pre amp may have a couple of ohms but are feeding a higher impedance. If you do the math you will find voltage distribution between cable and load ( amps input) is far better and nowhere near the problem of speaker cables. Capacitance is an issue yes and can reduce high frequency but at audio I don't think you could tell at RF can be obvious . Enjoy the music.
I've done the audiophile-unthinkable... and it sounds better. 🙂 I have electrostatic hybrids and an integrated amplifier. I was very happy with the sound but the amp has very "soft" tone controls, and where I listen at modest levels it needed a fair boost in the low end and more "air" in the high end. The other issue was, despite glorious detail, there was next to no front to back imaging. In my studio I had a small mixer - the type a band might use. It has nice preamps built in and EQ knobs at 100hz, 2500, and 10,000. Very clean... very musical. I ran my CD player into the mixer then into the amp. I've added 3 db bass and treble and 1.5 at 2500. The impact in sound quality is amazing, especially when listening at 75-85db levels. Bigger, warmer low end, nice air and high end detail and improved clarity in the vocal range. ( I set the amp to bypass it's own tone controls) And I'd swear the front to back imaging has improved. I've always subscribed to the straight path concept but I'm thinking that "clean" isn't the end all / be all. When you think about it, a mastered song is a finished song with more tone and compression effects put in between the band and the listener. Technically there's a contamination of purity but that doesn't change the fact that a mastered track is much more pleasing to the ear. That's how I'm thinking of my setup. The system is being mastered AKA tailored to my room and listening levels. It is clearly a more enjoyable listening experience. I'd suggest others try this in the same situation. Very good, small mixers can be purchased for under $200. Just make sure it's an UNpowered mixer and you use the volume output responsibly. Thanks
Before even watching the video, YES. I just ran 2A3 mono blocks with their own volume knobs. Very short signal path. I then tried them with a Sonic Frontiers SPL-2 as good a preamp as has ever been made. The dynamics were better, and the sound stage was bigger. Trust your ears , sometimes the short path logic is proven wrong.
Saturation and harmonics are what my ears love. For that reason I will choose preamps and processors that create that effect. Of course sometimes you want cleaner pres but even then a little electric juice always makes the signal sound nicer.
Paul. Thank you for the info. I am starting my journey into the stereo and theater sound world. At this time most money is going elsewhere, like education and collecting guitars, so I find myself starting modestly with perhaps "non" audiophile products. For example, I am considering investing in an Emotiva Amp, preamp, DAC system. Curious how you (or anyone reading) would regard this company. My long term goal is to invest cash in McIntosh Audio Systems, they are really big around where I live. I don't have many places to choose from, and the ones that are around here stock themselves with McIntosh, NAD, Anthem and Parasound. Peace.
Cheers Paul. I'm a pure digital user now and feed my Auralic G1 directly into a Naim 250DR power amp, but I'm tempted to try some Pre amps. You've just answered my question - I need to try it, but I'm not taken with Tubes, mainly due to how quickly they degrade. I'm not a rich man and cannot buy something that will need lots more attention throughout its life which is what tubes do..... 10000 hours maybe in a pre amp, but in my house that means changing them every 4 or so years and that's an absolute no go. It will limit the sales of your preamp too....
my preamps down at present and im now listening to the dac only. it appears that the dac makes for a better image and throws the sound around better.the bhk pre sounds better than the bhk dac but it sounds like its taking something away from the dac's image / sound when its inline. anyone else come across this?
Sorry but no.. the AMP is more important than the preamp.. and spending heavily i'snt always necessary or even wise (see my post above where I go into detail about that very topic) if any single component deserves more $ per se hands down it is the actual speakers.
Actually, they do. They give the sound body. The reason is the balance between voltage and current. They depend on each other. Voltage is the signal. Current provided by a preamp stops the voltage varying, especially if you were using a resistive ladder network.
Sylvester, You are missing the fact that, if you´re not using a preamp you are most probably using a DAC attenuating the signal. DACs do a lot of math while doing this, and no matter how good the DAC is, doing this kind of math will alter the signal as well. I have a DCS Scarlatti and a Griphon Pandora Preamp, I've played with this stuff and I must say; I preferred the sound of the system better with the Preamp hands down !
@@crventura The Griphon Pandora Preamp is $46,000! and I bet at that price range you've been ripped off completely in audible blind tests that you refused to endure for less pricey preamps you could have purcahsed.
Hi Razer, that is definitely a no problem I have plenty to spare. I buy my audio gear under a cost no object principle. So, don’t feel sorry for me, there’s no need. Cheers from Portugal
I've got a PS Audio 6.1 preamplifier. The active stage seems to have blown out, and it gives a nasty sustained shock when touching the chassis, even when in passive mode ("straightwire" or "bypass"). Advice? AC voltage measures 0.1v between the ground of the power connector, and my outlet's ground, the 6.1 being plugged in and on. Yikes! Resistance measures about 0.8 ohms, when I contact one multimeter prong to the 6.1's power-in ground, and the other prong to chassis ground. Transformer? Capacitor? HELP!
Paul, how safe is it to run the fixed output side of a CD player directly to a power amp. I have always wanted to try it but don't want to damage my Magnepan MG12s.
What are you talking about? 2 volt is +4dBu (balanced output). .775v RMS is consumer -10dBu. If the CD player has the option for fixed output vs variable gain then no problems. Get an amp that has gain adjustment if it's an issue. That way you can adjust the input sensitivity.
It could be fun to see if some deliberate "destructive" DSP in a completely digital chain would give similar results if it was done to closely emulate the shortcomings of tubes.
In my humble opinion that answer is on the money. What Paul did not explain is why that is so. I certainly don't know why. What I do know is that without a decent preamp there is kind of sterility in the sound. Could it be that the amplification has to be done in stages? Imagine being given a postage stamp and being asked to paint that as a fresco on the side of a building. Surely you would make an intermediate stage - say an A4 or A3 size sketch / painting / photo first and then work from that? (The ramblings of a property lawyer).
You might like the added bloom a tube pre-amplifier adds and if so go for it, but it's really a nice form of distortion and that's the answer you were looking for. Is it accurate? Can you call it hi-fi? Hell no. But why complain if it sounds nice to you?
I really love the topics and explanations that you talk about. As someone that's try to learn about hifis and how all the bits fit together these videos have been really helpful.
Sometimes UA-cam recommends some good stuff, glad it did here. I plan to learn a lot from this channel now that I'm a bit older and less impressed with "loud" and more impressed with clarity and resolution. Hearing things in old recordings I've never noticed. Subscribed.
Speakers... Grounding... Hard to find a good one.
This channel is absolute gold. They are some of the best of the best to do it.
Love your explanation and enthusiasm ... thank you!
You’ll be happy to know your good at these shows .thank you for the knowledge
I used a highly regarded passive preamp for several years, then borrowed a BAT preamp from a dealer. The sound improvement was so great, I bought it. When I went to a separate DAC (Benchmark) which had a headphone amp, I tried using it direct to the power amps, but the stereo image shrank to half size, so I put the preamp back.
This guy is a national treasure... 👍
This guy is a national scammer... 👍
@@pepeonzima2444 Why?
What is wrong in your mind that motivates you to make such a slanderous comment? What are your credentials Pepe? Could you please link us to your audio videos?
PS Audio equipment is in monetary value range where one could question the price to value... and they are making that 1000$ power cable.
Just shading some light on to why one could make such comment, as PS Audio does dabble into more 'questionable' audiophile power technology... along with their no doubt quality audio hardware.
I have heard sound systems that made me feel like I was In the studio. I agree with anything that brings that experience closer to my audience. (Ray Charles)
Hey i have just subscribed to your channel ! I im allways up for learning and you have some interesting content on your channel :D greetings from Puerto Rico!!
Every single time I have a question about audio, I Google it, and end up watching one of your videos. Thank you for what you do for us audiophiles! In this case, I had answered my own question and just wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy. My story: For several years I had been using a Universal Disc Player, which has a digital preamp, as a source in my A/V system, and running it straight into a power amp. It sounded ok, but truly lacked pizazz. A few days ago I decided to put an old headphone amp (from another system) between the two, and the results were absolutely astonishing. It was actually just dumb luck; the headphone amp I am now using as a preamp is Class A, balanced, with XLR inputs and outputs. So yes, preamps can make a HUGE difference. But as everybody knows, it all depends . . . .
Great insights - thank you
I respect such elegant explanations. I always wondered why can't I feed a power amp directly through DAC, which never sounded better than with a high-end preamp. Thanks.
Hi Paul, you are the best presenter for amplification choices ever. Wonderful!
i love my preamp, the onkyo p304. i always thought it simply directed signal. thanks for sharing the knowledge
Wow that explanation seals the deal Mr. Paul always explains it better, thanks
Totally agree on the need for a good pre-amp. Back in the late 80s/early 90s, there was a push for passive preamps. I came close to building one until I heard one demo'd at CES. It sounded dull... A good pre-amp provides a vital gain stage to the signal, especially in analogue.
From a reggae sound system perspective, the pre amp makes the sound!
Supercar Dave 🇯🇲 facts
broo thank you! I make reggae music and this is everything I needed to hear! Do you recommend any pre amps for reggae??
What preamp did the Original Reggae artist use. And do you make real reggae or that foreign main stream studio mess.
I have found the same thing. I even owned some older PS Audio preamps with the "straight line" option (5.5, 6.0), and preferred it with the line stage engaged. I'm pretty sure that it all comes down to impedance matching, and the inability of the source component's line output to drive some cables and power amp inputs effectively, especially when buffered by the passive volume pot. Impedance matching is one of those topics that too often gets ignored in high end audio.
Another gotham here
yes they do and expensive it is especially when recording along with mics and convertors, all in one unit the prism lyra
Subscribed. Gotta support our fellow audiophiles.
I have a pioneer set to 3/4 volume going into a eq then a line driver. The output from the line driver enables me to have the gain down all the way on my amp which also helps my amp work less and have wetter bass = sound quality skyrockets. For only 600wrms on 1 ct sounds 18 she gets down. even if you have a aftermarket head unit (a preamp/line driver is a must in my opinion)
20 year ago I selling and set up PS audio's Amplifier, And now we learn more about it from the founder !
Hello Paul. Thanks for the video. What tubes preamps would you recomend under 2k?
Yall just came out with the fr 30!!!!! Congrats
Easy and understandable , Thanks Paul🤍
Thank you for a great video! Question is, I have an Audio-Tenhnica at-pl120 usb turntable with preamp connected to my Klipsch the sixes powered. Can I add a preamp between them for enhanced sound? Also, would you recommend tube amps?
I like tube preamps mixed with solid state power amplifiers. When you have tubes in both power amp and preamp the sound becomes too pillowy for my taste.
Never heard "pillowy" before. But as a New tubes fan, I understand. All tubes for Me.
I agree with him. A really good preamp is a game changer. I have a AVA hifi preamp and it is tube. The sound off it is wonderful
Hello I just came across your channel it’s very informative. Hope you can assist me. I was wondering if there was any small preamp that you would recommend using for shooting videos with a Dslr. I currently have a Tascam DR60 however I would like to get something much smaller so I can travel more freely with thanks.
On a hybrid set up, would you use the monitor outs on the console or on the focusrite 18i20... Question number two how could I set up my patch bay for both options. Thank you for your time
I think of a preamp as a control and buffer stage. If you have multiple sources and they have varying output levels you need something that can handle the switching and amplification requirements. Also some sources have high impedance outputs that are not suited to cable capacitance that you see if you have the power amp at any distance from your sources.
I've had a Conrad Johnson PV-10a in my system for close to 20 years now. My sources are a turntable, cd player, tuner and a DAC that is fed by my iMac with a toslink cable. The preamp feeds a musical concepts modified Haffler d220 amp. With the exception of the Shiit DAC this is an old system but it's capable of very good sound with good source material.
I repair all my equipment myself and the circuitry of the preamp is stunningly simple, a single triode stage for the line level and another for the phono section. The components used are all very good, I've changed the tubes 3 or 4 times since I bought it used. I used to repair tektrpnix qscilloscopes so I know properly designed tube equipment is very long lived
You are God of the music info thank you
I have a Rotel RB-980 BX power amp and an old Hafler pre-amp. I switched my pre-amp out with an Adcom GFP-1 and WOW! What a difference! My Monitor Audio Silver 300's came to life!
So, yes, in my case a better pre-amp SURE enhanced the sound.
With what source though?
Is the usb sound card mic input has a preamp? Will adding preamp improve the sound of the mic input?
I discovered similar, Paul. I own a collection of passive preamps, some with switchable inputs. Then I decided to build (via a kit) an active preamp based on a Mark Levinson preamp mkll design. Though some components had to be sourced from Europe as well as the USA (including some recycled caps) to get it as right as possible.
I didn’t expect anything to work let alone sound good. After a short warmup, I thought something was wrong as I could hear what seemed like ‘strange harmonics’ deep in familiar recordings. Then I realised my mistake. What I was hearing was greater resolution. I was hearing details in the upper mids and extreme highs that I’d never noticed before.
Only three inputs, but that’s enough for most of my listening.
It has no phono preamp so I connected (for vinyl use) a schiit mani phono preamp (don’t underestimate this little guy as it sounds very high end with cartridges up to £1000)
And once again, everything seemed better. Only problem is (from an audiophile purest point of view) are we hearing added character or the truth?
Being able to test things in a studio environment, I can say it’s a little of both.
In the studio, various preamps are used from the mic’s to the 24bit digital desk which uses class A preamps with a huge 130dB of dynamics. It will also have a combo of hardware/software plugins adding EQ and various Effects (in moderation)
Very few recordings are ‘true’ audiophile inspired, sadly.
Excellent. We want you to hear every pin drop. Like you were there.
My Schiit Saga preamp added a tremendous amount to my system. Also, for multi-amp configuration, having the two sets of pre-outs seems a lot better than trying to Y-off my outputs from my DAC.
cableaddict Yeah, it sounds better because it's coloring the sound in a pleasant way. It's not allowing you to hear greater detail, it's bringing out harmonics because it's saturating the signal. Distortion can be great, but it's altering the sound, not somehow adding clarity.
Hey Paul. I Love your channel! I know it’s all subjective and there is so many variables involved when it comes to picking out components. I’ve been putting my 2 channel system together for almost 20 years now. Based on budget I’ve taken my time to put it together. I have a Krell KSL preamp and Oppo. HA-1 dac ( not a big headphone listener although I have a pair of HiFiman headphones). I’m using an old Proceed amp 2 and Dali Grand Coupe speakers with a Marsntz 8004 and Music Hall mmf 7 with Jolida JD9. The funny thing is that my wiring which is all Siltech and Nordost is worth almost as much as the gear. My problem is that I hate the volume control on the Krell. It drives me crazy. It needs to be played loud in order to sound good. Also no remote or digital setting. Do you think if I sell off my Krell and Oppo, and purchase the Stellsr Gain Cell, it will work out for me? I have Tidal HiFi.
if you had a choice of tubes for a preamp what model would you likely choose?
Nice video, just one question.
I just bought a 2.1 sound system with a built in amp, the sound is great when I play music from my note 9 through bluetooth that has aptx and atmos built in, but when I play something from the tv (lg oled c6) connected through optical audio cable the sound is not that good especially the sound separation. What can I do so the sound thats coming from the tv will be as good as the one from the phone?
Great quality information Paul, appreciate it!
My A&H v6 valve preamp is everything to my sound, great analysis and turnaround story!
I wonder if this extends to their use within amps themselves. I know in the olden days you would have PA systems with all valve amps, preamps, i can only imagine
I'm relatively new to tube amps. Just got a Yaqin MC84l. I noticed how holographic it is and how airy and spacious it sounds. I am noticing the mid bass is balanced but seems to drop off around 100hz.
Not sure if this is the amplifier being at its limit, or if the tubes being rolled may help.
My question is, which side should I try first. Preamp side, or Power side? Which do you think makes the biggest difference in sound?
So if I move the pre-amp into the PA, does that still make it a pre-amp? Or will someone want to add another preamp?
Besides convenience and amplification, a preamp often solves impedance related issues , like capacitor coupled connections with high output impedance and low input impedance resulting in poor frequency response.
Paul what do you think of the McIntosh C15 vs the C2500?
Paul, I really very very much Love your RCA Mascot... I believe it's a Jack Russell breed. God bless.
I personally think a good quality pre does more to improve the sound than the power amp. Yes, you have to have a power amp that will drive the load, w/o clipping, but that being a given, the pre is king.
Thansk for the houston shout out
If synergy is the goal I've successfully experimented with different combinations. My current best of is an Audio Research LS10 SE into my Luxman M900u. It's a fully balanced system from ARC CD player CD9 ref to speakers. The cd player is tube output, and all solid state preamp/poweramp have delivered the results that Paul speaks of, just gorgeous punch and soundstage from 2x 12" woofers to horn mids enhanced by super tweeters. It's a dream system. Synergy. Experiment. Listen and enjoy.
I prefer tone controls to enhance cymbal sounds and string tone. So treb and bass are needed.
Then your system is not linear needing a boost at certain frequencies.
Good point. Simply.. personal taste
Is there any point of putting an tube preamp between the LP and a analog to digital converter on a pre-amp?
Pretty general question. Answer is yes and no, depending on the preamp. My preamp is a homebrew 76 triode tube with a 6688 tube as a current source. I keep it's volume at 10 and use the Kimmel Mu Stage fed 6550 amps volume control. It sounds harmonically rich and ever so dynamic with digital sources. For cassette and vinyl I use the preamps volume control. Loves me some 2nd order harmonic harmonics at over 100 dB. Only for short sessions though. Then the volume goes back to 80dB or so.
Are you talking about preamp for hi fi applications or for something like recording a mic?
I still use one of your phono stages with pasive Pre.
Thanks for the tip. I have a question on this topic. Does a portable preamp exist which is battery powered and up to your level of quality?
Can I use my laptops amf as preamp for my Fiio K5 amp?
Very good channel!!!!
so Paul, how to identify 3 preamps in $800 to $1600 to evaluate & buy. I cant find many comparisons of better preamps. Have 1850 Ati amp, 180 watts per channel, 5 channels driven from 2003. My ead (enlightened audio design) 2001preamp seems faulty, it lately only runs the 2 front channels. My equipment was bought used in 2001 on audiogon, so I spent much less than the selling price of the ead/ati combo. But cant find good evaluations for a resonably priced, but good quality preamp
I wonder how much of the difference between preamps and between preamp/preamp-less can be attributed to level matching. I have definitely seen different results putting my CD player line outs through aux inputs of a vintage luxman receiver vs putting a pre-attenuated signal through. Turns out the input sensitivity was 150mV. Similarly, if using a separate power amp and either the Luxman or a Benchmark DAC1 PRE as preamp, the full level signal sounded better to me going through the Benchmark (which has higher max input level).
One thing i really like about your videos is your explanation in detail and one more thing is that small Dog statue ...probably resemble to HMV ...logo (His Master's Voice)...
I got other questions relate to this. For instance, I use my computer to feed my DAC which has optional pre-amp. Should I active/de-active when I use the xlr cables to feed my Dynaudio active speaker? If I don't use the pre-amp, I have to control the volume in my computer through software. Which way is better? Or in general, I am quite confuse about the software volume control.
Paul now you have carte blanche, does the PCA-2 pre amp (w/out external power supply) sound as good or better than a Bryston BP-25 or Benchmark DAC1 driving an amp directly? Asking for a friend who doesn't want to make a lateral move on this.
The answer is definitely yes!
Today ,we back to the vinyle support and most audiophile have not any experience we gain during the golden age from the seventies to the eighties...it was the period of the analogue audio...
At the first stage, the stereo monitoring of the recording involving the respect of the phasing in acoustic was allowing to highlight the sensivity of and treatment of the analogic source without any strong signal compression as we do today!
We lost both culture and know how as well!
The preamp according to Lew Johnson (CJ) is the most difficult element to achieve audio electronic componant...
As a result a good preamp unit is bringing music space, soundstage, respect of the dynamic and the rythm to be as well as matters..
As measure we developp numeric technology only fews companies have been involved by the preamp unit interest....
So the listening session in the seventies and heighties of the preamp competition between audio research,Conrad johnson, Mark Levinson have shown the sound difference between these units...
The situation was similar for the turntable!
The feed back experience is poor today,Thank you Paul to remind us the reality...
Raymond (from from Blois France)
Hi , even if I have a integrated tube amp do you think a tube pre will make a difference? Thanks
Paul in your discussion today you said ok to using the preamp where (inputs) would i place your dac? thank you dave Gongwer Duluth,Minn.
Great video
My warm audio API clones sure as hell do! They are amazing
Yes a good preamp just sounds more real and yes a tube preamp is much more likely to give you that big open soundstage and more holographic /room filling sound.I have heard that time and again with Supratek preamps for example.I remember hearing one of them inserted into a very good system using Magico speakers and Audio Flight Strumento pre and power amps and the difference it made was huge-from sounding good to sounding wonderful.And the Supratek was about a third the price of the Audio Flight SS preamp.
The AT LP60X has a built in preamp. Can you preamp the preamp? Meaning using the phono inputs?
I've found that a premium preamp can transform a lower quality amp into something more wonderful than a premium amp alone. The same preamp with a quality amp makes a marginal difference that starts to minimize the cost/ reward investment... at least with the equipment I've gotten my hands on.
I bought a used Adcom preamplifier tuner for about 250.00 and this thing is a Trainwreck. Channels going out and not working. Suddenly it will work for awhile and go out again. The technician said that there's a intermittent problem with old Adcom stuff and there's nothing more he can do to fix it. But the Adcom power amplifier I bought with it works like a charm.
I remain a big fan of the PS Audio 5.5 in totally passive mode. Thanks Paul!
I have watched several of your posts regarding audio, and you are obviously very knowledgeable. I have a Marantz 2230 I was using as a pre-amp to my NAD power amp, a CD player, and KEF speakers. This system sounded good, but after awhile decided to purchase a Pro-Ject turntable which requires a phono pre-amp, a Sonos Port for streaming, and still using the NAD C268 power amp. As a somewhat new convert to using separates (vs. the integrated, turntable, CD set-up I had prior) I am finding that understanding and learning how to connect each component can be confusing. Are there videos you (or others) do that show visually how (and why) connections between components look?
Is it possible that the system sounded better with the preamp because the DAC to amp directly had some impedance issues and slipping the preamp in essentially corrected this?
That's likely.
A very convenient feature of the Aesthetix Calypso is the existence of a remote controlled "Phase" switch. Some audiophiles state that they are unable to distinguish when a recording is being played back in proper phase, but for those that are sensitive to it, the Calypso provides a valuable control which is not a feature of all that many pre-amps and certainly not many DAC's.
i would love to have a job like that. seems really intersting
You should probably distinguish between the pre-amplification necessary for bringing up the signal level of a phono cartridge from a piece of a volt to signal level equivalent to the output of a CD player or other device, and on the other hand, simple attenuation/adjustment of the signal level of a CD player. The phono input is subjected to whatever the quality of that pre-amplification circuit, whereas the CD input is not. Having said that, the preamp, or what I like to call the control device, may or may not have an audible effect on sound quality for those devices whose input is already at signal level and is simple selected for and sent on to the amplifier. I would love to hear your comments on this.
Speaker Builder i have a very cheap preamp and a 30 k amp it sounds so good
Speaker Builder I
I agree, and microphone preamp. In many scenarios the preamp is what defines the sound not the amplifier.
I was using an integrated amp as a pre for years. It worked on standby, so I don't think it was doing anything other than connecting two signals through a volume control. Didn't detect a difference pre-less. Recently replace that with a dedicated pre and wow. Tighter and better controlled bass, more detail and dynamics and the instruments have more attack. Some signal gain too it seems.
NOW you are on the RIGHT track!
hello, what rosewood speakers are those behind you?
So, what you're saying is that a preamplifier that perhaps slightly colours the sound might improve the way a system sounds.
I must say that I agree.
Graphic equalisers are an excellent example of that, but only if correctly implemented.
I like NAD preamps. I'd have one except that I live in an apartment and all the stereo I need is powered by a TubeCube 7, through a pair of Infinity 5 1/4" Kappa coaxials that I mounted in a custom made ported enclosure.
Another fun and informative vid. Thanks Paul.
...A bit of a ridiculous title for this video. ..
Of course my preamp matters to the over overall sound of my audio system.
Very very valuable advice. Thanks for this very precious video. I would like to add that digital sources exacerbate the issue of preamps and tubes in particular. LPs can sound quite good also with a complete solid state system. Instead with digital sources tubes provide that sense of space that fully solid state rigs have difficulties in providing. I have a feeling. It depends on how the solid state units are designed. But i am not an expert at all. Thanks again and best regards, gino
Could a Schiit Magni 3 Heresy be a good pre amp?
I am setting up a monoblock Red Dragon Amp to my AVR-2808CI. Never done this before, any advice wold be appreciated.
Hi may I suggest the separate mono amps are put at the speaker and use longer coax leads from pre amp. Long speaker cable into low impedance speaker will / can result in voltage drop / power loss. The long leads from the pre amp may have a couple of ohms but are feeding a higher impedance. If you do the math you will find voltage distribution between cable and load ( amps input) is far better and nowhere near the problem of speaker cables. Capacitance is an issue yes and can reduce high frequency but at audio I don't think you could tell at RF can be obvious . Enjoy the music.
I've done the audiophile-unthinkable... and it sounds better. 🙂
I have electrostatic hybrids and an integrated amplifier. I was very happy with the sound but the amp has very "soft" tone controls, and where I listen at modest levels it needed a fair boost in the low end and more "air" in the high end. The other issue was, despite glorious detail, there was next to no front to back imaging.
In my studio I had a small mixer - the type a band might use. It has nice preamps built in and EQ knobs at 100hz, 2500, and 10,000. Very clean... very musical.
I ran my CD player into the mixer then into the amp. I've added 3 db bass and treble and 1.5 at 2500. The impact in sound quality is amazing, especially when listening at 75-85db levels. Bigger, warmer low end, nice air and high end detail and improved clarity in the vocal range. ( I set the amp to bypass it's own tone controls) And I'd swear the front to back imaging has improved.
I've always subscribed to the straight path concept but I'm thinking that "clean" isn't the end all / be all. When you think about it, a mastered song is a finished song with more tone and compression effects put in between the band and the listener. Technically there's a contamination of purity but that doesn't change the fact that a mastered track is much more pleasing to the ear.
That's how I'm thinking of my setup. The system is being mastered AKA tailored to my room and listening levels. It is clearly a more enjoyable listening experience. I'd suggest others try this in the same situation. Very good, small mixers can be purchased for under $200. Just make sure it's an UNpowered mixer and you use the volume output responsibly.
Thanks
Before even watching the video, YES.
I just ran 2A3 mono blocks with their own volume knobs.
Very short signal path.
I then tried them with a Sonic Frontiers SPL-2 as good a preamp as has ever been made.
The dynamics were better, and the sound stage was bigger.
Trust your ears , sometimes the short path logic is proven wrong.
Saturation and harmonics are what my ears love. For that reason I will choose preamps and processors that create that effect. Of course sometimes you want cleaner pres but even then a little electric juice always makes the signal sound nicer.
Paul. Thank you for the info. I am starting my journey into the stereo and theater sound world. At this time most money is going elsewhere, like education and collecting guitars, so I find myself starting modestly with perhaps "non" audiophile products. For example, I am considering investing in an Emotiva Amp, preamp, DAC system. Curious how you (or anyone reading) would regard this company. My long term goal is to invest cash in McIntosh Audio Systems, they are really big around where I live. I don't have many places to choose from, and the ones that are around here stock themselves with McIntosh, NAD, Anthem and Parasound. Peace.
Cheers Paul. I'm a pure digital user now and feed my Auralic G1 directly into a Naim 250DR power amp, but I'm tempted to try some Pre amps. You've just answered my question - I need to try it, but I'm not taken with Tubes, mainly due to how quickly they degrade. I'm not a rich man and cannot buy something that will need lots more attention throughout its life which is what tubes do..... 10000 hours maybe in a pre amp, but in my house that means changing them every 4 or so years and that's an absolute no go. It will limit the sales of your preamp too....
my preamps down at present and im now listening to the dac only. it appears that the dac makes for a better image and throws the sound around better.the bhk pre sounds better than the bhk dac but it sounds like its taking something away from the dac's image / sound when its inline. anyone else come across this?
Without getting technical about it, a preamp is the 2nd most important component in a system after speakers. Spend heavily, you won’t regret it.
Sorry but no.. the AMP is more important than the preamp.. and spending heavily i'snt always necessary or even wise (see my post above where I go into detail about that very topic)
if any single component deserves more $ per se hands down it is the actual speakers.
I bought your dsd was using it no pre .. now using good pre sounds smoother imaging better no glare . Sounds sexier lol
Actually, they do. They give the sound body. The reason is the balance between voltage and current. They depend on each other. Voltage is the signal. Current provided by a preamp stops the voltage varying, especially if you were using a resistive ladder network.
Sylvester, You are missing the fact that, if you´re not using a preamp you are most probably using a DAC attenuating the signal. DACs do a lot of math while doing this, and no matter how good the DAC is, doing this kind of math will alter the signal as well. I have a DCS Scarlatti and a Griphon Pandora Preamp, I've played with this stuff and I must say; I preferred the sound of the system better with the Preamp hands down !
@@crventura The Griphon Pandora Preamp is $46,000! and I bet at that price range you've been ripped off completely in audible blind tests that you refused to endure for less pricey preamps you could have purcahsed.
Hi Razer, that is definitely a no problem I have plenty to spare. I buy my audio gear under a cost no object principle. So, don’t feel sorry for me, there’s no need.
Cheers from Portugal
I've got a PS Audio 6.1 preamplifier. The active stage seems to have blown out, and it gives a nasty sustained shock when touching the chassis, even when in passive mode ("straightwire" or "bypass").
Advice? AC voltage measures 0.1v between the ground of the power connector, and my outlet's ground, the 6.1 being plugged in and on. Yikes! Resistance measures about 0.8 ohms, when I contact one multimeter prong to the 6.1's power-in ground, and the other prong to chassis ground.
Transformer? Capacitor? HELP!
Paul, how safe is it to run the fixed output side of a CD player directly to a power amp. I have always wanted to try it but don't want to damage my Magnepan MG12s.
What are you talking about? 2 volt is +4dBu (balanced output). .775v RMS is consumer -10dBu. If the CD player has the option for fixed output vs variable gain then no problems.
Get an amp that has gain adjustment if it's an issue. That way you can adjust the input sensitivity.
It could be fun to see if some deliberate "destructive" DSP in a completely digital chain would give similar results if it was done to closely emulate the shortcomings of tubes.
Of course you could emulate the colorisation generated by a preamp with a DSP. You just measure the distortion a reproduce it with the DSP.
my pure tube McIntosh C1100 has turned my already amazing system into a most amazing system! I can't see listening without it,.
video I made of the pre-amp in action: ua-cam.com/video/MH5YAbCfDJ8/v-deo.html
I have ART MPA gold for pre .... which tube you recommended for change to record instruments?? It use 12ax7/ECC83 ✌✌✌ thxxx cheers ✌
If your preamp is one brand and power amp is another, what sound is coming out, pre or power?
That is why i got myself a Parasound PLD 2000☺️
In my humble opinion that answer is on the money. What Paul did not explain is why that is so. I certainly don't know why. What I do know is that without a decent preamp there is kind of sterility in the sound. Could it be that the amplification has to be done in stages? Imagine being given a postage stamp and being asked to paint that as a fresco on the side of a building. Surely you would make an intermediate stage - say an A4 or A3 size sketch / painting / photo first and then work from that? (The ramblings of a property lawyer).
You might like the added bloom a tube pre-amplifier adds and if so go for it, but it's really a nice form of distortion and that's the answer you were looking for. Is it accurate? Can you call it hi-fi? Hell no. But why complain if it sounds nice to you?
Can I connect Edifier R1280T to my Yamaha A/V receiver?