why do people discuss "preamp sound"?

[kappa546]

i may be having a brain fart but, why do people discuss the preamps sonic signature so much in an analog system rather than the transports signature? it just makes sense to me that wherever the first D/A conversion is made is where we should look.

on a side note, would modern devices like a panasonic XR55 (used as preamp and volume control only) perform as good or comparably as proven preamps like an Acurus RL11?

[Briz vegas]

Gees, I don't know. I don't really have a preamp - just a volume control hitched onto a power amp (K.I.S.S). Some call this a passive preamp, which I suppose it is as it does not add any gain to the signal.

I did have a pre-amp until recently. People talk about them because a not so good one will be a big weak link in the system. Use a bunch of inexpensive components with an average design and you strangle the source so much that they all sound kinda the same. Get a nice transparent one (read about the Conrad Johnson Act2 series 2 in the latest Stereophile) and it lets through all the sonic goodies.

Yes your source is important, although in these days of digital the gap between top and bottom of the bunch is not as big. Its still very important if you are a fussy audiophile like most folks here.

PS- There is only one D/A conversion in the signal path.

[littlesaint]

PS- There is only one D/A conversion in the signal path.

Hopefully :B

[george_k]

Just thought I'd chime in as you make a valid point.

I guess budget is an important factor. For me, it would be far more expensive to upgrade my sources (satellite receiver, squeezebox, cd player) than to upgrade my preamp (nad ht-receiver, sounds good but has it's limits)

So from a "do the most good on a fixed budget" perspective I'd be better off upgrading my preamp.

Also, changing the preamp is a nice way to add some color to your system which is why some people add a tube preamp to an otherwise transparent setup.

[kappa546]

Gees, I don't know. I don't really have a preamp - just a volume control hitched onto a power amp (K.I.S.S). Some call this a passive preamp, which I suppose it is as it does not add any gain to the signal.

I did have a pre-amp until recently. People talk about them because a not so good one will be a big weak link in the system. Use a bunch of inexpensive components with an average design and you strangle the source so much that they all sound kinda the same. Get a nice transparent one (read about the Conrad Johnson Act2 series 2 in the latest Stereophile) and it lets through all the sonic goodies.

Yes your source is important, although in these days of digital the gap between top and bottom of the bunch is not as big. Its still very important if you are a fussy audiophile like most folks here.

PS- There is only one D/A conversion in the signal path.

that's kind of what i've gathered. i'm trying to decide whether to have my audio signal run analog from the DVD player (i plan on getting an oppo 981) to a preamp, to a dcx2496 to amps or digital from the player into my panny xr55 receiver (for first D/A conversion and volume control) then to the dcx etc. Ideally i'd like to go digital straight into the behringer but it doesnt have optical inputs and i'd lack a volume control.

basically i'm not interested in adding any additional artifacts to the sound.

[Karma]

HI kappa,
The sonic performance of a preamp is just as important as any other component in the audio path.

Since you claim to be beginner in the world of hi fi, you don't have an historical perspective. For the vast majority of the existance of hi fi, the preamp provided the basic amplification and signal conditioning for the cartridge on a record player; a very important function since the record player was the primary source for most people. It also providied signal switching, balance, volume, tone controls and other basic control functions necessary to a hi fi system. Thus, it was a very important link in the signal chain.

In todays digital world most of the control functions have been eliminated from the preamp and playing records are left to Luddites like myself. Now, the preamp may have a DAC but most of the traditional control functions have been eliminated; a great loss in my opinion. However, it is still in the signal path and, thus, contributes to the overall sound quality. Even those folks who have passive preamps will debate the merits of different brands and design techniques. That's why folks still discuss the preamp. It is still important.

So the preamp is not dead and you should not ignore it.

Sparky