RMutt
Rank: Soloist
Posts: 13 
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Post by RMutt on Sept 27, 2014 7:49:21 GMT
I have a few questions I would appreciate help with please. At the moment I am using the pre amp section of my Rega Mira as a pre amplifier into Chord SPA monobloc pwer amplifiers. The power amp section of the Mira is switched off. This is a stop gap arrangement until I get a dedicated pre. To be honest it sounds pretty good but I am sure could be improved with a purpose made pre. But what type of pre? As MartinT and mikemusic both use Chord I would be interested to hear their views, as the character of my amps must be similar to theirs, but also the views of other contributors. I have ruled out valve pre's as a bit to much fuss and I suspect the output from my Rega DAC is warm enough. I like the idea of the passives minimalist approach, but would they even work with my Chords? Is the input sensitive enough to work ? Have you tried passives MartinT or mikemusic? Do normal pre amps work better? I am interested in others experience of different types of passives as well as normal pre's. Ultimately I am looking for maximum transparency. Thanks.
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Post by John on Sept 27, 2014 8:03:50 GMT
Passive can be great in the right system I use passive and works well in my system
But I suspect you be better of with the extra gain of normal pre
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RMutt
Rank: Soloist
Posts: 13
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Post by RMutt on Sept 27, 2014 8:12:47 GMT
Thanks John. Yes, you may be right. Chord themselves use ordinary pre's. I know some power amplifiers are designed specifically to work with passives, and mine is not one of them, but would be interested to know if it is at least possible. I cannot tell from the spec. sheet whether it is a possibility.
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Post by Stratmangler on Sept 27, 2014 8:20:33 GMT
The issue with passives as I hear them is that they're a nice idea in theory, but not so good in practice.
They can lack drive and grip, due to the weird load impedance they present between source and poweramp.
It's not an ideal load for either the source or the poweramp, and it often leads to the life being sucked out of the music.
A unity gain buffer would provide better impedance matching, and a preamp with gain should also provide better impedance matching.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2014 8:41:29 GMT
I suspect the only way to find out is to try one.
A passive will 'work' with any amp I would have thought. How it sounds is a different matter. I use a Creek passive with a Leak Stereo 20 and have always preferred it to the active pre-amps I've tried. I used to prefer the passive with Quad amps too (405, 306 and 50Ds) I have never experienced a lack of drive, just a natural balance.
I strongly suspect that one man's drive is another man's overdrive.
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RMutt
Rank: Soloist
Posts: 13
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Post by RMutt on Sept 27, 2014 8:44:32 GMT
This device seems to address the problems you are describing stratmangler. Is this a normal pre amp in reality or something between the two? spl.info/index.php?id=184&L=1 As anyone used one? |
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RMutt
Rank: Soloist
Posts: 13
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Post by RMutt on Sept 27, 2014 8:48:25 GMT
Yes, I may try one of the offers where you can return them nodrog.
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Post by zippy on Sept 27, 2014 10:29:22 GMT
It's probably a very personal thing, but I've tried various combinations of active and passive preamplification and I've always found the passive sound to be inferior, usually lacking in 'oomph'.
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Post by yomanze on Sept 27, 2014 11:17:24 GMT
All things being equal, active preamps are generally more dynamic and passives are generally more transparent. You also need a source that is happy driving a passive, and the right input impedance and input sensitivity, more of a matching game with passives compared to actives - all generally speaking of course!
I have had some world class passives in my system with amps designed with them in mind, but I also prefer the "oomph" and dynamics of an active.
I also do a lot of low volume listening at night and the actives are more alive at lower volumes, passives sounding weedier and thinner in comparison.
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Post by Stratmangler on Sept 27, 2014 11:48:41 GMT
This device seems to address the problems you are describing stratmangler. Is this a normal pre amp in reality or something between the two? spl.info/index.php?id=184&L=1 As anyone used one? That looks to be a good example of what I was describing. Reading through the review it controls the volume and neither adds or subtracts anything to/from the signal. |
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Post by yomanze on Sept 27, 2014 12:10:24 GMT
Every component that important will add or subtract something due to pot, selector switches, the circuit and parts used - there is no wire with gain or indeed if a wire is there without gain it's governed by the stuff going on around it.
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Post by MartinT on Sept 27, 2014 12:39:19 GMT
The Chord power amps definitely love an active preamp driving and controlling them, even more so a fully balanced preamp driving the XLR connectors. You will hear power, control and dynamics that you will otherwise miss. I used to use a passive pre and was never very happy with the lack of grunt and punchiness. My preference would be for a Pass but really any good balanced pre would work well and I've heard Krell and BAT to good effect in my system.
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Post by jnk on Sept 28, 2014 12:20:38 GMT
Had a recent listen to some Chord power amps as they are now (finally) distributed in this part of the world; must say that the combo that most impressed me (all of them were quite impressive - just saying) was a pair of SPM 6000 monos and an SPM 1050 power amp driven through an Ayon valve pre; equally impressed by their "entry-level" matching pre, the CPA 2500, which I thought represented excellent vfm (all things considered). Had no problem driving the 6000's - in fact they did an admirable job considering their price difference.
Hope this helps
Cheers
-j.
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RMutt
Rank: Soloist
Posts: 13
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Post by RMutt on Oct 4, 2014 17:31:16 GMT
I bought an SPL Volume 2 for £110. I thought at the price I would give it a go. It has balanced XLR's as you can see from this link. www.6moons.com/audioreviews/spl/volume2.html, a good fit for my amps. Its not passive but appears more minimal than an active. I have to say so far I am very impressed. More clarity than from my Rega and a greater sense of the positioning of instuments and voices. At the price an amazing improvement. |
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Post by John on Oct 4, 2014 17:37:09 GMT
Yes the amp has some good reviews and imagine will work well
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Post by MartinT on Oct 4, 2014 18:00:36 GMT
The SPL looks rather nice and is a very focussed component. Can it be ordered with, say, two inputs?
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Post by Sovereign on Oct 4, 2014 18:05:55 GMT
I have used a passive for a couple of years with NVA amps.
I recently bought a Colin Wonfor SECA class A Tellurium Q amp, the passive also worked brilliantly with this amp as well. Plenty of drive, grip and scale.
I contacted Colin Wonfor, he recommended a Croft Active pre amp, a can't remember which one I bought but it was about £600 second hand. I replaced the passive with the Croft active and I instantly understood why Colin suggested it. More flesh on the bones, more 3d image etc.
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Post by John on Oct 4, 2014 18:08:36 GMT
Yes heard a croft pre against my old music first the Croft pre was better
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RMutt
Rank: Soloist
Posts: 13
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Post by RMutt on Oct 5, 2014 18:37:25 GMT
The SPL looks rather nice and is a very focussed component. Can it be ordered with, say, two inputs? It appears to only be available with single inputs, but there is a Volume 8 with different inputs, not XLR and a 2 Control which has two XLR inputs but also a headphone amp and other bits and pieces and costs more. I am very impressed with the Volume 2, definitely a step up from my Rega. I do seem to be inadvertently turning my system into a pro audio type set up rather than standard hi-fi, but what the heck it sounds better to these ears. Only down side is my Volume 2 is silver and does not match the rest of my black stuff, but it does seem to be the only one that has come up on the auction site for quite a while. |
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Post by Sovereign on Oct 9, 2014 19:04:46 GMT
My SECA CLASS A amp is a big silver box, everything else is black, silver looks a bit 70's to me a bit like champaign coloured kit.
I've been thinking of spraying my TQ amp black, really don't want to bugger it up, any ideas?
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