[trponhunter]

First of all, I am not trying to knock the Schiit product - I have not heard it, but am making general assumptions (which can always be dangerous!). It certainly seems to be a good looking, well built product for very little money.

For those interested in doing so, a preamplifier happens to be the easiest component in the chain to evaluate in terms of transparency. You can perform a proper bypass test to see it's influences when inserted into the signal path. The best component to use to do this would be an analog reel to reel, which many have variable analog outputs. You can run the analog outputs directly to the power amplifier and use the analog volume control in the recorder, and then using identical cables, add the preamp in between the recorder and amplifier– Make sure the volume level is matched identical to what it was when the recorder was going directly to the amplifier. At this point you can hear how much the preamplifier affects the sound. Any change in sound is bad–as the addition of more cables, connecters and analog circuitry effectively cannot make things better (unless the reel to reel was un capable of driving the amplifier directly - which is rare), but can only decrease resolution. A Preamplifier that changes the sound the least is the best in this test. Even if you feel the sound of the addition of the pre amp is sweeter, more euphonic, etc - it is a change from the original and as such is an added artifact - this is not the job of truly transparent audio product. In the above mentioned criteria, even very expensive preamplifiers will alter the sound - again, the best pre amp in such a test would be the one that changes the sound the least. In such a comparison, it is amazing how much better the direct connection from the tape machine to the amplifier usually is.

Of course there is a different school of thought as well - those that want their pre amp to have a certain "sound" - in this case, it is entirely your judgement. Even if you happen to love the sound of a certain pre amp if it does poorly in the bypass test, it is not true transparent, but rather just posses certain colorations that you may enjoy - and ultimately, if that's what you want, that's ok too. Enjoying the system and believing it is truly neutral and transparent sometimes are two different things.

Their is different kind of bypass test you can perform with a digital signal as well, and analog pre amps in general don't fair very well in that comparison either - in my opinion.