Let's Talk About Pre amps

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by vintage_tube

I deleted everything David wrote except for the 1st and last word & put those two as a quote, so to speak.

Is that allowed?

[Masterlu]

Personally, I would never do without a pre-amp.

[1KW]

Originally Posted by PHC1

David, if you enjoy a flat, 2 dimensional, cardboard like presentation in front of you, you will be happy without a preamp or MEN220 between your MCD500 and 501s. Me? I like a voluminous, billowing soundstage that allows me to peak around the instruments and into every corner of the acoustic space where the recording took place. While I love the Ayre KX-R for 99% of what it does, there is one thing the all tubed including power supply Lamm LL2D does a little better, it's recreating a 3 dimensional soundstage in front of me with very real and palpable images of instruments and vocalists. It's what the Wilson speakers love to do but need a good tube preamp in the system to do it. The SF speakers are capable of doing much of the same.

Serge your MDA direct to the 501's gave a very nice 3 d sound stage so I am not sure why you feel that going without a pre amp is a "cardboard like" presentation. I am not saying using a pre amp is a bad thing, I have one. I guess my question could be answered if I could to a home demo of the C500 .

[1KW]

Originally Posted by vintage_tube

I ......hard.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by 1KW

I guess my question could be answered if I could do a home demo of the C500 .

David.......That's what I'm talking about.

[jdandy]

David.......
Bob.......

Recess should be over in just a minute.

[Still-One]

As Dan noted we have covered this before but I will re-state my position because that is what we like to do here. We are all looking for something a bit different from our systems. Contrary the opinion of others here if you are looking for a change that will jump out and grab you, the pre amp is the last place I would look. Spend that money on speakers.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by 1KW

Serge your MDA direct to the 501's gave a very nice 3 d sound stage so I am not sure why you feel that going without a pre amp is a "cardboard like" presentation. I am not saying using a pre amp is a bad thing, I have one. I guess my question could be answered if I could to a home demo of the C500 .

Trust the advice of others here. You need a preamp in your system.

Remember that a preamp actually attenuates the signal down not amplifies it up. The quality of the volume control and associated circuits is crucial. A high quality preamp will make the soundstage bloom and flesh out the instruments much better than a lower quality built in pre. The tubed preamps are even better at this but often lack other qualities of a high end solid state preamp. My Lamm LL2D allows me to "enter" the acoustic space and "walk around" the instruments that are fleshed out and 3 dimensional. But it lacks the transparency, resolution and frequency extension on both ends of the Ayre KX-R.

I'd keep the C220 in your system a while longer and instead spend the money on some CDs and LPs. Your obsession with lower resolution recordings are counter productive. It's like spending money on a Porsche and using low octane gas in it all the time.

[jdandy]

David.......Well, we talked preamps, but you didn't have much to say. What are you thinking about doing? C500? C1000?

[1KW]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Trust the advice of others here. You need a preamp in your system.

Your obsession with lower resolution recordings are counter productive. It's like spending money on a Porsche and using low octane gas in it all the time.

Serge,

I am not sure I can hear any difference between lossless recorded music playing off my computer's hard drive via wifi to my sonos to the MCD500 DAC input vs the original cd. The lower resolution you talk about of Rhapsody and Pandora while not perfect, sound quite acceptible for finding new music, previewing cd's/Lp's before you buy them. It is also great for background music. Dan used to have the same attitude you have before he added a sonos to his system. You are a smart guy, why not give the sonos a try in your own system; you might be pleasantly surprised.