The goal of this video isn't to make you more neurotic about MORE things. It actually excludes a lot more variables about how preamps behave at different volumes, frequencies, per channels, and input voltage 🤠. Most equipment will work together just fine, but when people are asking me the question about preamps, it's likely because they are already neurotic and/or aren't happy with whatever option they use now...so I wanted to concentrate on the most common scenarios applicable... And ones I've encountered with the examples given. In short if you're going to get neurotic about fuses,capacitors, etc... there's much higher priorities in the preamp realm... Plus much more advanced preamp features than we've been used to in the past.
@heinzr9734
20 күн бұрын
I'm glad you're specifically addressing the topic of preamps. My two cents on the subject (I'll try to be brief, but there are a few aspects...) Historically, it was easier for consumers in the past. Sources such as tape, tuner, phono, etc. had to be preamplified. For example, from 150mV to 1.5V, because a power amp in the 1960s could not be operated otherwise. That made sense to everyone. I'm not even going to mention the capabilities of sound control and input switching. Then CD players with much higher outputs came along. This led quite a few audiophiles to connect their CD players directly to the power amp. After all, the output voltage was sufficient in terms of the numbers. In addition, if a power amp had a volume control, many people thought they no longer needed a pre amp. Unfortunately, this is still the case today. Even if it's not the power amp that has a volume knob, but a streamer, for example, it can offer a variable and adjustable voltage from its line out. In addition, there is a common misconception about purity... many people think that a pre amp puts dirt into the chain. That's why it's very good that you addressed the topic of impedance. Impedance is the aspect of a preamp that is least understood by audiophile enthusiasts who are technical laymen. It has absolutely nothing to do with the possibly sufficient output voltage of a source, whether it's a streamer or a CD player, etc. You explain it in connection with long cables and high capacitance. I agree. But impedance is also an issue with short cables and power amps with a high input impedance. My Mcintosh MC275 has 100K input impedance. That's why I could connect my bluesound node directly. But the sound is without flesh, bloodless and without groove and rhythmic timing. The highs sound very transparent, which can deceive some people, and the bass is cloudy and even sometimes droning. I suspect that there is a second component to impedance that is important (at least subjectively, in my opinion). Because...even a passive preamp that works with transformer taps has this bloodless sound, even though it can adjust the impedance. I don't know what it technically takes to get a good sound, whether it's the buffer stage or an active circuit. In a nutshell, a good pre-amp must be able to “drive” a power amp. That's why I often tell my friends that if they don't know much about it, they should buy a very nice, high-quality integrated amplifier. Then they won't go wrong, because the pre-amp function is included and perfectly matched to the power amp.
@kirmussaudio7578
Ай бұрын
The past 2 days in Houston allowed me to investigate much of what Jason is illustrating.
@brikaf6001
Ай бұрын
thank you for filling in the blanks, excellent vid!
@danieljones8587
Ай бұрын
Great video, great minds think alike 😉 I have a CJ LS17 that was in my system since 2006 and sounded beautiful connected to two Mac 501s. Last year I purchased a Golden Atlantic Lampizator DAC with volume control and it changed my world. Of course the Lampizator cost me four times as much but to me was worth it. If anyone is interested in the CJ it's available. It's just sitting in a cabinet in like new condition as well as the remote control too.
@BillyJohnson-dl9ys
2 ай бұрын
I like the way how you explain the digital preamp's impact on a system, especially controlling bass and active cross over functionality. Great Job!
@andreas7278
Ай бұрын
Very good points brought up. I have also noted a shift happening with what preamps are meant to do and take care of (i.e way more than what they used to be good for since some manufacturers do it nicely in one box now as stated by you, Lampizator Horizon, MSB Select DAC, etc). One very interesting example is also the C-880 from Aavik which includes full analog active crossover with 4 different outputs (2 normal line outputs for power amps, 1 with included analog low pass filter and one with high pass filter). Each one with the low and high pass filter have their separate analog gain as well, so you have 3 in total (you can adjust regular gain for line outputs as the baseline and when needed additionally attenuate low and high outputs. This ensures that you can easily splits jobs for more complex systems, e.g. integration of a subwoofer since you can just use a passive sub and hook it up out of the low pass filter out to an adequate power amp or send this signal straight to an active sub in which you can bypass the typically found digital DSP section which typically creates annoying time delay and phase shifts. The C-880 is not even called preamp but "controller amp". It's meant to be used instead of a classical preamp sitting in between the DAC and the power amp but there is a reason they never mention the word "preamp" in their marketing descriptions. They clearly talk about all the features it contains (which include the classical functions one might expect from a preamp) which shows that it's their vision of the future, a new type of device (or we may call it "the new generation of preamps in hifi") which take on new roles. Basically, I believe the main role of what a modern highend preamp is supposed to do is changing. For many systems a classical design (so maybe active preamp with adequate gain, some super low output impedance, a nice analog volume attenuation and input selection) which are only meant to ever drive one power amp and mate only with a single one on the output is still going to work fine but there are certainly a lot of ways to design a preamp which truly allows to push your system to the next level under the right circumstances.
@AudiophileJunkie
Ай бұрын
Some have been on the forefront of the changing role of the preamp as you noted. Others are slowly adapting, but it will be fun to revisit this 5 to 10 years from now.
@matytinman
Ай бұрын
We are in 2024 Digital attenuation does NOT affect sound quality (the ear is unable to detect it) if the soft player works with 64 bits. Yes with only 32 bits. In the chips, it will depend on the one used (I have not investigated it). FPGA 64-bit is the way.
@Exgol2005
Ай бұрын
Preamp showed me how inputs/source can change overall sonics of a system
@pearlyplatinum33
Ай бұрын
What were the digital equalizers that you recommend?
@AmazonasBiotop
Ай бұрын
Thanks! Yeah, I learned that I am ahead of the curve and have better stuff than cost no object std preamps!🤔 DSP for life!😂 Doing all tricks already that the DSP provide plus some mind blowing stuff.😅 Never thought about it that way that my DSP is acting as a preamplifier as it of course does. 🎉 When it does so much more sound quality improvements that is so important that the duty that is do as preamplifier is the least "mind blowing" of them all.😂😂😂 And Bach is the next step that do all the same things plus some more and important stuff. Than can take it to the next level.❤ So the conclusion is if you don't manage the sound with DSP and use cost no object traditional preamplifier then you are 100% missing out!😢 And leave performance on the table and it doesn't matter if it is custom built or not.. In short you only throw money away when you chasing the diminishing return of what a traditional preamplifier CAN give you.. That last 1%.. But replace that cost no object customized preamplifier with a DSP (+you need to known what you are doing to some extent) then there will be much more to gain in sound quality that just that last percentage!❤❤❤
@hiresaudiocosta873
2 ай бұрын
I think you totally oversimplify the job of a preamp. It’s not just an input selector and volume control. It creates the main signal that the amplifiers themselves boost. It’s the most important signal to get perfect because the best amplifiers in the world can only amplify the signal going to it. Having the best quality parts and design in the preamp circuits matters immensely. An all in one DAC / Preamp is built to a price point. Some money goes towards the DAC while some of the cost go towards the preamp section. If one spends extra money on just a preamplifier in a separate box, most of the time there’s better quality parts and 100 percent of the money spend in building it, will be going towards quality parts and circuits and not split up into two distinct purposes. Thats why I spent $6000 on my preamplifier which increased the fidelity of my system dramatically. 😊
@AudiophileJunkie
2 ай бұрын
It doesn't "create" any signal and many nowadays don't need the gain. I have preamps in my room at around $1500, $5000 and $50,000. There is no guarantee of better parts in a separate box. In fact, it's the total opposite because the biggest part cost every mfg will tell you is the chassis by far. Thus, your total investment includes two chassis instead of one. In one chassis, a designer of equality quality can put better parts for the same retail price/margin.
@donnywidodo8874
Ай бұрын
what's the different between grand bach-sp and bach-sp adio besides AES aes/ebu I/o , toslink input and optional softwares?
@AudiophileJunkie
Ай бұрын
Point to point wiring and different chassis. It's more designed for people using the Bacch for recording purposes too like say a David Chesky, but some like the chassis and added I/O.
@alexandervaneijken7741
Ай бұрын
Well I,ve got a cd player, a poweramp a turntable Speakers(of course) so I DO need a preamplifier , (perhaps a integrated amplifier might do)
@AudiophileJunkie
Ай бұрын
An integrated amp will give you different inputs and take care of the synergy issues I mentioned. There are many high quality ones nowadays. Check out my video on the Musical Fidelity A-1
@amb3cog
Ай бұрын
What MiniDSP product are you referring to? You always mention “my MiniDSP”, but I don’t remember ever hearing you say the model. Thank you. ✌️
@AudiophileJunkie
Ай бұрын
Sorry.. It's miniDSP SHD. I have videos on it in my archive and it's in my channel trailer with gear walk-through. Sometimes I assume people have watched all my videos 🤠
@amb3cog
Ай бұрын
@@AudiophileJunkie Thanks for the reply. Are you using the built in DACs at all? I have the SHD Studio. I was considering the SHD, but I wanted to be able to pick my own DAC to use. They definitely make a nice product IMHO. And you have way too many vids for anyone like myself to go back and watch them all, although I wish I could. I only found your channel fairly recently. And I can’t even keep up with your current stuff unfortunately. Only so many hours in the day, and all. ✌️
@AudiophileJunkie
Ай бұрын
Yes I use the built in DAC
@amb3cog
Ай бұрын
@@AudiophileJunkie Wow! No fancy DAC in your high end system huh? Or do you use it in a different system?
@AudiophileJunkie
Ай бұрын
I have the Bacch Grand which is a $50k piece I'll eventually use as my DAC, preamp and EQ...but I've owned many mega dollar dacs in the past. The minidsp SHD is plenty good enough and actually BETTER when you factor in all the other things it does that other DACs can't do.
@pedrocols
Ай бұрын
Well if a person spends thousands and thousands for coloration more power to them. I in the camp of less is better and I switched to passive attenuation after comparing one very expensive preamp with a passive one. I have been using a passive budget friendly preamp for the past 8 years.
@AudiophileJunkie
Ай бұрын
That's why I mentioned the Placette passive first. For many, that will be the optimal solution.
@ferchizzle
Ай бұрын
Hearing you extol the virtues of DSP systems like BAACH begs the question - are they going to partner with a speaker manufacturer to design a speaker made just to use w the BAACH platform?
@AudiophileJunkie
Ай бұрын
Stay tuned, but they already license the technology with Dutch and Dutch speakers. Edgar works closely with Janzen active speakers and there's lots of things behind the scenes going on now that the word is out.
@ferchizzle
Ай бұрын
Is BAACH’s long term goal to provide all the features of the Grand in a more affordable package? I mean, I don’t need a fancy CNC milled case. But $50,000 for a DSP preamp is too much for me.
@AudiophileJunkie
Ай бұрын
They have products starting at $900 and up. You can check out the Bacch4Mac on my page and feel free to email for more details - www.theoretica.us/bacch4macAJ/
@aram34
Ай бұрын
if you buy a quality integrated amp,,,i think u are better off??
@TestAccount-gi3fm
Ай бұрын
Does the BACCH GRAND MASTER have ORC yet?
@AudiophileJunkie
Ай бұрын
Very soon but existing owners can get Edgar to download an ORC correction manually in the interim
@SpinnerPaddlefoot
2 ай бұрын
What are the names and model numbers of the two preamp/dac models that you recommended first?
@AudiophileJunkie
2 ай бұрын
Are you referring to the Placette passive preamp and the CJ 17LS? Or the first two in my room - Primare SP25 and miniDSP SHD? A passive preamp is going to be a little more sensitive to the issues I mentioned, so make sure they aren't going to apply. The McCormack TLC-1 if you can find one used would be another of that ilk.
@SpinnerPaddlefoot
2 ай бұрын
@AudiophileJunkie It was the Primare and MiniDSP HSD models that interest me. Looking to mate one of those with an Orchard Audio Starkrimson Ultra power amp. Thank you for your recommendations.
@AudiophileJunkie
2 ай бұрын
I'll have more on the Primare soon and have lots of archive videos on the miniDSP SHD if you want to check them out.
@SpinnerPaddlefoot
2 ай бұрын
@@AudiophileJunkie Thanks. I will look for your miniDSP videos and look forward to your Primare video.
@larrystoogel2371
Ай бұрын
Excellent video dude. This is probably one of the most slept on channels for real HiFi info and actual applicable audio knowledge. See you at another audio show 🤠.
@AudiophileJunkie
Ай бұрын
Eventually people will catch on 🤠.... It takes a awhile to buck industry trends and conditioning.
@iampuzzleman282
Ай бұрын
You collect Hats like Women shoes. Do you have a special closet for all your hats?
@AudiophileJunkie
Ай бұрын
I have a hat stand used by retailers 🤠
@kgbusa3415
Ай бұрын
Not gonna lie, your fashion sense is scary especially if people are asking for merch. Just here for the audio insights but it's so distracting.
@AudiophileJunkie
Ай бұрын
There are plenty other channels with more stereotypical Audiophile "looks" that might not be as triggering 🤠
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