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RE: passive componets

Posted by stehno (M) on November 14, 2014 at 20:13:03

In Reply to: passive componets posted by rws on November 14, 2014 at 16:47:54:

It depends entirely on what's important to you, actually.

If you go passive, there are 3 (or 4) potential performance guarantees:

1) That's one less component that must deal with distortions induced by noisy AC, which everybody has.

2) You potentially eliminate any distortions most/all active preamps induce much distortion generated by an amplified gain stage.

3) If you go with a volume attenuator only, say built into your source, well, it's another guarantee that's one less chassis that no longer has to contend with distortions induced by air-borne or internally-generated vibrations (a power supply) nor a chassis that vibrates in sympathy by vibrations already captured by the chassis.

That alone is 3 potentially large sonic benefits right there. Assuming of course minimizing distortions is key to your goals.

But there is one more potential benefit of going with a passive volume attenuator.

4) Contrary to common folklore, the dynamics of a superior passive volume attenuator could and should actually draw you closer to the live performance.

This gets into that "jump" factor that we all find so impressive. An active preamp with its amplified gain stage and ample power from your amplifier can indeed cause the "jump" factor to occur frequently, particularly on various notes' initial attacks. In some cases, with very high powered amps combined with amplified gain stages from an active preamp, potentially every single initial attack of a note whether it be a stick, hammer, pluck, or blatt can induce this jump factor.

And though we all attribute that "jump" factor to be so much like live music, it's really nothing more than our being startled that our overamplified electronics startling us so much as to cause a "jump". When in reality, this jump factor, impressive as it may be, is actually taking you further from the live performanc rather than closer to it.

Think of it this way. Every time a .45 caliber gunshot goes off 5 ft. from you, you will jump. But how many times will that same .45 caliber gunshot cause you to jump if the gun is 30 or 40 ft. away? It won't. The dynamics remain the same but your perspective has changed.

Same goes for music reproduction and playback systems. Assume you have a well-thought-out system with superior soundstaging. Hence, giving the perspective that your ears are planted firmly in the audience and the musicians are 30 - 40 feet away on a soundstage. Unless you're listening at 105+ db, there should be nothing causing you to "jump". Just as though you're seated well into the audience at a live performace.

Now if your ears were able to unnaturally travel up to the soundstage and be placed right next to the instruments for every initial attack, then race back into the audience for the remainder of the note's sound, then this jump factor thing might be worth something.

I attest that it's sufficient amplification power combined with the amplified gain stage of an active preamp (aka the electronics) that induces this jump factor.

But by going with sufficient amplification power and a passive volume attenuator, you essentially are able to keep all the notes' initial attacks up on the soundstage where they belong with the rest of the music. In other words all the dynamics are there, they're just not in your face forcing this unnatural jump factor. Rather they are 30 - 40 feet away, where they should be and hence you are actually striving closer to the absolute sound or the live performance.

Even though your speakers are supposedly quite efficient at 98db, I would still opt for a higher powered amplifier and a passive volume attenuator as the high-powered amp will help ensure you're still getting all the dynamics you should get. Up on the soundstage.

So if absolutely minimizes distortions and inching your playback system's level of musicality toward the absolute sound is top priority, then you most likely must go the passive route.

If being up close and personal with your music with startling and potentially in-your-face dynamics causing you and your friends to jump every so often is most important, then you definitely want to stay with an active preamp.

My 2-cents.

Why a tube amp?

Edits: 11/14/14 11/14/14 11/14/14

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