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I have a Mesa Baron tube amp. which I love. But it has very high gain.Although in the past I preferred a traditional tubed preamp, I find that most I've tried with the Baron top out at about 9:30, which is not good.So I've kind of resigned myself to either a fixed attenuator (with the tubed pre), which seems like it would degrade the sound, or a passive. Has anyone heard the NVA (minimalist w/ ceramic pot) or the Django (transformer) with the Baron or some similar tubed power amp?
I'd like to know what experiances folks have had w/ various passive solutions for that amp. I've been using my McComack ALD-1 in passive mode (which McCormack himself says is not where that preamp shines, and that the passive function was pretty much an afterthought)and it's fairly disapointing, with the L-R balance changing at various levels, as well as all the usual nasties inherent in a (not very expensive or high quality) potentiometer.
So I'm all ears for suggestions.
Follow Ups:
My ongoing bypass tests continue to show that that Placette is almost perfectly transparent.
I have not tried any of the passives you mention, but I have used fixed attenuators with a high gain pre-amp (ARC) and noted no significant deterioration. The one passive I did try was additive to the high end, not a good thing with the Baron.The benefit to be had by the flexibility a tube pre-amp offers, to me, greatly exceeds the limitations imposed by a passive. FWIW, I was about to connect a low gain pre-amp (12db) and in changing an input tube on the Baron I broke a solder joint and now I have to truck it to Petaluma! I had great expectations though. :-(
I know that journey all too well. There's a decent taco place nearby, though.
I'm using a TVC that has S&B transformers with my high gain amp and it works great. I've always been interested in the Baron and am looking for a used one. If I find one I would use the TVC with it. Based on the amps specs I don't see any issues.
I had a friend who used the mesa baron with the Promitheusaudio TVC and he loves itDo check them out
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