Are any FMs using a commercial passive preamplifier and if yes what's their opinion in comparison with an active counterpart?
Nowadays amplification in source is not required as the source itself provide around 2v RMS voltage and most power amplifiers can be easily driven by such voltages and what you require is just a matched input / output with an attenuator and a passive selector switch. This is better than using an active preamplifier which can add its own tone and signature and not to mention of power supply noise and ripple.
This weekend I built one such simple passive preamplifier and am happy with the outcome. What I immediately realised was it sounded very different than my active counterpart and it was more natural, open and uncompressed. This testing device is for keeps and I can't be more happy.
Nowadays amplification in source is not required as the source itself provide around 2v RMS voltage and most power amplifiers can be easily driven by such voltages and what you require is just a matched input / output with an attenuator and a passive selector switch. This is better than using an active preamplifier which can add its own tone and signature and not to mention of power supply noise and ripple.
This weekend I built one such simple passive preamplifier and am happy with the outcome. What I immediately realised was it sounded very different than my active counterpart and it was more natural, open and uncompressed. This testing device is for keeps and I can't be more happy.