Passive preamp

[reignofchaos]

Yep never had any issue with the tlc-1 passive output and lack of detail. It all depends on how well a passive preamp is engineered.

 

[manek]

If a pasive pre and power amp are inside the same chasis, the internal interconnect length is neglible. Hence its capacitance is also negligible.

No so for external interconnects.... some of which have a Large capacitance per foot / meter.
Ideal "Matching" would be to have the Power Amp Input Impedance 10 Times that of the Pre Output Impedance.

This is a Tall order for a passive pre.

Often Power Amp Input Impedance is only 2 Times that of the Pre Output Impedance.

The situation is tolerable if there is no cable capacitance to further spoil the response.

Hence what sounds good with internal wiring can sound poor with external wiring...

Agree.
Many power amps today dont have a high input impedance so matching is a bit tricky and so is the selection of the power amp.

Wouldn't the sensitivity rating of the power amp matter as well apart from impedance ?

 

[IndianEars]

Agree.
Many power amps today dont have a high input impedance so matching is a bit tricky and so is the selection of the power amp.

Wouldn't the sensitivity rating of the power amp matter as well apart from impedance ?

In today's systems, the Source is Usually a CD Player or DAC... each of which typically provide at least 2 Volts Output signals to the Pre amp. For most Power Amps, 2 Volts will more than fully drive them, so sensitivity is usually not a concern.

Ofcourse, for Vinyl Users, the Output of a phono stage maybe well below 500 mV (ie 0.5 Volts) and if this is fed to a passive pre amp, the Power amp may not get fully driven, even at "Full Volume" from the passive Pre amp