If your phono stage, your CD machine, your tuner, your cassette machine, your video audio output etc are all at line level, what exactly does a pre-amp do for you, if your power stage will accept a line level input? Could you get away with a signal switch box and a volume control? Is there really any need to buffer the signals with more active devices?
Hope that's not a silly question. I have various signal sources connected to a Conrad-Johnson preamp, and its output goes to a Leak Stereo-20 via a QED volume control box because the CJ preamp puts out too much for the Leak's input sensitivity. I also have in my music room a Studiomaster Series 5 desk whose monitor outputs go straight to a Quad power stage. Apart from that, all my previous hifi experience has been with integrated amplifiers so I've not had to think about it.
"Working" software has only unobserved bugs. (Parroty Error: Pieces of Nine! Pieces of Nine!)
Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
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Traditionally, pre-amps provided buffering, switching, tone controls. The main "pre-amp" function was for the phono stage especially where low output "moving coil" cartridges were used.
Not a silly question at all. Passive preamps, as exocet just mentioned, are available in all the glossy hi-fi magazines.
They are sometimes incredibly expensive for just sockets, switches and volume pots though. They really tend to go to town on brass, gold and pretty timber![:) :)](/plugins/EmojiExtender/emoji/fb/1.gif)
If nothing else, the preamp does present a high impedance to its source, maybe support internal phono stages, and allow routing between inputs & outputs.
Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
Whether this is still the case, I don’t know. I suppose it helped sell pre-amps....
.....and the extra power supplies for preamps
Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
http://petertyson.co.uk/index.php/naim-power-line.html?gcpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI582Aoqr21wIV6LztCh1BEgssEAQYASABEgLj6PD_BwE
Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself