are preamps unsexy?

have a look at the new es labs pre too. it's got a hod load of features including balance, tilt and unity gain. if was to suddenly suffer from a bout of anit-naimism i'd probably go with an es-labs pre/power or if i could afford it a dax decade / edge setup.
cheers


julian.

 

It would be ideal if it had a nice (or indeed any) volume knob, I can't cope without something tactile. Otherwise there doesn't seem to be much wrong with it, I agree.

Luckily I'm not in the market for a preamp. But I felt the need to moan about how useless most of them are nowadays.

-- Ian

 

Have they got a website? Google doesn't find them as ES Labs.

-- Ian

 

it's http://www.controlq.co.uk/cq-eslab1.htm - here's the pre i was on about
http://www.controlq.co.uk/cq-eslab3-dxp10.htm

cheers


julian

 

I've read about that ES Lab pre before. Looks very nice. Their website is in serious need of sorting out by someone competent.

Michael.

 

Nah, it's only got 5 inputs and one tape out, and no phono stage option. Nice knob though.

-- Ian

 

This is my Conrad Johnson, PV10A,not sexy.now replaced by the 10B about £1400 new,can be orderd with or without phono stage,which is of good quality,no RC unfortunately.

 

Hi.

Pre-amps can be important in sound quality as well as system function, recent listening tests have shown to me that the most significant component in a system to be the volume control. A poor volume control can make a very good system sound rough.

just my opinion though, those that measure and base their percived appreciation on the measurements will no doubt say i'm talking b*ll*cks.

Chris

 

I'm really, honestly not trying to start a fight here, just genuinely curious: did you ever try something along the lines of the $485 Reference Audio Mods Silver Rock Signature Knob, and if so, how did you get on with it?

 

PeteH, I think Chris is referring to the actual electronic bits of the volume control rather than the knob. That $485 volume knob has to be a piss take .

You need a good quality pot or, even better, stepped attenuator (or of course you can have the best volume control, in the world, ever which is a transformer volume control with 23 position Seiden switch such as I have on my preamp ).

Michael.

 

Pete,
i think Chris means attenuators or potentiomaters. If that is what Chris means, i can confirm that the quality and type of volume control can have huge differences on sound. I have recently been trying a few over the standard pot supplied with the pre. I have tried some different pots, a stepped attenuator and currently i am using a cheap pot with a psuedo shunt mod. This means the signal only goes through a resistor and the pot is used as a potential divider to ground. This has had great benefits, but is very dependant on resistor used. Currently i am using Riken resistors, but also have some vishays to try.

I didnt like the stepped attenuator, it lacked detail and bass when compared to cheaper pots, although probably due to the resistors used and the configuration.

 

Ah right, fair enough - I thought he was talking about the actual volume control, ie. the knob.

Looks like I'll have to continue my quest to find someone who bought one of those bad boys then

 

<pedant mode> the control would surely be the active component??

 

If you're a philistine like me, the control would be the bit you use to control it.

 

i personally love my pre-amp.... its flexible, loads of inputs and 3 tape loops!!

and it seems to do nothing to the sound... ive had it placed into systems costing 4x as much as mine...and it didnt seem to let itself down in the slightest.... was just completely neutral and transparent

also the gain control is great for adjusting for lower output sources.

lastly the remote gives me source selection, volume and muting..... what more could i ask for.... plus... looks not bad for a black box

 

Hi.

I was refering to the electronics of the volume control, the only knob that gives me pleasure is my own

Chris

 

Way to early for that information

 

When I went shopping for a preamp recently, I decided to try the valve route. So when I specified my budget and a remote control I ended up with a very short list, and bought a BAT Vk3iX, and very nice it is too. While my old amp was boxed up, I tried running my Pure DAB tuner with its in-built volume control direct into the power amp. It sounded bloody flat and not at all nice. So that's one reason I'll avoid passive preamps in the future. I don't care if the valve pre is colouring the music, if it sounds great I'm happy.

 

Adam, PV-10 "not sexy" ?. Mine, which does look remarkably similar to yours looks dead classy. They do also (as of course you know ) sound excellent.

Not sure whether to post this here or on Alanbeebs pre-amp review thread but am shortly to dem a Audion Pre (6922 valves) and a Music First TVC (tx 102) against the PV-10. Should be an interesting active - v - passive comparison!

 

I demmed one for a week before I got my Orca. Lovely treble and midrange but I found it had quite a high level of 'rice krispies' background noise.