Active vs. passive preamps

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Aug 10, 2019
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I tried to look around, but really couldn't find any info on this.

What's the difference between an active and a passive preamp?

The Nait5i, for example, has a passive pream, while the Nait XS has an active one.
 

Dan Turner

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A passive pre-amp takes the output form the source and attenuates it between 100% and 0 (i.e. it only reduces the levelof what comes in - it cannot boost it). For the majority of todays sources, with a reasonable output level that's fine. An active pre-amp can apply an actual gain to the level of the signal coming in.

Passive pre-amps are simpler and theoretically ought to have less of a detrimental effect on the incoming signal, but that's not to say that a well designed active pre amp can't be just as good or better than any passive one.

I had a Creek OBH-12 passive pre in my system for a while, and when i introduced it, it was like a blanket had been taken off from over my speakers (compared with the pre built into the Arcam A32 I had at the time). Have a look for one - they go for £120 ish on ebay last time I looked. If you don't have a big system I reckon that is one of Hifi's biggest bargains.
 
A

Anonymous

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Ah. So it's just like a volume control for sources that don't have one?
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