Need Preamp Recs for AmpCampAmp

vcwatkins

I have zero experience with efficient low power rigs and could use some suggestions on preamps to use with the little ACA that's heading my way. I'll read up over at DIY, but I thought maybe @mhardy6647, @ALL212, @SCompRacer, or others here may have some good ideas.

I don't have a passive preamp on hand and am guessing that's what's needed since it looks like the input is 10Kohm?

Volume remote control would be nice but maybe not the best idea in this setup? (It's possible this rig would be limited to near field which would mean the remote is unnecessary.) I've never priced motorized Alps kits (or whatever is appropriate).

I wouldn't mind having a Adcom GFP-750 again since I miss having one around, but it seems way too expensive to just get passive pre with remote volume and possibly not the cleanest signal for this application??

Should I drop the idea of a remote altogether and just build or buy a decent volume knob?

Anyone tried a Roon endpoint/DAC/preamp like Mytek Brooklyn or Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 in this sort of setup?

Thanks for any help,
Craig

Clipdat

Schiit SYS or Saga worth a look.

vcwatkins

Thanks Clipdat, I'll take a look. I really like their headphone amps, especially the little Magni3.

vcwatkins

Saga looks like it might be a very good fit!

CoolJazz

Part of the load a pre drives is that normally listed R value, but there is also the question of the complex impedance. As in how capacitive is the load? That's why different units work better together, or not.

A passive is not just fighting the fact it's a simply voltage divider and the impedance change with the volume control, but also that it's drive impedance ability is dependant on the components ability when there is no pre to handling the heavier lifting of the capacitance. What tends to happen is higher distortion numbers than often people realize as the levels get higher.

I've played for some time with a number of Nelsons DIY efforts and I've got the Amp Camp boards, but not gotten to the project yet. But I believe I remember comments as to driving the load of the active devices being more than simple.

So if I remember right, it may be less of a candidate for passively driving. I'd echo the idea of the Schiit Saga as being a pretty good option.

CJ

vcwatkins

Thanks, @CoolJazz. May give some thought to a Saga/Bifrost combo.

ALL212

Rent ya a passive home made pre with volume control. 3 in...3 out, select any iny, put it to any outy. 10k Alps Blue volume pot and Gold Point selectors.






See how easy that was!!

ZLTFUL

I have played around with a Schiit Sys with the ACAs I have here and it is a good combo...the Jolida passive pre is even better. But it's like finding hen's teeth.

I also wanted to try out a couple of others but have not gotten around to it with all the work going on in the basement.

Jim Shearer

I have the older version of the ACA mono-blocks (v. 1.1?) which I use with a Schiit Saga. IMO, the input impedance on the ACA is not high enough for use with a passive pre. The buffer mode on the Saga does produce better results than the passive mode--at least to my ears. With the Saga, you can switch between passive & buffer modes to compare for yourself. And it is nice to have 5 inputs and remote control!

Now I did swap the stock tube for a nice old Sylvania 6SN7-GTA, which, again, to my ears, produced a slightly better sound stage. Note that the tube is used only as a buffer, so tube rolling doesn't result in larger sound differences you will get in a pre where the tubes are used for amplification.

heiney9

I was thinking of pairing my camp amp (provided I can get a kit) with this, also a kit.

https://www.tubedepot.com/products/elekit-tu-8500-stereo-tube-preamplifier-kit

mhardy6647

heh -- just hooked up "mine" (well, it's actually just sort of visiting -- another story for another time), built (nay, lovingly crafted) by the fourm's own ALL212, this morning* via a passive front end with transformer volume control.

In this particular case, I could use some more front-end gain, so I may try an active preamp. Further details as/if events warrant.

Bottom line -- if you have a decent active preamp... why not try it? Cannot beat empiricism in this hobby, IMO.

________________
* Trying the ACA as the amplifier for a pair of the (in)famous, cheap Parts Express "Dayton" brand B652-AIR speakers even as I type this.

mhardy6647

ALL212 wrote: »

Rent ya a passive home made pre with volume control. 3 in...3 out, select any iny, put it to any outy. 10k Alps Blue volume pot and Gold Point selectors.






See how easy that was!!

ooh, so many inny-outty bits.

vcwatkins

Many thanks, guys.

I'll have a few active preamps I can try out - 3 tube and an ARC solid state. That Elekit pre is very interesting. Hmm...

vcwatkins

Whoa, tracking shows Friday am ACA delivery. But it also shows it's coming from Lippo di Calderara, Italy.

Clipdat

That's the chassis.

vcwatkins wrote: »

Whoa, tracking shows Friday am ACA delivery. But it also shows it's coming from Lippo di Calderara, Italy.

vcwatkins

Right. Pretty impressive - chassis from Italy arrives same day as parts from PA.

mhardy6647

1. how do they do that?
2. ... and the furniture delivery place says that the truck will come tomorrow sometime between 8 AM and 4 PM.

Do these people even live in the same world?