Pre Amp or Power amp for sound signature?

[Yelamanchili manohar]

Hi,
I could see one or two threads already open on this topic, i am bit confused yet.
what is responsible for sonic signature in an integrated amp - amp or preamp? The reason i ask, I'm looking to buy a specific vintage amp that puts out 30w/c, to drive my elac b6.2 140w, 6ohms, 87db. Some say vintage amps could drive them easily, some say it may not. Say if it can't drive my speakers, and If the answer to sonic signature is pre amp, i could use the vintage amp as a preamp and my AVR as power amp in direct mode. If not, i could just pass the chance to buy the vintage amplifier.

Thanks.

In my limited experience, I always found that the sound signature emanated at a source level. Say from dac or phono stage, upto a preamp. This was almost 70% of the sound. The poweramp added the next 30%. Just my opinion only

 

[vkalia]

I'd suspect the larger signal gain of a power amp is going to play a bigger role in the sound signature variances*. A lot of times, if your source has a 2V signal output, the preamp is acting as an attenuator anyway.

 

[manek]

In my limited experience, I always found that the sound signature emanated at a source level. Say from dac or phono stage, upto a preamp. This was almost 70% of the sound. The poweramp added the next 30%. Just my opinion only

If your power amp is a EL34 based one that ratio would be flipped on its head.

 

[keith_correa]

You mean to say it's like pickle, tastes better as it ages...

Or has rotted a wee bit and we don't know it has because we think that's how it's supposed to taste because someone said "old is gold".

 

[aljojohn]

Preamp is giving sound signature , power amp giving the authority as i beleive.

 

[nn_in]

My experience will say its more of preamp. Tried some pre and power combos ,even AVR pre, and found that preamp signature will decide sound signature more. Poweramp will add a good headroom depending on wattage.

IMO preamp plays a more dominant role.
Recent experience
1. Dac to traditional integrated amp connection - The sound had more body and wide sound stage
2. Dac to integrated amp with passive pot.The sound stage was smaller but the detailing improved

IMO i prefer a active preamp after the dac inbetween the power amp.
Also personally prefer a seperate pre power combo as it enables better low volume listening to my ear atleast.

 

[nn_in]

Deleted my duplicate post

 

[Ash]

Pre and Power both are equally important. Don't underestimate the flavour that both bring along. People usually believe the Pre imparts the sonic signature and the power amp only amplifies. Not necessarily.

 

[Subbu68]

Pre and Power both are equally important. Don't underestimate the flavour that both bring along. People usually believe the Pre imparts the sonic signature and the power amp only amplifies. Not necessarily.

Same preamp feeding two amps in my setup through a Y connection. ACA amps (SS) are now proving to be more clear and enjoyable than the valve Elekit SE amp.

 

[IndianEars]

Do try feeding only 1 power amp at a time from your pre amp .... Can use the same interconnect. take the Y connector out of the system.

I speculate that you will hear a significant improvement.

 

[Ash]

Same preamp feeding two amps in my setup through a Y connection. ACA amps (SS) are now proving to be more clear and enjoyable than the valve Elekit SE amp.

So is it something like using Mono blocks ?

Do try feeding only 1 power amp at a time from your pre amp .... Can use the same interconnect. take the Y connector out of the system.

I speculate that you will hear a significant improvement.

would it be possible to customise interconnects so one can do away with the Y connector ? something similar to biwiring speaker cables ?

 

[Subbu68]

So is it something like using Mono blocks ?


would it be possible to customise interconnects so one can do away with the Y connector ? something similar to biwiring speaker cables ?

ACA are mono blocks (bridged mono mode), Elekit is a regular stereo amp. Each driving a set of spkrs. Wires can be easily swapped at spkrs.

I was looking at making an interconnect as you wrote. Then a simple solution was to use a set of RCA sockets from a media player board and an old RCA to 3.5mm cable. Cut the L&R RCA ends with a small pigtail to connect to the RCA sockets.

 

[IndianEars]

The inputs of Both Power Amps / Monoblocks will simultaneously load the pre amp ... even if One of the Power Amps / Monoblock pairs is switched off... Hence my suggestion not to connect bhoth similtanously.

Since you are anyways swapping at the Speaker terminals. this will be a small incremental effort.... well worth it, IMO

 

[Subbu68]

The inputs of Both Power Amps / Monoblocks will simultaneously load the pre amp ... even if One of the Power Amps / Monoblock pairs is switched off... Hence my suggestion not to connect bhoth similtanously.

Since you are anyways swapping at the Speaker terminals. this will be a small incremental effort.... well worth it, IMO

I was planning a switch since pushing my hand behind the preamp to swap the amps is not easy job.

I did search on this issue with people connecting up to 4 amps simultaneously to a preamp and that made me make my own Y connector. With high input impedances of the amps would the loading be detrimental? I

Any suggestion how to measure the effect of the over loading the preamp by the two amps? If that gives me negative result would as well make a selector switch. Open to correct the arrangement.

 

[mbhangui]

I was planning a switch since pushing my hand behind the preamp to swap the amps is not easy job.

I did search on this issue with people connecting up to 4 amps simultaneously to a preamp and that made me make my own Y connector. With high input impedances of the amps would the loading be detrimental? I

Any suggestion how to measure the effect of the over loading the preamp by the two amps? If that gives me negative result would as well make a selector switch. Open to correct the arrangement.

I have the same problem. So I have used a 3 way 4 pole rotary switch on my pass B1 preamp. Right now I can switch the output to Yamaha AVR, one to allo Class D amp and one to a cadence valve amp. I have two different pair of speakers. One always connected to the Yamaha AVR and one pair connected to the allo amp. Once in a blue moon I have to remove the speaker connectors from the allo and connect it to the tube amp. I'm now making a speaker box to switch speakers and amp on the fly using 4 switches as below. Nishant is making a housing for me.

 

[Subbu68]

I have the same problem. So I have used a 3 way 4 pole rotary switch on my pass B1 preamp. Right now I can switch the output to Yamaha AVR, one to allo Class D amp and one to a cadence valve amp. I have two different pair of speakers. One always connected to the Yamaha AVR and one pair connected to the allo amp. Once in a blue moon I have to remove the speaker connectors from the allo and connect it to the tube amp. I'm now making a speaker box to switch speakers and amp on the fly using 4 switches as below. Nishant is making a housing for me.

View attachment 71559

Have a good old rotary 3 band switch lying in my junk. Just lazy to work on it. Now an inspiration to do it