I am looking for a budget preamp with balanced output for Schiit Aegir monoblocks. Budget is max 15k. Would a passive preamp be better for sound quality at this price point? Please suggest what are my options. Open to used also. Thanks
Preamplifier with balanced output
- Thread starter Anshul_J
- Start date
I dont think balanced is happening at 15k. maybe one of those headphone amps/dacs that have a variable pre-out may help. Pls check the schiit catalogue for options or our regular aune, topping, ifi, etc may have something. Dont get too hung up on balanced.
Dont think passive will work either.
Manek
What do you plan to use as source?
15k may not be realistic. Please check Goldpt and luminous audio for passives. These may not be available in India; see if someone can get it for you from usa. I use a passive from Silvercore and yes, to me, it sounds better than actives.
I feel if you are in the market for a balanced pre amp to run the Aegir then you should simply look at treating yourself with a Freya S or Freya + depending how much you can extend your budget. If you can have someone hand carry it for you from US then nothing like it.
I dont think its happening at 15k.
then something like this may help
You will be better off running your dac directly if it has balanced out and volume control. you should get the freya or topping pre90 as a minimum if you need a preamp. Passive preamps sound very transparent, but mostly compromised in dynamics in my experience.
A generic aspect to considerfor preamps that gets overlooked.
Do check the input and output impedances to ensure that there is no loading .ASR blog has captured many situations where folks had to return the unit. Also many options that work are shared.
Some preamps have being designed with very low input impedance to run with same brand devices.So mix and match with other brands may not work.
Given that it's not easy to return in India i thought this may be useful info.
Do check the input and output impedances to ensure that there is no loading .ASR blog has captured many situations where folks had to return the unit. Also many options that work are shared.
Some preamps have being designed with very low input impedance to run with same brand devices.So mix and match with other brands may not work.
Given that it's not easy to return in India i thought this may be useful info.
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Anyways since he is looking at diy options lets see if there are a few simple yet proven designs to explore around his budget.
The preamp impedance evaluation is applicable for diy and commercial units.
reubensm
Well-Known Member
Being a long-term NAD user, I was also sold on the idea about NAD presmps with XLRs being superior to straight edge ones with RCAs. I had the NAD 106 preamplifier purely because of the XLR output feature and thought I had something super-special until I opened up the box one day and found out that it was all essentially a few resistors and an XLR socket for each channel. I revised my mindset shedding baggage and ended up finding a much better preamplifier (without XLRs incidentally), the NAD C160. The NAD 106 is long gone and I could not have been happier with the NAD C160.
The schematics always reveal the truth
The schematics always reveal the truth
Great choice. I also use his preamp. The best DIY/semi-DIY preamp I've had (semi because the board came fully populated).
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