Quote Originally Posted by bturk667
I always look for linestages (no phono preamp) that are minimalist. I preferr passive, but there not for everyone or for every system. As for active ones, I always go for the minimalist approach. No on/off switch and no tone controls. The simpler the better.
How cheap is cheap?
This thread was a good read and brought out a few posters I have not seen.

I agree on minimal and only had one pre-tuner with tone controls, which could be removed from the path. (Hafler 945)

I am currently using a VAC CLA1 MKII which has an outboard power supply, separate volume knob for each channel, and three settings - Passive, normal gain and high gain. I generally leave the unit in normal and have been confused, curious about the Passive setting. Correct me if wrong, but the passive setting bypasses the tubes and goes right from input to volume to amp?

If that is true, I suppose it will then magnify the shortcomings of the source (CDP). My Rotel player sounds much better through the normal gain than in passive. Why? Is the purpose of passive just to have a volume control before the amp?

The pre-amp I replaced was a Sound Valves 101i which also had no tone controls, and didn't need them.

And as DMK said
'1) Source. NOT source components but the software. The best sounding CD's sound pretty awesome on the worst stereo! "

And the bad sounding CDs sound way crappy on a good system to the point I can't even listen to them often. (Triumph-Stages) Great band and songs, one of the worst live recordings I own.