{"id":30698,"date":"2022-06-14T14:25:58","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T12:25:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/?p=30698"},"modified":"2022-06-14T14:25:58","modified_gmt":"2022-06-14T12:25:58","slug":"analog-preamplifiers-in-a-digital-streaming-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/preamplifier-reviews\/analog-preamplifiers-in-a-digital-streaming-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Analog Preamplifiers in a Digital Streaming World"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Aries Cerat review samples supplied by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ultisone.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ultisone<\/a>\u00a0and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.callas-audio.nl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Callas Audio<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aquahifi.com\"><br \/>\n<\/a>Soulution review sample supplied by Ray of <a href=\"https:\/\/welcometoplayground.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Welcome To Playground<\/a><\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These days, most DACs are equipped with volume control, usually of the digital variant but sometimes also in the analog domain. And if your DAC can be connected to a power amp directly, what could there be to gain by switching another component in the signal chain? In other words, when everything on the source end is digital, what is the use of a pure analog preamp? With this article, I hope to shed some light on this quandary.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ever since LP became the preferred format in 1957, the analog preamp has been a prerequisite for music playback. When LP was joined by analog tape a few years later, the preamp extended its role as input selector, gain stage, and attenuator by also providing recording functionality and a tape monitor loop. The tape output signals were usually already at line level but the phono cartridge&#8217;s delicate signals necessitate RIAA correction (basically equalization) as well as extra amplification. This was always done inside of the same unit which was usually an integrated amplifier. Later, separate pre-and power amplifiers would make their entrance, but at first, the phono stage would still be incorporated into the preamp. As CD overtook LP in the early nineties, more and more pre-amplifier- and integrated amplifier manufacturers stopped including phono stages in their products and this spurred the release of stand-alone phono preamps.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So far, this all makes perfect sense, right? When you play LPs, you will need a phono stage and an analog preamp. That is unless you have a DAC with an A-D input and are willing to listen to digitized versions of your records or, on rare occasions, if you have a DAC with an additional pure analog input-output path. In the case of the latter, though, you are still using an analog preamp, even if it is hidden inside of the DAC.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But what if you don&#8217;t spin analog records and only use a digital source like a CD player, server, or streamer? In that case, and if it has volume control, there is nothing stopping you from connecting the DAC directly to the power amplifier. And in this case, what could possibly be gained by switching another component in the signal chain?<\/p>\n<h3>Volume Control<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One aspect to consider is that volume control in the digital domain can only be done by removing bits and in doing so, some resolution is lost. DACs counteract this by upsampling the input signal and performing the calculations at a higher bitrate, reducing the damage done by the removal of a few bits. But this is only effective up to a certain level of attenuation and even when applied in the uppermost range, often, the processing can already be heard even after the first step down. DACs with analog volume control will bypass this issue and avoid having to tweak an otherwise\u00a0<span class=\"m_3040414155631363280SpellE\">bit-perfect<\/span> signal as all the extra processing always injects \u2018flavors\u2019 that do not always favor the musicality.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Beware though, if the integrated volume control is <em>passive,<\/em> rather than buffered. While a passive attenuator may seem to represent the purest possible path, they tend to raise the output impedance and lower the current as they attenuate the signal while the combined capacitance of the cable and input can affect the linearity of the frequency response. More annoyingly, the frequency response may change as the volume is adjusted.<\/p>\n<p>A popular explanation that is used to explain why dedicated preamplifiers work better than DACs is that it is a matter of current. The notion would be that preamplifiers (can) have bigger power supplies with larger DC buffer capacity so that they are capable of providing more drive and control even when faced with very long interconnects. Well, this could be an argument but only if the connecting power amplifier has an unusually low input impedance, like 10 times that of the source component&#8217;s output impedance. In that case, the bass impact and overall dynamics will very audibly suffer. With the usual 10k &#8211; 100k impedance, there is no current to speak of. But there are DACs with <em>massive<\/em> power supplies and this argument holds less and less value as DAC output stages also get better and better. Yes, Op-Amps can be current-limited but they can still provide plenty of power. Also, these Op-Amps are also employed<em> en masse<\/em> in preamp output stages, further invalidating this specific argument. So, is it a matter of <em>Gain<\/em>? Yes, for some power amplifiers that have low gain and when combined with very inefficient speakers, that can still be a valid argument, although there are plenty of DACs that will happily output 4 volts or more.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The above is far from the complete story but I merely want to illustrate that it is hard to make a case for adding a preamplifier purely on technical grounds.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So, if it is not so much a technical requirement, could it be that the argument is predominantly one of system synergy and taste? Here&#8217;s where we enter the really interesting bit that I will address by inserting a range of preamplifiers in my previously preamp-less setup and using various CD transports and Music Servers\/streamers as sources.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Back story<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">With previous systems where I used a Wadia digital source (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/specials\/wadia-digital-company-special\/\">Wadia 12, 25, 27, 861, 781i, and 521<\/a>) I have always needed a preamp to get rid of some of these sources&#8217; roughness and dryness. Throughout a large chunk of my recent audio past and throughout various speaker changes, my preamp brand of choice was always Jeff Rowland (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/synergy-synergy-2-and-synergy-2i\/\">Synergy I, II, IIi<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/coherence-ii\/\">Coherence II<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/concerto\/\">Concerto<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/criterion\/\">Criterion<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/preamplifier-reviews\/jeff-rowland-corus-preamplifier\/\">Corus<\/a>, ultimately <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/preamplifier-reviews\/jeff-rowland-corus-preamplifier-psu-power-storage-unit\/\">with PSU<\/a>) for their superb refinement, airiness, and liquidity. Sure, the Rowlands tended to add some sweetness and reduce transient sharpness and dynamic slam, but on balance, the sound was always better without a preamp in the system.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">With my current CH Precision system, I have long refrained from adding a preamp, precisely for the aforementioned reasons, as well as because the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/spdif-dac-reviews\/ch-precision-c1-a1-part1\/\">C1 DAC<\/a> is so much more refined than the Wadia sources, that there weren&#8217;t any nasty sonic to ameliorate, nor was there anything to gain by adding a preamp. Or so I thought!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">After I had improved my acoustics over the course of several years and achieved some particularly great results last year, I was in awe with my bass performance, but less enamored with the fluidity and treble performance. For the first time in this apartment, I was <em>truly<\/em> hearing what the system was doing, and this re-sparked my interest in analog preamplifiers.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-31489\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ansuz_Mainz_Mainz8_D2_D-TC_Darkz_Setup_4X3A8355_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ansuz_Mainz_Mainz8_D2_D-TC_Darkz_Setup_4X3A8355_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ansuz_Mainz_Mainz8_D2_D-TC_Darkz_Setup_4X3A8355_550pix-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ansuz_Mainz_Mainz8_D2_D-TC_Darkz_Setup_4X3A8355_550pix-490x327.jpg 490w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ansuz_Mainz_Mainz8_D2_D-TC_Darkz_Setup_4X3A8355_550pix-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ansuz_Mainz_Mainz8_D2_D-TC_Darkz_Setup_4X3A8355_550pix-540x360.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ansuz_Mainz_Mainz8_D2_D-TC_Darkz_Setup_4X3A8355_550pix-226x150.jpg 226w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ansuz_Mainz_Mainz8_D2_D-TC_Darkz_Setup_4X3A8355_550pix-380x254.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Review Context<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The system used for this article consists of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/spdif-dac-reviews\/ch-precision-c1-a1-part1\/\">CH Precision C1<\/a> DAC, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/power-amplifier-reviews\/ch-precision-a1-5-part1\/\">CH Precision A1.5<\/a> power amp, and Magico S1 MkII speakers with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/network-player-reviews\/grimm-mu1\/\">Grimm MU1<\/a> Music Server. More details can be found on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/hfa-audio-setup-snapshots\/main-system-january-2022\/\">Main System<\/a> page.<\/p>\n<h3>Ayon Stealth<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Astute readers will have spotted the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/cd-player-reviews\/ayon-stealth-dac-and-cd-t-ii-signature-cd-transport\/\">Ayon Stealth<\/a> preamp (6995 euro) that has been lurking underneath the turntable for quite some time. This is an analog tube preamp with a DAC on board that I have used quite successfully in various circumstances in both setups and lately exclusively with the turntable. The Ayon house sound is not typical for tubes, or at least I don&#8217;t think so, because the company&#8217;s components are typically not sweet, smooth, euphoric, or particularly liquid, but actually surprisingly solid and robust.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14126\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Ayon_Stealth_CD-TII_IMG_1478_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Ayon_Stealth_CD-TII_IMG_1478_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Ayon_Stealth_CD-TII_IMG_1478_550pix-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Ayon_Stealth_CD-TII_IMG_1478_550pix-490x327.jpg 490w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Ayon_Stealth_CD-TII_IMG_1478_550pix-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Ayon_Stealth_CD-TII_IMG_1478_550pix-540x360.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Ayon_Stealth_CD-TII_IMG_1478_550pix-226x150.jpg 226w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Ayon_Stealth_CD-TII_IMG_1478_550pix-380x254.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Stealth has an attractively ballsy if somewhat rough and dark sound with strong rhythm and powerful dynamics. It is not particularly refined and it does not have the highest resolution or the best transparency which precludes its use as a main preamp, but in this application when combined with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/phono-preamp-reviews\/ch-precision-p1-phono-preamp-part-1-2\/\">CH P1<\/a> phono stage, the Stealth has always worked very well. In practice, I would connect either the C1 DAC or the Stealth preamp to the A1.5 power amp, depending on the need for that particular listening session.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As a preamp and switched behind the C1 DAC, it does not do the DAC justice, which is no shame given its relatively modest cost. Its built-in DAC adds a nice sweetness and fluidity, but again, it&#8217;s not at the level that I am currently aspiring to.<\/p>\n<p>Next: Aries Cerat Incito S<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Aries Cerat Incito S<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When Ron Ploeger of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.callas-audio.nl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Callas Audio<\/a> asked me if I was interested in reviewing\u00a0the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/spdif-dac-reviews\/aries-cerat-helene-dac-and-incito-s-preamp\/\">Aries Cerat Incito S<\/a> preamp (14.200 euro), I had no experience with the brand just yet. Little did I know that this preamp would get me a proper slice of heaven as it showed me very adeptly what I had been missing out on.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-29622\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ArieCerat_Helene_IncitoS_IMG_5490_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ArieCerat_Helene_IncitoS_IMG_5490_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ArieCerat_Helene_IncitoS_IMG_5490_550pix-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ArieCerat_Helene_IncitoS_IMG_5490_550pix-490x327.jpg 490w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ArieCerat_Helene_IncitoS_IMG_5490_550pix-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ArieCerat_Helene_IncitoS_IMG_5490_550pix-540x360.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ArieCerat_Helene_IncitoS_IMG_5490_550pix-226x150.jpg 226w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ArieCerat_Helene_IncitoS_IMG_5490_550pix-380x254.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the C1 DAC, the volume control is implemented in a hybrid analog\/digital fashion which entails that the DAC automatically switches to the nearest of three analog values based upon the volume level setting and fine-adjust in the digital domain. Thanks to this clever system and the C1&#8217;s inherently refined sound, this was the first DAC that I could successfully use without an analog preamp. Contrary to earlier attempts with (now classic) Wadia CD players and DACs, the direct C1 connection resulted in superbly well-defined bass without having to put up with grainy treble in return.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But when the volume is controlled in the digital domain, bits are discarded, which does reduce the resolution. Because my recently optimized acoustics have resulted in significantly less smear, it is possible that this aspect became more noticeable. Or perhaps the more neutral room now simply illustrates why taking the DAC-direct route can be one shortcut too many. In any case, there is no denying that the Incito S preamp managed to present the music with more refinement, better fluidity, and the Incito S also presented the music with significantly deeper soundstaging. Was all of this the result of not using digital volume control or was there something else going on? Does the preamp add a euphoric coloration that I just find pleasant? Well, maybe in the sense of enriched harmonics, but the sound was still very neutral and well as very highly resolving. As a matter of fact, not only was there now a higher level of refinement, but I&#8217;d swear that there was also higher resolution in the treble! Even if this would not technically be the case, the only thing that matters is still how the listener experiences it, right?<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-29621\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ArieCerat_Helene_IncitoS_IMG_5480_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"365\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ArieCerat_Helene_IncitoS_IMG_5480_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ArieCerat_Helene_IncitoS_IMG_5480_550pix-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ArieCerat_Helene_IncitoS_IMG_5480_550pix-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ArieCerat_Helene_IncitoS_IMG_5480_550pix-226x150.jpg 226w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ArieCerat_Helene_IncitoS_IMG_5480_550pix-380x252.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Perhaps more importantly, with many musical styles, I found that I was now <em>feeling<\/em> the music at an entirely different level. With some music, though, in spite of a very powerful presentation, I felt that the bass became rounder, less incisive, and more mellow. Of course, it will be hard for any preamp, be it tube or solid-state, to leave the bass precision 100% intact. This final aspect is a very personal one. Irrespective, I was so impressed with the Incito S that I proclaimed it &#8220;The best analog preamp that I have heard so far, irrespective of the cost.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For those who strongly value bass tightness and control, tubes may never be ideal and transistors may be more suited&#8230; again, or so I thought!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-31078\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Aries_Cerat_Impera_IMG_7615_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Aries_Cerat_Impera_IMG_7615_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Aries_Cerat_Impera_IMG_7615_550pix-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Aries_Cerat_Impera_IMG_7615_550pix-380x213.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Aries Cerat Impera Reference<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">After having reviewed the Incito S, I was forewarned by distributor Michel Warlop of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ultisone.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ultisone<\/a> that every higher-tier Aries Cerat model comfortably outperforms the one below it. But that&#8217;s what every manufacturer claims, right? So, to be honest, when switching from Incito S to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/preamplifier-reviews\/aries-cerat-preamplifiers-compared-incito-s-and-impera-reference\/\">Impera Reference<\/a> (22.000 euro), I just expected to hear the same sound with some improvements in certain areas. Well, that&#8217;s not what happened at all. Instead, the Impera offered a much more robust sound in terms of solidity in the bass and with respect to the dynamics and the overall confidence and authority. The Impera has a positively impactful and bouncy presentation with amazing slam and impressive dynamics.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Impera&#8217;s bass is not only more robust, but also more cleanly chiseled, and actually, for the first time ever with a tube preamp, I can&#8217;t say that the bass has lost any of its speed, slam, or attack when moving from a direct C1 DAC to A1.5 power amp pairing to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/spdif-dac-reviews\/aqua-formula-xhd-dac\/\">Aqua Formula xHD<\/a> DAC via the Impera preamp with the CH A1.5 power amp. I have to admit that these findings truly gave me pause and even made me seriously rethink my amplification strategy.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-30600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Aries-Cerat_Impera_IMG_7683-edit_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Aries-Cerat_Impera_IMG_7683-edit_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Aries-Cerat_Impera_IMG_7683-edit_550pix-150x85.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Aries-Cerat_Impera_IMG_7683-edit_550pix-380x214.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fair is fair, via the Impera preamp, the sound is fuller and more colored and, let&#8217;s say more <em>characterful<\/em> than the ultra-neutral direct connection, but it still comes across as entirely neutral in its own right, and arguably<em> more natural<\/em>. When moving back to the direct DAC connection, the sound is leaner and cooler, significantly drier, and tonally less saturated. In other words, it&#8217;s cleaner and more neutral but less <em>inviting<\/em>. It&#8217;s that I know that the C1 isn&#8217;t inherently gray, it&#8217;s actually quite full and saturated as DACs go, but now it sure sounded like it. Especially vocals take on a sense of humanity that is strongly diminished with the DAC-direct route. In addition, the resolution remained all the way up there while the refinement was improved. Listening for longer, I can still appreciate the clean CH delivery with its even more articulate bass and more precise rendition of transients while fortunately still finding my foot bouncing, meaning that the pacing is still intact. But there&#8217;s no denying that the emotional involvement did take a couple of steps back.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-30720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Aries_Cerat_Impera_Ref_IMG_7738_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Aries_Cerat_Impera_Ref_IMG_7738_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Aries_Cerat_Impera_Ref_IMG_7738_550pix-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Aries_Cerat_Impera_Ref_IMG_7738_550pix-380x213.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I&#8217;ve often experienced that you can&#8217;t beat tubes when pure musical involvement and a deep emotional connection are the main objectives. But each and every time that I tried it, I would be ecstatic at first only to be disappointed later, because the bass was simply not as fast, articulate, and incisive as I like it. This is one of the areas in which transistor equipment has so far had the advantage. One could rightfully suspect a preamp like the Impera Reference that employs a Transformer Volume Control followed by a tube stage and a transformer-coupled output to result in a softened and rounded sound. But this preamp simply proves the opposite by actually sounding even more potent and robust than the C1 DAC by itself.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">After hearing the Impera Reference whilst having already pronounced the Incito S the best preamp yet, I had painted myself right into a corner. In comparison, the Incito S was now relatively less magnificent and thus it had to hand the crown to its bigger brother. But at its relatively &#8220;affordable&#8221; price point, the Incito S certainly still offers magnificent performance. It&#8217;s just that if you spend more, it can get even better.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/preamplifier-reviews\/aries-cerat-preamplifiers-compared-incito-s-and-impera-reference\/\">the extensive review<\/a> to find out just how impressed I am with the Impera Reference.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-32290\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7768_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7768_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7768_550pix-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7768_550pix-380x213.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spectral 30SV<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the positive experiences with the Aries Cerat preamplifiers which are both tube preamps, I felt compelled to investigate what the transistor camp would have to offer.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The first solid-state candidate was the Spectral 30SV (24.500 euro), which is one model behind the currently available model 30SV S2. The 30SV was made available for this test by audio buddy Niels, who had previously owned the 30SS. As I noted earlier during a listening session with both models in his Magico Q5 system, the SV has massively improved bass control, solidity, and drive, compared to its predecessor the 30SS. Upon learning that there was a successor, I approached the Dutch distributor to also get the latest 30 SV2 model in for review, but alas, it wasn&#8217;t available.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-32287\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7764_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7764_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7764_550pix-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7764_550pix-380x213.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In my own system, surprisingly, the Spectral 30SV has an overall full tonal balance that is quite similar to the Impera Reference. It&#8217;s liquid, rich, and tonally well-saturated. Some Spectral power amplifiers are known to sound lean but this is most definitely not the case with this preamp, not even when it&#8217;s cold. I should note that after having been allowed to cool off, it does need several hours to achieve its full capacity in terms of speed, tightness, focus, and expression. Before that, it sounds overly sweet and relaxed. But the same is true for many tube products, and the Impera behaves similarly.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-32288\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7769_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7769_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7769_550pix-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7769_550pix-380x213.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Like the Aries Cerat, the Spectral is neither slow nor hurried. The difference is in the bass control where the Spectral is tighter, more incisive, and more precise. The Impera Reference has just as much bass fullness and drive, though, and although it is slightly less precise and articulate, it is just as upbeat and dynamic.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In terms of focus, the two preamps are comparable and the Impera does not beat the Spectral in terms of resolution, transparency, or focus, but it does create a deeper soundstage and it has a more free-breathing overall presentation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When comparing the directly-connected C1 DAC to the DAC via the Spectral preamp, you lose very little in terms of dynamics, detail, transparency, or refinement but the 30SV does add a gentle dose of smoothness and sweetness while the bass gets subtly rounded.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-32289\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7760_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7760_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7760_550pix-150x88.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spectral_DMC-30SV_IMG_7760_550pix-380x223.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So far, this may seem a bit like a head-to-head matter, but even if the overall delivery is relatively similar, the Spectral is still a transistor preamp, and this shows in an almost unconscious manner. In a quick A-B comparison, you&#8217;re likely to be pleasantly surprised and wonder why one should even opt for tubes, but a few moments later, you realize that the transistor preamp also sounds more stilted, less lyrical and magical, and just a little bit more matter of fact. Still, like the two Aries Cerat preamps, the Spectral does certainly improve on the DAC-direct route by injecting the music with a gorgeous fluidity and liquidity, along with super-refined treble.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The preamp&#8217;s most alluring quality is that it sounds liquid and refined and tonally saturated while remaining very neutral. And even if the resolution is impeccable, the Spectral has a gently sweet and forgiving nature. I was certainly very pleasantly surprised by this preamp&#8217;s performance.<\/p>\n<p>Next: CH Precision L1<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">CH Precision L1<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Whereas USA-based Mark Levinson and Krell once ruled the solid-state segment of the market with their massively-built amplifiers, this segment now seems to be dominated by the Swiss. Of particular note is relative newcomer CH Precision, of which I own more components, which makes their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/preamplifier-reviews\/ch-precision-l1-preamplifier\/\">CH L1 preamp<\/a> (31.000 euro) a natural choice.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-32291\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/CH_L1_IMG_8909_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/CH_L1_IMG_8909_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/CH_L1_IMG_8909_550pix-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/CH_L1_IMG_8909_550pix-490x327.jpg 490w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/CH_L1_IMG_8909_550pix-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/CH_L1_IMG_8909_550pix-540x360.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/CH_L1_IMG_8909_550pix-226x150.jpg 226w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/CH_L1_IMG_8909_550pix-380x254.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier experiments with the L1 when I first reviewed it in 2020 yielded superbly tight and precise bass but with less weight to the bottom end than with the DAC direct. In my then-system, this was not ideal. As I know now, the right-hand side window area of my listening room canceled out a lot of bass due to phase issues, effectively making the left speaker responsible for a big chunk of the low frequencies. With this issue addressed via window-stiffening bars and other acoustic measures, my room behaves much more linearly and so it was only fair to give the L1 another go.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rather interestingly, the L1 was the first, and so far only, preamp to not add any softness in the bass or any smoothness anywhere in the frequency range, period. It is relatively a little lean, but like the Spectral 30SV, it does a great job of increasing the refinement and fluidity while actually raising the resolution and increasing the air. In comparison, the C1 DAC by itself (without an analog preamp) sounds dry and a little rough. Indeed, n<span style=\"text-align: justify;\">ow that my room behaves more consistently, the preamp works very well with my system.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22553\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/CH_L1_IMG_8868_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/CH_L1_IMG_8868_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/CH_L1_IMG_8868_550pix-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/CH_L1_IMG_8868_550pix-490x327.jpg 490w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/CH_L1_IMG_8868_550pix-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/CH_L1_IMG_8868_550pix-540x360.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/CH_L1_IMG_8868_550pix-226x150.jpg 226w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/CH_L1_IMG_8868_550pix-380x254.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As one might expect from the Swiss, the L1 is incredibly neutral and I dare say that it is even more transparent and revealing than the Spectral and the Impera Reference. It allows a very easy assessment of cables, accessories, and other connected components, precisely because it adds so little itself. But it&#8217;s not exactly a voluptuous, full-blooded, or otherwise particularly romantic-sounding preamp. It&#8217;s not that it inhibits smoothness, richness, or romance, but it absolutely does not add any of this by itself.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If the objective is to have the sound be as unadulterated as possible, the L1 is the best I&#8217;ve heard so far. And for that reason (as well as its extensive connectivity and configurability), I like it a lot. On the other hand, while the L1 is superbly fluid and refined and it has zero edge or other negative transistor traits, it doesn&#8217;t try to emulate tubes. But should it? In any event, it does not sound as full-bodied and rich as the Spectral, and neither does it provide the real flesh-and-bone, living-and-breathing, in-your-room kind of performance that the Aries Cerat preamps do.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-32292\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Soulution_725_IMG_8025_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Soulution_725_IMG_8025_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Soulution_725_IMG_8025_550pix-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Soulution_725_IMG_8025_550pix-380x213.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Soulution 725<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of course, when you say &#8220;Swiss Amplifiers&#8221;, there is no escaping Soulution. Or Nagra and Dartzeel, for that matter. Alas, I have not yet gained any personal experience with the last two, but I have some experience with Soulution. First, I have heard the 711 power amplifier on many occasions in audio buddy Niels&#8217; setup where I have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/power-amplifier-reviews\/ch-precision-a1-5-compared-to-the-soulution-711\/\">compared it with the CH A1.5<\/a>, and with combined forces (not only metaphorically, but given the amplifier&#8217;s 65KG&#8217;s, physically, as well), I was also able to hear the 711 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/hfa-audio-setup-history-28-speakers-and-amps-oct-2017-dec-2017\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">in my own system<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Having read predominantly raving reports about the Soulution 725 preamp, I was more than curious to hear it for myself. If what I read was true then the 725 should retain all of the C1 DAC&#8217;s body whilst offering impressive dynamics and slam. The main detractor is that at 42.000 for the base model, the 725 is the most expensive preamp in this group. Not that the other preamps in this article are particularly <em>affordable<\/em>&#8230; Although, the 14.200 euro Aries Cerat Incito S does offer great value for money. In any event, when Ray of <a href=\"https:\/\/welcometoplayground.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Welcome To Playground<\/a> offered me the chance to hear the Soulution 725 in my system, I jumped on it!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-32294\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Soulution_725_IMG_8020_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Soulution_725_IMG_8020_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Soulution_725_IMG_8020_550pix-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Soulution_725_IMG_8020_550pix-380x213.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As anticipated, the 725 did indeed turn out to have more robust bass than the CH L1 but it is also a little darker in the treble. My initial impression was that this preamp does indeed do the best job of all preamps in this group to retain the C1 DAC&#8217;s basic character in terms of bass solidity and dynamic posture whilst also offering more fluidity and flow. Upon closer listening, however, I hear that the bass is actually bigger and fuller than with the DAC-direct route, a little bit less tight, and with a slightly lower level of definition. In fact, the 725&#8217;s bass has a lot in common with how I perceive the 711 power amp&#8217;s bass: big and ballsy and very bold but a little lumpy, less nimble\/agile than the CH. In terms of focus, soundstage depth, and soundstage width, there is not much between the three transistor preamps and, well, none of them image quite as widely, or as deeply, as the Impera Reference, or the Incito S, for that matter.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the things the 725 does very well is to lend body and substance to acoustic sounds. Here, the L1 has better transient snap and higher speed but at the expense of some fullness. For instance, with the 725, acoustic guitars possess a deeper tonal body but rounder and less crispy string snap. Both aspects are important factors in making recorded music sound realistic but which is the more important aspect will be a very personal matter.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the whole, the 725 has a modest amount of warmth and a gently relaxed presentation. It is admittedly less articulate and bright than the CH L1 but no less resolute and also very neutral and certainly not rosy, overly rich, or rounded. But neither does it cross over into the rough and square-ish side. The treble is not as silky or as airy as that of the CH or the Spectral but very pure and well defined without being hard. Truthfully, even though one could say that the L1&#8217;s frequency curve seems to be tilted slightly up and the 725&#8217;s curve slightly down (both of which are technically not the case), the overall perception is that both preamps offer technically superb performance with a similarly high degree of neutrality.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-32293\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Soulution_725_IMG_8017_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Soulution_725_IMG_8017_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Soulution_725_IMG_8017_550pix-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Soulution_725_IMG_8017_550pix-380x213.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 725 left me suitably impressed, but not really wowed. Just like the other contenders in this group, it makes my system sound better than with the DAC connected directly with the added benefit of remaining admirably neutral in the process and indeed retaining all of the bass fulness and slam. But ultimately, I felt more compelled by the CH&#8217;s refinement and utter precision and the Spectral&#8217;s fluidity and flow.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">What about brand-matching system synergy? Would that explain why the L1 works better than the 725? While I won&#8217;t rule out that this can be a factor, my personal experience has always been that systems need to be balanced on the whole in a given acoustic situation and that comprising it of same-brand components is no guarantee of ideal sound. In any case, the Spectral also works incredibly well and so do the Aries Cerat preamps. More than anything, though, it is a matter of personal preference.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-32295\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4732_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4732_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4732_550pix-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4732_550pix-490x327.jpg 490w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4732_550pix-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4732_550pix-540x360.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4732_550pix-226x150.jpg 226w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4732_550pix-380x254.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Audio Research Ref5<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For the final preamp, we land back in the tube department with the long-established Audio Research. I tried to get the current Ref6 model in for review, but just like the latest Spectral preamp, it wasn&#8217;t available. In its place, Niels came to the rescue once again by offering to bring his Ref5 along. If you don&#8217;t count the Ref5SE model, the original Ref5 is Audio Research&#8217;s second-last model. But as I already knew <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/power-amplifier-reviews\/zanden8120-3100\">from earlier experience<\/a>, the Ref5 is not to be dismissed. As the built-in hour meter on the front panel display shows, this sample has seen very little use. I forget the precise number but it was only a few hundred hours which means that it should be at its peak performance.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Ref5 offers a truly impressively wide and deep soundstage, larger even than that of the Aries Cerat preamps! Along with this, it offers remarkably high resolution, ultra-airy treble, great fluidity, and immense refinement. This preamp has the kind of explicitness and overall level of detail that one does not normally expect from tubes. Yet, it does not sound cool or cold. Its overall sound leans in the direction of the Spectral, with a very similar level of liveliness and overall dynamic behavior.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-32296\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4730_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4730_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4730_550pix-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4730_550pix-490x327.jpg 490w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4730_550pix-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4730_550pix-540x360.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4730_550pix-226x150.jpg 226w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4730_550pix-380x254.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In spite of having a smooth and gently warm delivery, the Ref5&#8217;s timbre is a little lean (more so than the CH L1) which can lead to it sounding synthetic at times, at least in the context of my system. Likewise, this leanness leaves it lacking solidity and impact at times. While there is a lot to enjoy with the Ref5, I think it&#8217;s fair to say that it is not quite as natural and acoustically convincing as the other contenders.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Just like the other preamps in this group, but more so than the solid-state contenders, the Ref5 helps my system achieve a juicier, more liquid, and more organic performance. The Audio Research works especially well with smooth jazz and soul and singer-songwriter kinds of music as well as loungy electronic music, but contrary to the Aries Cerat Impera Reference, it fares less well with rock music or other music that relies more heavily on rhythm and impact. The main aspect where the Ref5 is lagging behind the others is its pacing\/groove and the overall bass performance.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-32297\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4733_550pix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4733_550pix.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4733_550pix-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4733_550pix-490x327.jpg 490w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4733_550pix-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4733_550pix-540x360.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4733_550pix-226x150.jpg 226w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ARC_Ref5_4X3A4733_550pix-380x254.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">What I really like about the Audio Research preamp is its facilities. It has a multitude of inputs and all the functionality you need, and everything can be controlled from the front panel and its large display or via the remote control. This contrasts starkly with the bare-bones simplicity of the Aries Cerat preamps.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">While the bass attains a high level of articulation once the preamp is fully warmed up (after an hour), the overall balance remains on the sophisticated and airy side and the preamp never quite achieves the impact, drive, fullness, and slam of the Incito S, let alone the Impera Reference.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As this test illustrates, the addition of a preamp has a major effect on the system&#8217;s overall performance. While it can be argued that, firstly, every preamp brings some character of its own to the table, secondarily, tubes and transistors remain different camps, and thirdly, one can have personal preferences with respect to which sonic attributes are most important, each of the contenders proved to be quite transformative for the end result. In most cases, you use an amount of absolute accuracy but in all cases, you gain fluidity, flow, and a more emotional performance. Especially with tube preamplifiers, that latter aspect is not to be underestimated.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As my tests illustrated, a very good preamp will invariably bring advantages. But I should add that, unfortunately, the cost is a factor. This is the big elephant in the room. In all fairness, I can get behind the argument that it is better to use a very good DAC with its built-in volume control, even if it is of the digital kind, than to add an inferior analog preamp to the chain.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This was an exercise in assessing the influence of various preamplifiers in a previously preamp-less system. It was not meant as a preamplifier shootout and as such, I won&#8217;t proclaim a winner. But I hope to have provided enough handles for prospective buyers to be able to decide for themselves.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I guess this was my very long-winded way of saying that, YES, adding a preamp to a digital-source system most definitely has considerable benefits!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/associated-equipment\/\">Associated Equipment<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Videos on the Hifi-Advice YouTube Channel<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/YKD78q60jV0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Aries Cerat Helene and Incito S preview<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3AeTJPTTg2I\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HFA visits Callas Audio<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCoCsuRarwbVqEkTTckZkVrg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HFA YouTube Main Page<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">External Links<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/aries-cerat.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Aries Cerat<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/audioresearch.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Audio Research<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ayonaudio.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ayon<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ch-precision.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CH Precision<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/soulution-audio.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Soulution<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.spectralaudio.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Spectral<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Special Thanks<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ultisone.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ultisone<\/a> (Aries Cerat Distributor for the BeNeLux)<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.callas-audio.nl\/\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/www.callas-audio.nl&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1607815906817000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFzNM_DXxgpuCV3iSVUMr284HJjwA\">Callas-audio<\/a> (Aries Cerat Dealer for the Netherlands)<em><br \/>\n<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/welcometoplayground.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Welcome To Playground<\/a> (First-Class pre-owned High-End Audio equipment)<\/p>\n  <div class=\"related-post grid\">\r\n        <div class=\"headline\">Related Posts<\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"post-list \">\r\n\r\n            <div class=\"item\">\r\n            <div class=\"thumb post_thumb\">\r\n    <a  title=\"Halcro Equinox Preamplifier\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/preamplifier-reviews\/halcro-equinox-preamplifier\/?related_post_from=42592\">\r\n\r\n      <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1071\" 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href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/amplifier-reviews\/preamplifier-reviews\/laiv-harmony-hp2a-and-harmony-lext-in2\/?related_post_from=39384\">\r\n        LAiV Harmony HP2A and Harmony LExt IN2  <\/a>\r\n\r\n        <\/div>\r\n              <div class=\"item\">\r\n            <div class=\"thumb post_thumb\">\r\n    <a  title=\"Wattson Audio Madison and Madison LE\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/spdif-dac-reviews\/wattson-audio-madison-and-madison-le\/?related_post_from=39385\">\r\n\r\n      <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"996\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Wattson_Madison_Madison_LE_4X3A7788_1500pix.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Wattson_Madison_Madison_LE_4X3A7788_1500pix.jpg 1500w, 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https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Wattson_Madison_Madison_LE_4X3A7788_1500pix-640x425.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/>\r\n\r\n    <\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <a class=\"title post_title\"  title=\"Wattson Audio Madison and Madison LE\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/spdif-dac-reviews\/wattson-audio-madison-and-madison-le\/?related_post_from=39385\">\r\n        Wattson Audio Madison and Madison LE  <\/a>\r\n\r\n        <\/div>\r\n      \r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <script>\r\n      <\/script>\r\n  <style>\r\n    .related-post {}\r\n\r\n    .related-post .post-list {\r\n      text-align: center;\r\n          }\r\n\r\n    .related-post .post-list .item {\r\n      margin: 0px;\r\n      padding: 0px;\r\n          }\r\n\r\n    .related-post .headline {\r\n      font-size: 20px !important;\r\n      color: #1e73be !important;\r\n          }\r\n\r\n    .related-post .headline  {\r\nfont-weight: normal !important; \r\n}.related-post .post-list .item .post_thumb {\r\n      max-height: 250px;\r\n      margin: 0px;\r\n      padding: 0px;\r\n      display: block;\r\n          }\r\n\r\n    .related-post .post-list .item .post_title {\r\n      font-size: 16px;\r\n      color: #1e73be;\r\n      margin: 5px;\r\n      padding: 0px;\r\n      display: block;\r\n      text-decoration: none;\r\n          }\r\n\r\n    .related-post .post-list .item .post_excerpt {\r\n      font-size: 13px;\r\n      color: #1e73be;\r\n      margin: 10px 0px;\r\n      padding: 0px;\r\n      display: block;\r\n      text-decoration: none;\r\n          }\r\n\r\n    @media only screen and (min-width: 1024px) {\r\n      .related-post .post-list .item {\r\n        width: 100%;\r\n      }\r\n    }\r\n\r\n    @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px) {\r\n      .related-post .post-list .item {\r\n        width: 100%;\r\n      }\r\n    }\r\n\r\n    @media only screen and (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 767px) {\r\n      .related-post .post-list .item {\r\n        width: 100%;\r\n      }\r\n    }\r\n\r\n      <\/style>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Now that most DACs are equipped with volume control so that they can be connected to a power amp directly, what could there be to gain by switching another component in the signal chain? In other words, when everything on the source end is digital, what is the use of a pure analog preamp? With this article, I hope to shed some light on this quandary.<\/p>\n  <div class=\"related-post grid\">\r\n        <div class=\"headline\">Related Posts<\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"post-list \">\r\n\r\n            <div class=\"item\">\r\n            <div class=\"thumb post_thumb\">\r\n    <a  title=\"LAiV Verse DAC\/headphone AMP\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/spdif-dac-reviews\/laiv-verse-dac-headphone-amp\/?related_post_from=42510\">\r\n\r\n      <img width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/LAiV_Verse_4X3A0469_1500pix.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/LAiV_Verse_4X3A0469_1500pix.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/LAiV_Verse_4X3A0469_1500pix-550x367.jpg 550w, 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srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Musetec-MH-SA001-Pre_MH-DA006-DAC_4X3A9687_1500pix.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Musetec-MH-SA001-Pre_MH-DA006-DAC_4X3A9687_1500pix-550x383.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Musetec-MH-SA001-Pre_MH-DA006-DAC_4X3A9687_1500pix-150x104.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Musetec-MH-SA001-Pre_MH-DA006-DAC_4X3A9687_1500pix-768x535.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Musetec-MH-SA001-Pre_MH-DA006-DAC_4X3A9687_1500pix-380x264.jpg 380w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Musetec-MH-SA001-Pre_MH-DA006-DAC_4X3A9687_1500pix-640x445.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/>\r\n\r\n    <\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <a class=\"title post_title\"  title=\"Musetec MH-DA006 DAC and MH-SA001 Pre-amplifier\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/spdif-dac-reviews\/musetec-mh-da006-dac-and-mh-sa001-pre-amplifier\/?related_post_from=41557\">\r\n        Musetec MH-DA006 DAC and MH-SA001 Pre-amplifier  <\/a>\r\n\r\n        <\/div>\r\n              <div class=\"item\">\r\n            <div class=\"thumb post_thumb\">\r\n    <a  title=\"LAiV Harmony uDAC\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/spdif-dac-reviews\/laiv-harmony-udac\/?related_post_from=40260\">\r\n\r\n      <img width=\"1500\" height=\"986\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Laiv_uDAC_ProductPC-3-_1500pix.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Laiv_uDAC_ProductPC-3-_1500pix.jpg 1500w, 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href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/spdif-dac-reviews\/playback-designs-mpd-8-dream-dac\/?related_post_from=39861\">\r\n        Playback Designs MPD-8 Dream DAC  <\/a>\r\n\r\n        <\/div>\r\n              <div class=\"item\">\r\n            <div class=\"thumb post_thumb\">\r\n    <a  title=\"SW1X DAC III and DAC III Balanced SP\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/spdif-dac-reviews\/sw1x-dac-iii-and-dac-iii-balanced-sp\/?related_post_from=39261\">\r\n\r\n      <img width=\"750\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/SW1X-DACIII-Balanced-SP-Special-Edition-and-DACIII-SPX_4X3A7845_750pix.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/SW1X-DACIII-Balanced-SP-Special-Edition-and-DACIII-SPX_4X3A7845_750pix.jpg 750w, 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href=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/network-player-reviews\/melco-e100a-h80-8tb-audiophile-usb-drive\/?related_post_from=39000\">\r\n\r\n      <img width=\"750\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Melco-E100A-H80-8TB-USB-Drive-4X3A7473_750pix.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Melco-E100A-H80-8TB-USB-Drive-4X3A7473_750pix.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Melco-E100A-H80-8TB-USB-Drive-4X3A7473_750pix-550x367.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Melco-E100A-H80-8TB-USB-Drive-4X3A7473_750pix-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Melco-E100A-H80-8TB-USB-Drive-4X3A7473_750pix-490x327.jpg 490w, 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