Re: do all pre-amps sound the same?

On Sun, 30 Mar 2008 14:43:09 -0700, Serge Auckland wrote
(in article <fsp1hd02u4a@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>):

> "Steve" <goldstarsteve@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
> news:fso76701j74@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> Hi
>> 
>> It occurs to me that all the arguments here about amps sounding the
>> same refer to power amps not pre amps, come to think of it all the
>> articles I have seen on this topic refer to power amps too. I am
>> interested has anyone tried this on pre-amps? Or on integrated amps
>> which combine the two?
>> 
>> Steve
> 
> The issue of all amplifiers sounding the same is one of thresholds of 
> hearing. All modern electronics, unless specifically designed to be so,
will 
> have an essentially flat frequency response, low distortion in all its
forms 
> and low noise. As these are well below the threshold of audibility, it 
> follows that all electronics will sound the same once level matched and
used 
> within their design parameters. This will apply even more to pre-amps
which 
> by their very nature have an easier task than power amps.
> 
> The sole proviso to the above is the RIAA equalisation and cartridge
loading 
> that some pre-amps still provide if they have phono inputs. The RIAA 
> accuracy will determine the overall phono frequency response, and the 
> cartridge loading will determine how the cartridge performs.
Consequently, I 
> would expect that if there are any differences when levels are
accurately 
> matched and under suitably blind conditions, then it is most likely due
to 
> the RIAA eq or cartridge.
> 
> S.
> 
> 

That's a reasonable assumption.