[efhjr]

I'd like to hear from 2-channel folks who use a PLC-1 with tube amps. I have two McIntosh MC30s and one Dynaco ST70 and I'm curious to know how they'd behave with the PLC-1.

My current preamp is tubed -- a JuicyMusic Peach -- but I'm thinking about a switch to solid-state. There's only so much hum a guy can take .

[efhjr]

Wow, not a single reply. I guess everyone's driving a PLC-1 with solid-state or tube amps.

[CSI]

Well, this is a month late but thought I'd chance a reply since you were being ignored. I no longer own my PLC-1 (went back to an active Pre) but I used it with both tube and SS amps and had no problems. The issue is one of impedance. If the impedance of the amp is sufficiently high and the output of the source component is low enough (and the source component has enough drive) then it should be just fine. All the PLC-1 does is pass the signal along. It will attenuate it for you (volume down) or you can turn it up to the full level the source can provide (volume all the way up). But a passive preamp cannot "drive" a power amp. All the drive comes from the CD player or other source.

[CIAudio]

To clarify what CSI wrote...
The source drives the load.
The load being driven is the amplifiers input impedance in parallel with the 10k potentiometer.
Typical output impedance for sources is around 100 ohms for solid state and 600 ohms for tube.
Some solid state amplifiers have low input impedance (under 20k ohms) and are not a good match.
Most are 47k or higher and not a problem.
Tube amplifiers usually have 100k or higher input impedance and work great with passives.

[Jeff Ward]

I'm using a PLC-1 with a hybrid Van Alstine 550EXR (tube front end) and it works fine.

[efhjr]

Thanks for the replies, folks.

My Peach is currently on its creator's bench to get its hum problem solved. But the PLC-1 is still very high on my list of replacement preamps.

[CSI]

In regards to Dusty's clarification, thanks. I want to hasten to add that did not sell my PLC-1 because I thought it was doing anything wrong. It is completely transparent and does a perfect job of getting out of the way, in my opinion. I recommend it highly. I went back to an active preamp for the added features, primarily an on-board phono section, since I am easing back into vinyl after all these years. I could have added an external phono preamp, of course, but I really prefer to keep everything on a single chassis.