Hello, I'm really thinking of going Passive and the LDR3 looks like the perfect preamp. My goal is total noise free, black background. I just purchased a great deal (discontinued--stock still exists) on a new NuForce STA200 class a/b power amp. This amp blows me away on my system. Anyway, I am running ZU omen Defs (ii) which are quite sensitive (101db, plus super tweeter). I hear a slight hiss with sizzle noise (very faint) thru speakers. I took my Peachtree NOVA PRE out of the system and tried my Oppo direct to amp (switched volume to variable) and tried the Bluesound NODE 2 streamer direct (switched volume to variable) and everything was dead quite. On the Nova pre, I bypassed the "gimmicky" tube and the noise was still there. So it seems the noise is coming from the Peachtree. To be honest, the noise is so faint, i only hear up close. However, I know it's there now...so I might as well address as I continue to upgrade my system.
The Schiit Freya seems to have some noise issues as well for some users. Channel Islands preamp looks nice.
Just curious from Tortuga users, is the LDR3 dead quiet?