preamp for adcom 535 II

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

On the advice of some RAP'ers i'm getting an adcom 535II for my LS3/5A's to
use as studio monitors. After doing some research it looks like I'm going to
need a preamp as well, is this correct? If so, can anyone recommend a good
preamp to "match" the 535II or possibly a 545II? Budget is tiny (<$100 used)
Thanks!

--

Jonny Durango

"Patrick was a saint. I ain't."

http://www.jdurango.com

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

> > After doing some research it looks like I'm going to
> > need a preamp as well, is this correct?
>
> Probably not, unless you're going to be playing vinyl.
>

Actually I will be playing SOME vinyl but I'd rather not spend $100 to play
records on my $20 turntable every so often....maybe I can rig something up
with my mic pre (RNP) and an A/B box or run it through my Mackie 1604 if
need be.

>
> > preamp to "match" the 535II or possibly a 545II?
>
> Which is it? The 535II is a much better sounding amp IMO.

Yeah, I've heard that the 535II is generally better, especially for my lower
wattage LS3/5A's (it's cheaper also)....so I will go with the 535II

--

Jonny Durango

"Patrick was a saint. I ain't."

http://www.jdurango.com



"Kurt Albershardt" <kurt@nv.net> wrote in message
news:35bpvkF4iohmiU1@individual.net...
> Jonny Durango wrote:
> > On the advice of some RAP'ers i'm getting an adcom 535II for my LS3/5A's
to
> > use as studio monitors.
>
> It's a great little amp.
>
>
>
> > After doing some research it looks like I'm going to
> > need a preamp as well, is this correct?
>
> Probably not, unless you're going to be playing vinyl.
>
>
>
>
> > preamp to "match" the 535II or possibly a 545II?
>
> Which is it? The 535II is a much better sounding amp IMO.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

"Jonny Durango" <jonnybush_from_officedurango1@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:BMCdnbKNJ94HIm3cRVn-hw@comcast.com...
> > > After doing some research it looks like I'm going to
> > > need a preamp as well, is this correct?
> >
> > Probably not, unless you're going to be playing vinyl.
> >
>
> Actually I will be playing SOME vinyl but I'd rather not spend $100 to
play
> records on my $20 turntable every so often....maybe I can rig something up
> with my mic pre (RNP) and an A/B box or run it through my Mackie 1604 if
> need be.

Probably not. Phono signals need to have RIAA equalization applied, which
the RNP won't do, and phono cartridges (well, moving-magnet ones) need to be
loaded by 47k, which is higher than the RNP supplies. Go buy a phono preamp,
or a hi-fi receiver, on ebay.

If your recording rig has a level control on it, though, you don't need a
preamp for your recording work.

Peace,
Paul

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

wouldn't a passive volume control just allow you to reduce the signal,
whereas the whole point of a preamp is to boost the signal to line level? If
I want a passive volume control I'll just wire up an inline variable
resistor.

--

Jonny Durango

"Patrick was a saint. I ain't."

http://www.jdurango.com



"Henri Minette" <hgminette@locklaw.com> wrote in message
news:41f18884$0$248$a1866201@visi.com...
> The NHT PVC (passive volume control) is a nice little device. They do
show
> up on e-bay every so often - I've bought 2 of them that way. I think you
> can buy them direct from NHT for $99 or so.
>
>
> "Mike Rivers" <mrivers@d-and-d.com> wrote in message
> news:znr1106317773k@trad...
> >
> > In article <dqSdnUcajq4OLW3cRVn-sQ@comcast.com>
> jonnybush_from_officedurango1@comcast.net writes:
> >
> > > On the advice of some RAP'ers i'm getting an adcom 535II for my
LS3/5A's
> to
> > > use as studio monitors. After doing some research it looks like I'm
> going to
> > > need a preamp as well, is this correct?
> >
> > No, but a class of device has emerged due to the situation making
> > you think you need a preamp. They're usually called "monitor
> > controllers" and can be as simple as a volume control in a box (with
> > proper input and output connectors) such as the $100 ballpark NHT and
> > A-Design or as sophisticated as the Crane Song Avonet for several
> > thousand dollars. Usually these devices include input source switching
> > and often switching for different monitors as well as other assorted
> > (to the manufacturer's tastes, dreams, and price point) goodies such
> > as metering, talkback, phono preamp, switching for both powered and
> > passive monitors, digital inputs, and so on.
> >
> > If you're only able to spend $100, if a volume control is all you
> > need, look at the NHT or A-Designs. If you want more switching, look
> > at the Samson C-Control. The volume controls are fully passive and
> > won't do anything but change the volume. Most of the multi-function
> > controllers have some active circuitry in the signal path, for worse
> > or not-so-worse.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > I'm really Mike Rivers - (mrivers@d-and-d.com)
> > However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
> > lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
> > you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
> > and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo
>
>

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

"Jonny Durango" <jonnybush_from_officedurango1@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:F8OdnQOag-tXUW_cRVn-rg@comcast.com...
> > Right. Let's backtrack:
>
> good call...here's what I envision
>
> Delta 66 soundcard >---|'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''|
> CD player >------------| Mackie 1604 | ---> (preamp?) > 535II > limiter >
> LS3/5A's
> Record player >--------|;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;|
>
>
> the limiter is there to protect the speakers from from my dumb ass....I
hear
> that is really easy to blow up a pair of ls3/5a's, possibly while drunk =)

Okay, but limiters work on line-level signals, not speaker-level signals, so
it should really go at the input of the 535, not the output. Unless you use
the old trick of putting a light-bulb in series with the speakers...which
you probably don't really want to do with LS3/5a's, drunk or otherwise.

As for eliminating the Mackie from the equation, yeah, do it. Folks have
mentioned a passive preamp on this thread, really just a selector switch
with a level control, and that's what I'd recommend.

Peace,
Paul