Why are they building Preamps without Bass & Treble controls?

[Bill Haywood]

No problemo. I've learned quite a bit over the years on audio forums and perhaps you might too.

Would you clarify what you meant by "bass wide open" in terms of where the knob is set?

On just about all music played the bass control is turned wide open. Treble half way.

 

[Bill Haywood]

On just about all music played the bass control is turned wide open. Treble half way.

I bought this little preamp off EBay years ago and it was a complete mod by VanAlstine. The bass and treble potentiometers are still factory.

 

[Bill Haywood]

I bought this little preamp off EBay years ago and it was a complete mod by VanAlstine. The bass and treble potentiometers are still factory.

I got a Dynaco Pat-5 that Frank did for me just a few years ago that I use on my other system.

 

[grillebilly]

I bought this little preamp off EBay years ago and it was a complete mod by VanAlstine. The bass and treble potentiometers are still factory.

I have a Van Alstine PAS preamp and all the tone controls and balance are by-passed

 

[E-Stat]

On just about all music played the bass control is turned wide open. Treble half way.

Thanks. That's what I thought. Gee, what speakers do you use?

The half way setting is essentially doing nothing. No attenuation. No boost. As is.

I got a Dynaco Pat-5 that Frank did for me just a few years ago that I use on my other system.

I'm familiar with his work. Used an FVA "FET-5" from 1976-1981.

 

[Grenadeslio]

When the tone defeat switch on one of my preamps is depressed, the tone controls are out of the circuit. In that regard, one might say the preamplifier is a "hybrid" - essentially becoming a "tone control-less" unit when so operated.

I defy any living soul to hear a difference when the tone is defeated compared to engaged with EQ controls are set to flat. Variances in recording equalization, on the other hand are easily, and readily audible.

With outboard EQ's, and range expanders its quite easy, the reason I no longer use them.

 

[Grenadeslio]

Thanks. That's what I thought. Gee, what speakers do you use?

The half way setting is essentially doing nothing. No attenuation. No boost. As is.


I'm familiar with his work. Used an FVA "FET-5" from 1976-1981.

I get the feeling the treble 1/2 way means from flat, so half boost. Essentially the poor man's answer to the smiley face on an EQ. Not uncommon in the beginning of this hobby, often with the loudness contour on as well.

 

[ic-racer]

You are stuck with what you get unless you use a equalizer. The designer decides what he thinks sounds best and that’s it. I like the option to make changes. What do you guys think?

I have not seen one, do you have an example.

 

[E-Stat]

I get the feeling the treble 1/2 way means from flat, so half boost.

I guess that depends upon your view of the clock face. With every preamp I've used with a rotary control, twelve o' clock is flat. Midway between cut and boost.

 

[crouse]

I have five band tone controls on my integrated amp and use them. Since my speakers don't go very low on their own, I use the controls to give the bass a little boost. I can bypass the tone controls for a "pure" sound. But you know what, I absolutely cannot tell the difference between the tone controls set at neutral versus when they are bypassed. I also use the balance control when my left ear is acting up. It's funny, but I see a lot of positive views expressed about DSP and some of the same people expressing negative views of tone controls.

 

[131east23]

You are stuck with what you get unless you use a equalizer. The designer decides what he thinks sounds best and that’s it. I like the option to make changes. What do you guys think?

I have zero bass and treble controls in my system and I don't need them.

 

[jazzmans]

You are stuck with what you get unless you use a equalizer. The designer decides what he thinks sounds best and that’s it. I like the option to make changes. What do you guys think?

My main preamp, (Bryston) doesn't have bass or treble controls and I like that just fine.

the two preamps(adcom and apt holman) I have in use that have bass and treble controls I don't use. The adcom is always in 'bypass' mode, so the tone controls aren't part of the circuit.
Its, just another piece in the chain to worry about, especially since my sources are all computers with full software eq's if I want to use them.

I do use the other controls on the apt from time to time, to troubleshoot system issues. It's got some really nifty switches inside, send left to right, sent right to left, send both sum of both channels or send both the difference only in both channels, (that's a rotary dial so quite variable)

 

[Bill Haywood]

Thanks. That's what I thought. Gee, what speakers do you use?

The half way setting is essentially doing nothing. No attenuation. No boost. As is.


I'm familiar with his work. Used an FVA "FET-5" from 1976-1981.

I use Electro voice Regency 15 in woofers EV T-350 tweeters and EV 1823 mid ranges and using the EV X8 and X-36 crossovers.

 

[Bill Haywood]

I use Electro voice Regency 15 in woofers EV T-350 tweeters and EV 1823 mid ranges and using the EV X8 and X-36 crossovers.

With the preamp I am using a Van Alstine Synergy 450 power amp I got from Frank a few years back.

 

[E-Stat]

Alrighty then. Just wouldn't think such would need vast equalization at the bottom.

 

[Bill Haywood]

With the preamp I am using a Van Alstine Synergy 450 power amp I got from Frank a few years back.

This system is used in my shop which is 24x24. It is insulated with plywood walls and concrete floor.

 

[Bill Haywood]

Alrighty then. Just wouldn't think such would need vast equalization at the bottom.

I am using a Emotiva ERC2 CD player which I like. Got a nice Dac a few years ago and really see not much improvement.

 

[Bill Haywood]

I am using a Emotiva ERC2 CD player which I like. Got a nice Dac a few years ago and really see not much improvement.

I guess the Emotiva has a dac built in so probably don’t need it.

 

[Bill Haywood]

I have a Van Alstine PAS preamp and all the tone controls and balance are by-passed

I think that everything Frank does has no tone controls.

 

[Grenadeslio]

I guess that depends upon your view of the clock face. With every preamp I've used with a rotary control, twelve o' clock is flat. Midway between cut and boost.

Agreed, but I think he's referring to half way meaning 1/2 boost, vs wide open as with the bass. Of course I could be wrong but that's the way I understood his comment.