Fore Play III , PS DLIII and Spec 4 can this work?

[vuntruong]

Hi guys,

I wanted to get a fore play III, but I am concern that it will be hard to incorporate it into my system.  I have PS audio DLIII Dac (i believe RCA signal out is 1.5 volts) and an old pioneer spec4 power amp.  Do you think a Tube preamp will play nice with the solid state amp.

 

[Doc B]

Sure, we have a lot of customers who use the Foreplay III with a solid state amp.

 

[Paul Joppa]

Sweet! I just did a quick search, and I see the Spec 4 has level controls, so you can adjust the gain budget to optimize the noise performance. Should give impressive performance.

 

[Grainger49]

The FP III has the ability to pad each input to fit your system.  On page 24 of the manual it tells how to adjust the preamp so it will allow you to use most of the volume control.

The only thing that might need to be done as well is to pad the input of your amplifier if it has a "hair trigger."  Some, but not all, solid state amplifiers go to maximum power with a very small signal.  Such high gain amps need two resistors for each channel to keep the noise floor back down where it belongs.

 

[Paul Joppa]

... Such high gain amps need two resistors for each channel to keep the noise floor back down where it belongs.

Or the input level control if there is one, as on the OP's amp.

 

[Grainger49]

I didn't know it had a volume/level control.

 

[STURMJ]

I use a PS DLIII with my FPIII,  with no problems.

 

[vuntruong]

Sweet, Thanks guys. 
I guess extended foreplay III would be the right preamp. 
I will get to the foreplay III when I have time.  I am currently focusing all my spare time into fixing my newly acquired kenwood 600.  I also Saw you guys are building a new DAC.  Is it going to be DIY kit? or finished product?  Oh, I need more time.

 

[vuntruong]

OH Hell no!  Just when i made up my mind on the foreplay III, you guys decided to make me wait on a Tube Dac, and now the Crack.  Hmm,  dumb questions here.  If you guys, or when you guys release the DAC (tube i'm guessing) what is the point of the foreplay III if all my music comes from a digital source.  It just doesn't sounds right to pass the music through a tube dac--->tube preamp--->amp.  It just seems too Tubeee.  Correct me if i am wrong.  i am new at this. 

 

[Paul Birkeland]

The output impedance of the Tube DAC is likely to be fairly high (~4k)  I know the buffer circuit is still in the works, so there may end up being changes that massage that number around a bit.

The Foreplay has an output impedance around 600 ohms, so you can not only drive longer cables between amp and preamp, but you can also drive an amplifier with low output impedance. 

Just so you aren't super worried, the crack is not a preamp