Solid State Preamp Reviews

"...but you can't please all of the people all of the time." We'll admit we've had some complaints on the spring-loaded monitor switch—and some of the language has been a bit colorful—but if that's our most grievous error in 14 years, we don't feel too badly. For normal tape listening, of course, the selector switch rather than the monitor switch selects the same back-panel tape inputs. (This facility is not provided on other preamps that have a tape monitor switch.) We feel the arrangement on the PAT-4 is a logical one for most users, who play tapes more often than they record them. For those to whom the monitor function is important. we can supply the non-spring-loaded switch, as the Stereophile mentions.

The PAT-4 does incorporate a below-20Hz rolloff on the phono input to reduce potential rumble and acoustic feedback problems with solid-state amplifiers capable of delivering high powers at subsonic frequencies, and to eliminate transistor "flicker noise." It is one of the prices of "solid state progress" which was unnecessary in the days of tubes, but we do not see how this sub-bass rolloff could be audible, since there is probably no musical content below 30 Hz on any phono graph recordings. One reason why the PAS-3x is still available is because, in some subtle way, it does sound different, but we have no test data that would account for this difference.

As to the tone control action, we feel the advantages of this design outweigh its disadvantages. The tone control action is actually no different from that of the PAS-3x, but since it is concentrated in a smaller arc of rotation, it may seem more abrupt. The newer control system (as used in the PAS-3x and PAT-4) is, as the reviewer appreciates, flat in the center position, and it makes the unit independent of its load so that it will function equally well feeding either a tube or transistor amplifier.

As the PAT-4 manual states, if the high-level phono input is ever needed, Dynaco will supply information and parts for a minor change to assure optimum equalization (at the expense of altering the low-level input). So far, we have had only 3 or 4 such requests. The excessive noise level noted by the reviewer is most likely caused by a noisy front-end transistor, which should be replaced, though the noise will necessarily be more apparent on the high-level phono input because of the higher-impedance circuitry there. As the reviewer mentions, there are no currently made phono cartridges that can overload the low-level input, so there is practically no need for the high-level input anyway. It is included solely in the event that any future cartridges will require it.

Sound quality, though, is what makes "high fidelity," if not The Ultimate preamp. That's why the PAT-4 has succeeded in pleasing most of the people all of the time and all of the people most of the time.