PLACETTE REMOTE VOLUME CONTROL RARE XLR MODEL

Read any review of the Placette Remote Volume Control (RVC) or Placette Passive Preamp from the last 15 years. It is amazing that this unpretentious component has garnered almost universal praise from the audiophile press. Everybody likes it. There can be no ulterior motive for all these reviewers to be so enthusiastic. The Placette is not audio jewelry, and there is no particular status attached to it. Since it's sold only factory direct, magazines make no money advertising it, and dealers and distributors have no reason to tout it. There are no ads for it, there is no hype, and there is no economic explanation for it's near universal praise. There is one simple reason for these accolades - it's one of the most pure and transparent components you will ever hear. This is largely due to the exclusive use of expensive Vishay S-102 resistors to passively control volume without limiting dynamics or skewing frequency response. This is a component that does exactly what it claims - no more and no less. You can read all the technical details and reviews on the Placette Audio website. I had the Placette connected to the Processor input of a very well regarded preamp. The Processor input completely bypasses all preamp circuitry and essentially passes the signal through unaltered. This allowed me to listen to the signal via the Placette RVC, or to hear the same signal run through the preamp volume control via another input. (Use an RCA splitter or Y cable if your source has only one output). Over many months I found myself preferring the Placette for serious listening. The preamp, although very good, was no match for the crystaline clarity and transparency of the Placette. There was no downside whatsoever to using it - dynamics were completely uncompressed, and fine detail was revealed in a very clear and natural way. By comparison even the best preamp circuitry will blur and smear details to some extent. I didn't believe it until I heard it, but there it is. If you now have a single source system and don't need a full function preamp, or if you just want to hear what the rest of your components really sound like, I can't recommend the Placette highly enough. As mentioned above, you can even run the Placette through the processor input of your current preamp so you have the option of listening via either active or passive volume control. If you like to compare components and cables, this unit can also be an invaluable tool, because it lets the music shine through without adding or subtracting anything. It is the soul of transparency. I am only selling this unit to upgrade to the Placette Passive Preamp which has the exact same circuit, but with 3 inputs and 2 outputs. I am offering for sale a rare XLR version of the Placette Remote Volume Control. The input and output are via XLR connectors in a true balanced configuration. This unit brand new costs $2000 - double the cost of a Single Ended unit due to the need to use double the number of Vishay resistors. It is a true bargain at half the retail price. It also has a special -6db cut feature which allows you to drop the volume by 6dB with the press of a button on the remote. I have rated it an 8/10 since I am the second owner, but it is in excellent condition both cosmetically and sonically. The unit includes the remote control, and the power cord (which only powers the LEDs that indicate volume level). Don't miss this one. Buyers please add 3% for PayPal.