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Like any other component, a passive can be a poor choice on interface performance based on sonic outcome more than electrical problems. Say you fancied a farfield-type mix where reflected sound dominates direct sound. Tone will be thickened by greater acoustic reverb whilst transients soften. These are two specific attributes which actives can emphasize particularly when they're valve-based. If that's what you want, shifting the mix as though you were closer to stage where leading edges bite and hall sound overlay hasn't yet kicked in could seem too lean and incisive. Conversely, should your sound strike you as somewhat bloated and ponderous now, the quickening action of a good passive might bleed out the fat to seal the deal. Ditto micro versus macro dynamics. Passives can enjoy an advantage in the micro area ruled by tiny modulations of air speed or finger pressure where they track greater gradations. Actives can pull ahead on more massive voltage swings. Passives also tend to major on very low noise floors and exploded treble because they don't roll off the top like so many actives do. They often are more articulate and informative in the bass if not as weighty.
Dual-mono version for built-in balance though the absence of markers should be exasperating. For obvious reasons this dual-mono scheme also eliminates the remote option.
In my review of the ModWright-modified 5-tube Oppo BDP 105 universal deck, I'd said this: "In all honesty though I still wished for more crackle, pop and snap. A faster uptake on the leading edge if you will. More champer's bubbles and airiness. Realizing I'd not get that from these particular ancillaries, it was time to clean house on the amp/speaker front. Out came ModWright and Aries Cerat, in moved my FirstWatt SIT1 monos and the soundkaos Wave 40 augmented by Zu's colossal Submission sub. These more aspirated 93dB widebanders and quick revving lucid-mode SITs moved the attack/sustain/decay meter needle to the left. Instead of pegging it halfway between sustain and decay, it now sat more or less at central sustain. And this reintroduced sufficient transient speed and with it a keener sense of articulation. It was a reminder that system tuning is like cooking. Season to taste. While I ultimately like my needle still a bit farther to the left—that's why I adore Anthony Gallo's Strada 2, Cees Ruijtenberg's Metrum Hex and why I've unapologetically sold off all my valve amps—I now was perfectly tickled with the Oppo. I had the depth of field, image lock and wide-open panorama I favor and the super-important ability to play quieter than before without having things congeal prematurely."
Balanced version with input selector.
If you like your needle slightly or a lot forward of center, a passive preamp could really suit. If you've got thin-paper 100dB widebanders like AER, Lowther or Rethm which epitomize a dry ultra-fast onstage mix, a passive could add up to too much blister, not enough substance. Either way avoid long interconnects. Since I need 6 meters to bridge my sidewall source stack and front-wall amp rack, the Khozmo would go with the amps and let the Metrum Hex or AURALiC Vega converters drive the long interconnect.


But first a closer look at the Polish box and its mechanics. At right is an older Khozmo pot executed with small surface-mount resistors. The wiper is a lot broader than the individual contact patches. This demonstrates the make-before-break principle discussed earlier and the obvious physical action which hopefully occurs without any clicking or popping noises.


At this juncture I got invited to hear Trafomatic's latest one-up battery-powered D3a-based Nona phono stage with IT passive RIAA. A year ago my friend Dan had taken delivery of Sasa's custom Tara 10Y linestage. In it Sasa had installed Khozmo's then €400 top attenuator with VAT, customs and shipping to Serbia. With his digital sources Dan didn't use his Tara much above 12:00. With his new low-output Nona he could well exceed 3:00. Here the Khozmo over 100dB Voxativs exhibited terrible scratching with nasty switching transients. This sobering experience prompted googling on the subject of DIYers and Khozmo attenuators where I now chanced upon numerous reports of these units being noisy upon delivery or becoming so over time.


One common problem with reviews is that professional conduct demands prompt turnarounds and returns of loaners. That means that potential long-term issues and parts failures tend to not show up during our time with them. In this instance Dan's Khozmo pot had gone bad within a year. I'd heard the results to transcend hearsay. To be fair, his was a round unit with SMD resistors. Khozmo has since discontinued them. My passive would have the new square attenuator with thru-hole resistors to possibly write a new chapter though one would expect the mechanics to be similar or identical. By now more than two months had passed since Arek had first solicited me for review. Yet neither had his loaner arrived nor had I gotten one single email explaining the delay to update me on status. I'd decided to sit this one out quietly to learn just how long Khozmo would let their incommunicado state slide. By the middle of June I finally caved in. I sent the man an email reminding him of his commitment. If I'd been a paying customer waiting for merchandise, I'd be very upset by now. Even an illness or accident didn't completely excuse a complete lack of communication. Surely someone could be instructed to notify waiting clients? Was our man in a coma? Had the entire email infrastructure of his country gone down?

"Sorry for no answer but I had in fact problems with my health so Im happy I can walk again. I have your preamp almost ready and will ship tomorrow with UPS. I had to send items first to paying customers but I know I'm not a good business man. Yes I did have some quality problems in the past but now the design is much improved. I use double wipers and gold contacts." If Arek brushed up on his communication skills to keep waiting customers up to date, most who deal with a small maker would likely forgive delays in exchange for high value.