The Icon Audio Passive is a simple, clean passive line preamplifier for systems in which the sources (CD players, streamers, DACs, tuners or phono stages) have a sufficient output level to drive a power amplifier directly. With no active gain stages, the signal remains as untouched as possible — with no noise or distortion introduced by electronics.
At the heart of the unit is a precise ALPS Blue Velvet potentiometer, a high-quality source switch and silver-plated PTFE wiring with gold-plated sockets. The whole is hand-assembled, point-to-point, with no printed circuit boards, in an alloy-and-steel chassis with a matt-black finish.
The Passive supports 4 line inputs and a tape monitor with a record output. It works best with power amplifiers and monoblocks of 1 V sensitivity or higher. A Passive R variant with a remote control is also available.
| Type | passive line preamplifier |
| Volume control | ALPS Blue Velvet potentiometer |
| Inputs / outputs | 4× line + tape monitor; record output |
| Recommended power-amp sensitivity | from 1 V |
| Wiring / sockets | silver-plated PTFE; gold-plated sockets |
| Dimensions (W × D × H) | 200 × 260 × 90 mm |
A passive line preamplifier — no active stages, no self-noise, an ALPS Blue Velvet potentiometer and hand-wired assembly. The shortest, cleanest signal path.
