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68.6.90.104
I'm driving KEF Reference 107/2 mains (90 dB sensitivity) with Proceed HPA amps (500 watts/channel into 4 Ωs). The volume settings needed for my Parasound JC-2 and Oppo BDP-105 are rather low. I wonder if I should be using in-line attenuation, and if so, does it matter whether the attenuators are at the preamp output or amp input. The surrounds are KEF 102s, and they may need to be padded as well.
Stereo from the Oppo goes through the JC-2 bypass; surround goes directly to amps. The other sources are an Ayre C-5xeMP and a JC-3 phono stage. Audio quality seems superb even at the low volume settings.
db
Follow Ups:
Why not just set the L & R gain controls on the JC2 down a bit? They are in-line attenuators you've already got.
And having the volume control near the bottom of its range is not a problem, unless you find that a tiny volume control change makes a huge volume difference. Those electrons don't care where the wiper on the volume pot is. The only problem that you might have is if the gain-staging mismatch is so extreme that you have to keep the volume pot very close to its extreme low position. If that's the case you may find that channel balance is hard to maintain, as some volume pots don't track the two channels equally at their extreme near-off end. But if that's the case, you've for those other pots (L & R gain) to use.
WW
"A man need merely light the filaments of his receiving set and the world's greatest artists will perform for him." Alfred N. Goldsmith, RCA, 1922
If you decide to give them a try you should put them in line on the source component that needs reduced gain. BTW: Harrison Labs makes some inexpensive ones sold at Parts Express,with different gain reduction,3db,6db and 12db.You can return them if they don't work out!
The only reason to add attenuation is to cure a specific problem. For example, if you are having difficulty controlling volume because a stepped attenuator does not have fine enough gradation of steps at lower volume settings, then an in-line attenuator may help. If you have noise problems where the noise remains the same regardless of volume setting, then an attenuator will reduce the noise. But, as the other post by PAR noted, this help will come at the cost of sonic degradation.
There is no audible noise even within a couple of inches of the speaker. The volume is a little quick to jump with the JC-2 remote but not with the Logitech Harmony One and manual control can be finely regulated. I had been thinking about buying a pricy (around $400) Goldpoint SA1 that's claimed to be acoustically transparent, but maybe I should save my money.
db
I can only say that from my experience in-line attenuation has serious negative impact on the sound. Particularly affected are small dynamic changes - the things that make performances live and breathe.
I am not alone in this opinion and if you search the archives you will find large amounts of support for this view ( also found on other audiophile websites).
Far better just to turn down the volume control on your preamp even if it ends up in an awkward position i.e just past 6 o'clock. Yes I am taking account of the fact that the channel tracking may not be best at that level - a small price to pay.
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