|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
83.79.21.205
I just bought (again) an SP8 and I am very pleased by it's overall sonic performance - as before. Why did I sell it???The only thing that bothers me is that the output voltage is so high that I can't realy use the volume in a subtle way. My ARC D70 needs 0.85 volt for full output power and even an adujustable 2.5 volt unit does not do a lot better.
I read in the manual that it can be internally switched to a minus 6 db gain by experienced technician (which I am not). Did anyone of you reading this do this or did hear of this and it's sonic result? I somewhere heard that this increases the feedback and some people do not like this?
I am lookng forward to hearing from you.
Follow Ups:
Did it just this past Saturday to my LS-1. Even with the schematic in the manual I couldn't find the trace that needed to de-soldered. A friend was able to uncover it with some resistor measurements (it was buried under a solder blob).My very efficient speakers and sensitive amp had the volume max'd at about 9 o'clock. Now I can use the volume control up to 12 o'clock and a little more.
Very slight degradation in imaging out-weighed by much better dynamics and channel tracking. The gain control is just an Alps Blue, after all.
Overall, I no longer feel the need to replace the Alps with a TKD, which would be too big anyway, and the change is easily reversible.
I reduced the gain of my ARC LS7 by 6 dB and my Quicksilver LSP by 9 dB.
In both cases I contacted the manufacturers first to find out which feedback voltage divider resistor to change. I could have done it myself, but I did not have schematics. There is the sonic "penalty" of increased feedback, which is the result of decreasing the gain. Whether you will notice any sonic difference depends upon how good your ears are! In most cases, increased feedback also reduces distortion. That's either good or bad.
You'll find that a 6 dB gain reduction is usually not enough if you want to use more of the volume control's range. A 6 dB reduction in gain will give you approximately 2 more "clicks".
Using the volume control at the bottom of its range like you are is also bad because it is the range where tracking between channels is at its worst. I have my Quicksilver at a range now where I'm at about 10:00 for normal cd listening and about 11:00 for phono with 60 dB applied by my Sutherland Ph3D.
When I reduced the gain of my LS7 by 6 dB it was not nearly enough, but I sold it before I could reduce it to the 9 dB total which is all anybody needs today.
I've reduced the gain of many a power amp too. Especially those with ridiculous gain of much higher than 26 dB. I happen to think 23 dB is more like it.
doggy
HI,
Call ARC and I'm sure they will give the necessary information. However, based on your post, I don't think you are qualified to do the work. Find somebody who is and you will be happy for the rest of your life (maybe!!).
Thank you very much Sparky,my experience with ARC in the past has been very good and they advice very well. However, I was looking for (sonic) experience from people who have done it.
Anyone out there who has done this transformation.
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: