Attenuator recommendations

Why do you think you need one? What are the "issues?"

XLR and RCA? Please clarify, it is usually one or the other.

Thanks for the clarification.

This is not the case with my current preamp but I have now auditioned two different (tube) preamps which both had this same extreme volume issue.

You can't just randomly insert componenets in your system, no matter how fine they may be in other systems, and expect them to work in yours. Any change you make has to be with the entire system in mind.

Those other 2 preamps are simply not compatible with your current system unless they have provisions for lowering their gain. I don't see the sense of introducing a preamp that has more gain than your system needs and then trying to compensate with attenuators. If you are set on the rest of your components then you just need to audition preamps that have the proper amount of gain for your "system."

Tboooe, gain is gain no matter what the maximum output is so that would not be the issue. Input voltage times gain = output voltage.

However, the stated gain is with the volume control all the way up. The taper of the volume control is usually not linear and may be different for the 2 preamps. For instance, one preamp with the volume control halfway up could be near full volume and the other one only at half volume.

Tony, an attenuator can indeed by made with a single resistor in series with the input. As you conjectured the input impedance of the amp is the other resistor in the divider.

Although I would prefer not using one if I don’t have to, I’m not as dead set against using an attenuator as some. After all, the volume control is simply an adjustable attenuator. In most cases I would use one at the input of the preamp though instead of the input to the amp. The signal from CD into pre is much hotter than from pre into amp, the input impedance of the pre is usually much higher than the input impedance of the amp, and Pass amps are among the lowest. If you find a pre you really like any competent tech should be able to pad the gain either at the input or at the volume control.

The answer is obvious.

YOU HAVE TOO MUCH GAIN !!!!!!!

Please provide your address and I will come over and beat you over the head with the "you have too much gain" stick.

The overall gain of the components you have chosen is too high for your speakers.

You need to choose components that are a better match for your speakers or get speakers that are less efficient.

It is a system. I hate to be rude but you seem to have trouble grasping that concept.

Ok, I have chilled out. I guess I haven't been very clear in my responses. Downunder has said it best and I will try his approach.

The stated gain of the preamp is the gain with the volume control all the way up. You never use it this way so the maximum gain doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if you put in a preamp with 1,000 dB of gain. I should not have said you have too much gain. I should have said that your amp already has enough gain to drive your speakers to uncomfortable levels.

In your sytem the output level of the preamp is less than the output level of the CD player. In other words, the preamp is always attenuating the signal.

You don't need a pre amplifier, you need a pre attenuator.

The problem is not the maximum gain of the preamps, it is that the amount of attenuation is not enough.