2. amps-preamps
  3. 1217006569

Can a preamp's gain be lowered?

I'd like to lower the gain of an AE-3 DJH preamp to something in the neighborhood of 10 dB. Is it possible to do this without adversely affecting the sound?

My ASL amps have an input sensitivity of 1.0 v. I want to have good volume control over low listening levels. I'm afraid any preamp with more than 10 dB will force me to stay under 9 o'clock on the volume knob.
mingles
mingles OP
800 posts
 
I just bought a pair of Rothwell attenuators with -10 dB which is perfect for my situation. I think it's the right thing to do given that I can change the attenuation myself at any point in time. Thanks again, Mark
1markr
594 posts
 
Mboldda1, I recently bought the Goldenjack attenuators from Iain in the UK (the -14dB version), and they allowed me to do away with my preamp and the set of ICs. They are very transparent, and allowed me to maximize the use of my DACT attenuator on my CDP. Highly recommended!
minivini
2 posts
 

Dang - talk about a dead thread that’s still relevant!! I’ve had the AE3 in my system now for about two months, and the gain is my only complaint. My “loud” or “reference level” listening occurs at around the 9 o’clock volume position. It still manages to be dead silent in the background, but I do need the ability to better fine tune the volume. Going to check first the Goldpoint info. Forsaking that, I’m soon going to swap the capacitors for some high end Jupiters. Maybe I’ll look into adding a few resistors while I’m poking around in there. 

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