kingdombuildingconHi, your Rogue ST100 has an input impedance of 200kohms with an input sensitivity of just 1v in for full output.
These ST100 specs makes it a great candidate for a passive volume control, which will be the most transparent/dynamic way of getting your music from the source to the ST100.
Before you spend big bucks on an active preamp you should give this a go.
This a great value for a passive just $49 and you can return it if you wish.
http://schiit.com/products/sys
A Quote from the master Nelson Pass
Nelson Pass,
We’ve got lots of gain in our electronics. More gain than some of us need or want. At least 10 db more.
Think of it this way: If you are running your volume control down around 9 o’clock, you are actually throwing away signal level so that a subsequent gain stage can make it back up.
Routinely DIYers opt to make themselves a “passive preamp” - just an input selector and a volume control.
What could be better? Hardly any noise or distortion added by these simple passive parts. No feedback, no worrying about what type of capacitors – just musical perfection.
And yet there are guys out there who don’t care for the result. “It sucks the life out of the music”, is a commonly heard refrain (really - I’m being serious here!). Maybe they are reacting psychologically to the need to turn the volume control up compared to an active preamp.
Cheers George