Mismatched preamp and CD player?

Too much system gain!
Get rid of the active preamp, and get one of these for $49.
http://schiit.com/products/sys
You can still use the tuner, just come out of the tape out into the Schiit Sys passive preamp. Your system may very well sound better with it.

Cheers George

You can try these in line attenuators. If they don’t do the job you can return them.

http://www.parts-express.com/harrison-labs-12-db-rca-line-level-audio-attenuator-pair--266-244

George, 

Thanks for the quick response.  Looks like the right solution, but I need some education if you can.

What is likely causing too much system gain?  This gear has been used together before (not the MMGs but other Maggies) and I don't recall the problem.

With the SYS, it looks like I can use both CD players (the Denon is a 5 CD player for lazy listening).  If I only use one of the CD players (the XCD-88) could I somehow use the phono stage of the Adcom GTP-500?

Thanks again

Dan

Yogiboy,

Thanks for the solution. Do those go between the CD player and the preamp or between preamp and amp?


Dan

I would place them between the CD player and the preamp. BTW, I use an attenuator between my tuner and preamp to tone down the volume. Give them a shot. Like I said, you can always return them if they don’t do the job.

Sounds like too much gain in your system- OP.

jafant - That seems to be the consensus, but I don’t understand why? This same gear has driven Magnepan 3.6s (10years ago) and I don’t recall the issue coming up.

George - I don't suppose placing the SYS between the CD players and the Adcom preamp would address the problem and allow me to use the phono stage of the preamp for a turntable?

could I somehow use the phono stage of the Adcom GTP-500?

Yes just switch to it from the tuner, still the tape out goes into one of  SYS inputs 

Cheers George

georgelofi has the best low cost solution.

" What is likely causing too much system gain?  This gear has been used together before (not the MMGs but other Maggies) and I don't recall the problem."

Its not that any one component has too much gain as a design flaw, you just have to be careful when you match components. In your case, the 3.6's are a much more difficult load to drive than the MMG's. Your line level amps needed to deliver a lot more power to your power amp to get the same volume out of the 3.6's than your MMG's. This makes the volume control much more sensitive.

It's also worth noting that there is more than one way to fix this issue. If you know what you're doing, swapping out any one component can fix it. For you, that's not a practical solution, so that's why a passive volume control was recommended. In your case, this can also lead to a substantial increase in sound quality by eliminating your active line stage (the GTP-500). Doing this should help with whatever brightness issue you have, that still remains after the speaker are broken in.

The Denon DCM-280 has a variable output. Just turn it's volume down to allow the Adcom preamp's volume control to go higher and not be extremely loud.

Thanks to all of you for your patience and knowledge.

So let's see if I have this right.

Onix XCD-88 goes into one of the two inputs on the SYS.  The tape out on the Adcom preamp goes into the other input on the SYS.  The output of the SYS goes to the Adcom amp?  Can the SYS sit on top of the amp as the preamp was originally designed to do?

If I decide to add a turntable, the turntable goes into the phono section of the preamp.  Will selecting tape out on the preamp send the phono output to the SYS and then onto the amp?

" Onix XCD-88 goes into one of the two inputs on the SYS.  The tape out on the Adcom preamp goes into the other input on the SYS.  The output of the SYS goes to the Adcom amp?  Can the SYS sit on top of the amp as the preamp was originally designed to do?"

Yes. Just think of the SYS as a 2 input preamp. Its just passive and doesn't process or amplify the signal in any way.

" If I decide to add a turntable, the turntable goes into the phono section of the preamp.  Will selecting tape out on the preamp send the phono output to the SYS and then onto the amp? "

Yes again. But as a future upgrade, you may want to get an external phono preamp and connect it directly to the sys.

Kalali - 

As it turns out, that is exactly what I expect to do. The CD player will be one of two primary inputs with a wireless/DAC combination the other.  Just have to decide what Wireless/Dac combination makes the most sense.  Looking at the Audioengine products now.

Or if you need or want balanced 
http://www.smproaudio.com/index.php/en/products/monitor-controllers/nano-patch-plus
Have two of these and a 2.1 version for using with a subwoofer 
Honestly one beat out a active preamp that sold for 7k in my system with my ears . LOL

att: kythyn

Just keep everything you want plugged into the "powered up" GTP-500 and use your source selector switch to select different sources,  and the tape outputs of the 500, go to one of the inputs of the SYS, then the SYS becomes your volume control. This way your only using the 500 as a source selector. 

This way you knock out the volume control and output gain stage of the GTP-500 from being used.

And you still have one input left on the SYS for your still another source.

Naturally the output of the SYS goes to your 555 power amp

Cheers George

Thank you for the additional options.

Having been educated about vinyl and CDs, I am now considering ripping my small CD collection to my computer and adding a DAC (bifrost?) to the SYS, removing the CD players and GTP-500 altogether.  New music would be streamed or downloaded.

Just have to figure out how to get the signal across the room from the PC to the DAC (could be as much as 22 feet)