sim_audio_nerd OP
the presentation is a little in your face. It feels like I am sitting in the front row with the band right in front
Your problem is too much gain with very efficient speakers.
The Pass 30.8 only needs 0.7v input for it to give full output. Any source is 2v or more even.
Can you see that you definitely don't need any more gain from an active preamp.
If your source has volume control use it direct into your 30.8
If you don't have volume control in your source, then try the next best, a 10kohm passive preamp as Nelson below will tell you..
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