Theoretically, How to Reduce Gain without Minimal Impact to Sound?


I am finding that the granularity of my volume control in my chain is not fine enough as it is currently configured. I have my source set to maxed volume and Gain to High, and I have the volume attenuators on my monoblocs maxed out. The preamp is what I use to adjust volume, and when I use the tube buffer mode (Schiit Freya+), I am finding that it is hard to get a precise volume level I want sometimes.

What would you recommend as the best method to get better volume control granularity without affecting sound quality? Should I cap the volume level at my (digital) source to something less than max/100, like, say, 65, while leaving Gain to High? Or should I leave the digital volume maxed, but change Gain setting down to Medium or Low?

Or dare I leave the digital source maxed out, and turn the volume dials down on my monoblocks to 3/4 or 1/2 (going to guess this one is a no-no because volume attenuator pots are, "throwing sound away")?

Using passive or solid state buffer modes on my Freya+ are not an option. I lose a ton of imaging benefits when switching away from the tube buffer mode (which, yes, I know, is a lot louder than the passive or unity gain solid state buffer modes).

-Ed

eddnog

Well, if you can't hear the difference yourself, does it matter?  I mean, your own experiments are going to be better than whatever the prevailing or mythical wisdom is? But often DACs have linear volume controls that avoid the worst of the number altering behavior of the early digital volume controls.

Having said that, you could put a passive volume control before your Freya, and maybe even make a custom L-pad out of high quality resistors. 

 

I have Benchmark DAC and power amp.  Benchmark recommends setting DAC's output high and amp's input low.  That way more signal amplification is done in quiet environment (DAC).  In addition it will be more immune to ambient electrical noise induced in the ICs. You have to experiment because other things might be affected.  In my DAC changing output level changes output impedance.  

Should I cap the volume level at my (digital) source to something less than max/100, like, say, 65, while leaving Gain to High? Or should I leave the digital volume maxed, but change Gain setting down to Medium or Low?

Since you have an option of gain settings (High, medium and low) try the lower setting positions. Low nay be the best choice for your scenario.

Charles

Post removed