Super-sensitive volume controls - remedy?


I'm getting real tired of preamps with a volume control that does everything from a faint whisper to way too loud all in the 8:00 to 10:00 position on the dial. My old Rotel RC-995 was like that, and now my new Parasound 2100; both with remote volume that becomes useless with that level of sensitivity. Of course, I noticed a big change when I switched from Maggie MG12's to Tekton Lore Reference, even with my old Luxman CX-100.

My question is not about searching for preamps that don't do that, but whether there is a transparent method of attenuation, either externally or internally, that would allow a more gradual and precise volume adjustment.
minkwelder
Thanks for pointing that out George. Funny thing though, we see 4 volts and more all the time, of course we get a lot of balanced line DACs and CDPs used with our stuff, which may explain the disparity.
Almarg - I bought the Rothwells to help achieve a more common volume control setting for CD to match with the Aria preamp's built-in phono stage. I tried the Rothwells on the preamp's CD input. This helped a lot to bring the CD closer to the phono's ideal listening level near the volume control's 12 o'clock setting but the result was disaster …. and out came the Rothwells.

Jafox, as I said above two posts back, they "can" be a negative.
What is the output impedance of the component before them? and the input impedance of the component after them?.
That way we can prove with math, it was a bad electrical impedance match.

Cheers George
Really the best way to do it right is to send the CDP or DAC back to the manufacturer and ask that they lower the output. Its not that hard for them to do it and usually the result is better sound in addition to less troubles.

We have tried building in attenuators on certain AUX inputs and even though the impedance was no issue for the CDP, the result was a degradation, even with super high quality resistors. IOW attenuators are not a good solution.
An option that I loved on the Atmasphere amp I owned was being able to lower the gain of the amp by substituting jumpers for one of the sets of tubes. A great option for a system with too much gain. Bravo Atmasphere for that capability.