What do you think is the best make volume control ?? ALPS NOBLE ????

Magnum PI, do you have the ALPS RK50? Its the very large and expensive ($800) volume control. Did you compare this volume control to a Goldpoint stepped attenuator in the same system and find that the Goldpoint attenuator sounds better? That would be great news for Goldpoint since their stereo attenuators are around the $200 point and the alps is over $800. I use a Goldpoint and am interested in your findings. Thanks Jet

My issue with some stepped attenuators is that many don't have enough steps; it seems like the ideal level is somewhere between the two steps.  I find 24 steps is WAY to few; those with something like 47 steps, and steps no larger than than 1.5 db are okay.  

There are also some interesting alternatives to conventional resistor attenuation.  A friend made a passive linestage that utilized a remotely controlled light-dependent resistor attenuator.  This provided reasonably fine-grained volume changes (1 db per step), the convenience of remote control (really a necessity to me), but, it did not offer balance control (another necessity to me).  I liked the sound of his passive linestage which is really nothing more than the attenuator plus input/output jacks and a source selector.

When it comes to passive linestages, the ones I tend to like the most utilize transformer volume controls (TVC)--instead of attenuating by dissipating the signal as heat, transformers convert voltage to current when stepping down the voltage to reduce volume level.  The sound of the TVC's I heard was quite dynamic and lively.  Most TVC's, however, have limited number of steps and can be VERY expensive.  An intriguing alternative that works like TVCs is the autoformer volume control made by Dave Slagle.  I have heard his autoformer volume control as a separate standalone unit, and as something built into a Vinnie Rossi integrated amplifier.  I cannot say how it sounds because I have not tried it in my own gear, but, I do like the fact that it allows for fine grain volume changes (1 db steps), balance control, and remote control.  It is better described here:

http://http//www.bentaudio.com/index2.html

I’m assuming your ARC pre-amp has a PC board type Alps. The TKD, which is waaay better than the Alps will fit the space but has solder tabs, not PCB hookage. I don't know if any of the others mentioned here or my personal fave Taiwan 28 step ladder attenuator for $25 bucks will fit.

I made that very installation some years ago in an LS--1; it required soldering short lengths of 28ga. solid core to the TKD then shoe-horning them into the PCB eyelets. Quite challenging. That plus getting rid of all the by-pass caps made a wonderful sounding unit.

When I built my integrated amplifier - a preamplifier and amplifier in the same chassis so that there would only be an inch or two of Kimber silver wire between stages, while the power supplies for the preamp and amp still have their own power supplies - I wanted to use the best volume control possible, which was a selector switch that used the best metal film resistor pairs for each volume setting.
Unless the volume was full up so that there was no resistor in the signal path, it sounded dull and lifeless, but what could I do since in theory this was supposed to be the best possible. Part of the problem was that I really could not choose any volume between the highest volume and the first step down and that, I learned was only part of the problem.
I replaced this big barrel of resistor pairs with the TDK 2CP 2511 and it outclasses the more expensive stepped resistor pair system at any volume setting. I never thought I had the sensitivity to hear what I had thought was so subtle as sound stage width and depth before, but there was nothing subtle about the difference this volume control does. I doubt there is a better sounding one even at what you might define as too expensive to be within reason.