... Should I be concerned?


Hello to all...

So here I am, back again, still trying to "tune" my budget rig to the max "best to me sound":

CD only setup with over 10 yr old Marantz SA8001, into a Tube Line-level preamp, into a Parasound HCA-750 power amp, with homemade speaker cables (12g solid core copper wire, twisted; bare wire on both ends), at back of speaker same wire bent into C-shapes as jumpers... Speakers are KEF Q1s (luv'um).

On the back of the Parasound, there are volume knobs (so you could use the amp direct without a preamp) which I have up full ( as recommended to me thru another topic line). When I play music, I have so little volume adjustment available: I can't really get past 8 o'clock (from starting at 7) without it being too loud... 

One question I have is: will I be degrading the sound if I " adjust" the volume pots on the rear of the power amp, so that I can have more control over the volume knob on the pre? I guess I' be shooting for a 10-11 o'clock on the pre, and I'll assume it means a great decrease in the setting on the power amp.

Could another tact be: to replace the volume knob/pot with an articulated one, one that would click increases as I turn it?

This may be a foolish question - but any info or suggestions (other than criticism or sarcasm) would be greatly appreciated... Best Wishes to all - Be Well.
insearchofprat
@insearchofprat.....I am going to answer this from a different angle, and it is my experience, I say this. With the input level controls on the Parasound, set low, initially..............bypass ( do not use ) the tube line stage, and go direct from the Marantz SA 8001, into the Parasound. The SA 8001 puts out greater than 2 volts, and has one of the cleanest, least distorted output stages, and has a hefty, beefy, analog output stage / power supply, in an all in one cd player. Enough clean, hefty voltage, to drive your amplifier to full power. This will be " passive ", without the additional gain, to drive the power amp. Some posters here ( possibly all ), will disagree with me, on the passive mode, which is fine. I am suggesting doing this, for a week or so ( although it will be a pain to operate the rear controls on the amp ), because I have found, all line stages, especially tube products, to add colorations ( some say, additional warmth, smoothing over, just as a few examples ), and, robs you, of the finite details and information, embedded in your cds. This a a big controversy, between using a gain stage, and going " direct ", or " passive ", and I guess, you figured out, what camp I belong to. Lots of reading, here and elsewhere, on the subject. If you only listen to this one source, and you like what you hear, going direct, you can contact georgehifi, here, and get from him, possibly, the best " passive preamp ", in existence. Anyway, enjoy, stay safe, and be well. Always, MrD.
So many suggestions. Use your ears. We can't tell you what sounds best.
We're not there.
Lowering gain of power amp is a good thing.  Overall gain from the source to speakers will be the same, but spread of the gain will change.  More gain will be allocated to pre (quieter environment) than to power amp (noisier environment), not to mention reducing noise pickup by ICs (higher signal level).
 I don't know construction of Parasound, but even if gain is fixed and you just lower the signal (volume pot), the level of the signal entering the box will be higher (better for S/N).  Yes, engaging Parasound pots puts them in the signal path, but reducing authority of preamp's volume pot (max power=wider angle) is good.  I would do what rodman99999 recommended, unless you can hear audible difference.
The controls on the back of the amp allow you to adjust the input gain on the amp so that the volume control on the preamp can operate within its optimum range.  There is no rule that says that those amp controls should be full on.  You can also use them to correct for a preamp with a balance issue with a dodgy volume potentionmeter. 
Mrdecibel

When you mentioned "passive preamp", I think I have one sitting in the closet, presently unused (purchased used): Morrison ELAD. Why do you think that might be an answer in lieu of the Wolze (my tube line stage).

rodman99999

Designer Dave Wolze is somewhere in Calif and years ago I found out there we're only like 10 kits made before he lost funding to produce them. Got this vintage, used about 12 years ago from some dude who buys and sells what he finds in upstate NY,  had a falling out years ago and don't know how to contact him. 
In another topic discussion (which I'll have to look up), someone seemed to have a reference / familiarity  to the preamp, and told me it was originally designed for 12AU7s... I'd have to take it to a local, and could he determine what the actual layout is in the one I have, for which tube? Would it play if it was setup for 12AU7s with AX7s in it?