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... 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 OP
189 posts
 
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?
rodman99999
6,206 posts
 
Q) "Would it play if it was setup for 12AU7s with AX7s in it?"      A) Yes, it easily could. As mentioned; those two tubes are usually interchangeable.               ".... someone seemed to have a reference / familiarity to the preamp, and told me it was originally designed for 12AU7s... "          That could very well be the issue(someone, along the line, trying to hot rod the pre).
rodman99999
6,206 posts
 
btw:   What do you have to lose, by trying your Morrison?      I used to own a Placette Passive Volume Control.      Unfortunately; the rest of my system, at the time, didn't have enough gain, for the SPLs I enjoy, with many of my CDs and vinyls.   With recordings done at higher levels and no compression; I loved the transparency.    
rodman99999
6,206 posts
 
Here’s a thread that mentions the Wolze as using two 12AU7s:      https://www.audioshark.org/pre-amps-9/wolze-triode-line-level-preamp-4421.html      Dave Wolze actually replied to the post and didn’t dispute the mentioned tube compliment.                             Confirmation, perhaps?
rbstehno
1,498 posts
 
You never want your volume control to max out at a low volume point. You want your volume control to be anywhere between 4 and 6 if the volume control starts at 0 and the max would be 10. Check with your preamp/integrated manufacturer to determine what is the optimal setting. For example, there are many threads on how to balance the volume output of your dac into your preamp with the volume control setting of the preamp. My McIntosh preamp optimal setting for the volume control was with it running between 50-60%
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