CD output voltage too high for preamp: what to do?

This is a bit of a curiosity for me. If the output of a DAC is 1.5V, is there a minimum input impedance the preamp should have to accomodate the DACs output? Does the preamps gain play into this equation? My preamp has 4 gain settings, 11db, 14db, 17db, and 20db. I have always used the preamp with the 11db setting, but since I am now using the Rothwell attenuators it would appear that only 1bd of gain is getting passed into the amp. That seems pretty low to me. It's been suggested by others to go to a passive, but I researched this and don't want to risk giving anything up in dynamics. The preamp is a Joule Electra LA-100 MkIII (20k input impedance, 300 ohn output impedance).

If your AI preamp is out of warranty and you have the schematics, you can probably get a good tech (if you know one) to change a couple of resistors on the premap attentuation board....come to think of it, AI should do this for you at a very low cost.

Endler attenuators r the best and easily crap on the Rothwell's. I have both and the Endlers are transparent and flexible as you can set the exact attenuation you need.

Go for these. BTW, just a happy customer

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze4c5pt/id2.html

I have similar problems: A tube preamp with 23 db gain, a fairly high output CDP with 2.3V, a very sensitive amp. Overall this results in about 10db too much gain.

As for solutions:I also read about mixed results with the Rothwell attenuators and therefore ended up looking at the following attenuators:

- Endlers variable stepped attenuators
- EVS fixed volume attenuators

Overall the EVS seem like the best solution. Another alternative of course is to go completely passive.

Rene

In looking at the Endler attenuators they appear to be a replacement to the active preamp, not used with it. Am I understanding this correctly? If they indeed can be used with an active preamp to reduce the gain, these might be worth a try.