2. amps-preamps
  3. 1190323342

Ideal Volume level

I've heard that preamps work best when the volume is set higher, and also that if you turn the volume past 12 o'clock you will destroy something...

This last comment seems to be too general, since the gain of the preamp will have a lot to do with this.

Here's why I am asking; most of the preamps I've owned had a gain of 20db, and the volume knob seldom reached the 10 o'clock position. Now I have a preamp with a gain of 11.5 db, and with some recordings I find myself listening at 12'oclock or a bit higher. Everything sound fine, no distortion at all, and the amp is far from clipping (I think). But, should I be concerned???

Here's the gear in case it helps:
Pre: Audio research SP16L with 11.5 db gain
Amp: Belles 350a ref with input sensitivity of 1.98V (500 WPC at 4 ohms)
Speakers: 4 ohms and 86DB
CDP puts out 0-2.2 V

Thanks for helping :)
htrookie
htrookie OP
12 posts
 
Wow; didn't expect so many great answers.

I really don't listen very loud, normally. Probably 90-95 db would be the norm (peaks at these levels).

Thanks!!!!
mlsstl
1,435 posts
 
A resistor ladder does nothing different than a potentiometer. It just does it more precisely (assuming high quality components and design.)

Think of it this way. A pot or ladder simply dumps part of the signal overboard. The earlier description of a preamp with no volume control being at full blast is correct.

Volume attenuation devices can also be placed at different spots in the gain stages of a preamp circuit. They do not automatically result in an increase in noise floor or a decrease in dynamic range.
dpac996's avatar
dpac996
694 posts
 
I did not say they result in increased noise floor. EVery component has a baseline noise floor. I was describing how the smallest voltage details rise from the thermal noise floor as the voltage division (as the wiper moves or the ladder is varying) result increases. In 99% of preamps on the market the line level signal from the source fisrt meets the passive volume control (potentiometer, TVC, ladder what have you) and then it hits the constant/fixed gain stage (6 dB, 12 dB, 18 dB whatever)

There IS NO GETTING AROUND thermal Johnson noise (that is)physically inherent in every resistor device in the known universe.

There is a sweet spot and it does have everything to do with optimizing the dynamic range and your overall system "sensitivity"

Dave Mitchell: The ARC devices use a digital potentiometer (a plastic case 5 volt IC) that depending on the digital (bit level) value switch in series internal resistors...it is identical in fundamental operation to stepped attenuators. Except in the IC the signal ALSO flows though active devices (multiplexors and buffers). Pick your poison.

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