Bel Canto S300 driving Gallo 3.1s

I have tried reversing the polarity, but it didn't seem to make improvement at all. Maybe it is just an over expectation on my part, but I thought the Gallos would have bass that you can feel in your chest. I don't get to that until I am -15dbz off max on the pre3.
I wonder how much my room might have to do with it. The floor is carpeted and the room is about 18' x 28'. Maybe too big?
It isn't that they don't get loud...they do, it just seems like I have very little overhead left and I am afraid of getting some distortion and blowing something.

Too big for gallo's in my opinion...others will disagree

FYI only Anthony Gallo develops his speakers (and show them at CES and RMAF) with Spectron amplifier.

I learned that Gallo will show its Ref.3.5 speakers at RMAF 2010 with Spectron again but with some change.

Mike

Not sure if this is on point (will be relevant only if this problem is NOT unique to your current set-up), but my Bel Canto integrated has an annoying ergonomic quirk in the operation of the LCD readout on the front panel. Any level below app 50 to 60 is effectively 100% attenuated. As a result, a reading of "50" feels like it should read zero. Further, the thing resets to "50" when you power down/power up, so it deafaults to (effectively) zero output and you have to bump it up again. I usually roll down the volume after listening on my amp anyway, so I feel that this is only a problem if you use a Bel Canto CD Player with it (like I do) as your source, because that unit has variable outputs and does the same thing. In the end, you end up having to bump both volume controls to get the SPLs where you want them for normal (or loud) listening. Bel Canto suggests that you just leave 'em powered up to avoid the bother, but they're in my bedroom and I prefer to keep them dark.

BTW, this has been true even with the very high sensitivity loudspeakers that I've sometimes hung off it, so the attenuation below "50" is virtually complete and not a meaninful function of the speaker you're using. If your issue is that you need to see a readout of "80" or higher to get useful output, that's consistent with my experience and the amp works just fine.

FWIW.

Marty

Marty, you should really fix the volume at 100 on your CD-2 so it is outputting its maximum voltage at all times. Turn the CD-2's volume up to 100 then press in the button at the back to fix the volume. That way you're not adjusting two volume controls. If the volume is reduced on the CD-2, then of course your volume will be really low at 50 or 60 on the integrated amp. I would definitely not say that 50 to 60 on a S300i is completely attenuated. The S300i can be completely listenable at 60 with even very inefficient speakers (depending on the output voltage of the source). Volume setting for unity gain is 80.

Ukthunderace, your room is very big and perhaps the Gallo's are just not enough speaker for the room. If you're stuck on the Gallo's, then you may need more power for that size of the room, but typically your preamp/amp combo should drive the Gallo's just fine.