Any Amps with Volume control??


I just use a CD player in my system and would like to find an amp that has volume control. My CD player does not (the old one did, maybe I should have kept it) and I don't know if this is even something that is produced. If any are available, do they sound good? Is there another way around this without using an integrated or preamp? Thanks!
sabbiamj
Check out the 47 Labs "Gaincard S" amp. Its a true dual monaural amp the size of a pack of cigaretts and 50w/channel with incredible sound. It has attenuators on the front. See info at their distributor: http://www.sakurasystems.com/ I have one of these.
Acurus makes a unit called a DIA 150 (DIA = Direct Input Amplifier). This is a 150 wpc unit. You can get information at their site (http://www.mondialdesigns.com). I haven't heard this particular unit, but Acurus is a sister company to Aragon (both are divisions of Mondial Designs), and both are considered to make high quality gear at real world prices.
Some of the former NAD products had these. I have used a 2600A, and gotten many wonderful sounding years out of it. I recall Parasound also having these. If you want an SET amp, Audio Electron Supply(Cary) has two. One is the SE-811A, which I have heard, and sounds great. The other is the same amp using the 845 tube(maybe 27 - 32 watts), which I have not heard.
If you can get by on 12 tube watts per channel, Audion has a little amp with one line input and a volume pot. I would call it an integrated though. It is a nice sounding amp and retails for around $1200.00. I would only buy it new as there have been some good upgrades performed in the past six months on the model and you would want an up to date version.
I don't know what your price range is but David Berning makes an amplifier with a very high quality volume control. The model # is the ZH270. I have heard this thing and it is amazing. In fact David Berning designed it to be used direct from source. This amp is like the Swiss army knife of amplifiers, in that you can also adjust the feedback for desired listening tastes. It is an otl tube amp that produces 70 watts into 8 ohms. It is quite expensive, will run $4500 big ones, but man is it worth it.
Parasound, Hafler, Audiocontrol make some...why not avoid this a buy a pair of $250EVS attenuaotors or some other passive attenuator? I have a Luminous Audio volume control which is incredible sonically and cost me $90 used, and $185 new
I'm pretty sure McIntosh does this as well as Bryston's pro line. Another option is something like the Mark Levinson #39 CD player that has a high-quality remote volume control built in.
There are power amps that have volume controls. Many are professional ones, like the very clean Alesis RA100. Pro power amps like Peavey, QSC,Carvin and many others also have volume controls. I have an Adcom GFA535L with volume controls, but they are tiny and you have to use a dime to adjust them .I also have a QSC power amp that has volume controls and headphone jacks.Also Audio Source Amp2 had volume controls and a headphone jack. The amps I mentioned my not be considered "audiophile" quality, but they'll do the job. One other consideration is a remote passive volume control made by Creek.