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

Showing 2 responses by mlsstl

mlsstl
1,379 posts
 
Actually, the issue isn't channel separation in a volume control but rather tracking between the left and right channels. Mass production potentiometers tend to track more unevenly at lower settings. If your knob runs from 7 o'clock (vol all the way down) to 5 o'clock (vol all the way up), knob settings at 8 or 9 o'clock will probably have more imbalance in volume between left and right than an 11 o'clock or higher setting.

Many high end preamps use higher precision pots that help eliminate this problem, but you'll get a ability to control your volume more precisely if your typical listing settings are in the middle to upper range of the knob.

As long as you are not overdriving things (and you will hear distortion or an unreasonable volume if you are) there is no problem in having a volume knob set too high.
mlsstl
1,379 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.
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