You might want to look into a transformer based remote volume control. Bent Audio imports the Stevens & Billington TX102 transformer and sells it as a kit or assembled unit, configured with your choice of inputs and outputs. They are very reasonably priced and supposedly have the advantage in transparency over non-transformer passives. Do a search here or in audio asylum on tx102 for more info. Also on bentaudio.com there are links to some forums that have some interested threads on these devices. I am picking mine up next week and it will take the place of no preamp, as presently I am going directly into the volume pot on my Berning amplifier. Others have concluded it is superior to the Berning pot, and it will be interesting to see if it holds true for me as well.
Placette vs. Creek remote volume controllers?
I'm going the "minimalist" route with one of my two systems. Presently a Creek OBH-10 volume controller serves as my preamp into a Pass Aleph 30. This $250 unit seems to get the job done nicely but I do have to wonder if the 4 times as expensive Placette unit would be a sonic upgrade for me. One problem I have with the Creek is gain matching with the Aleph 30--there are some occasions when I could use a few more dB than the Creek will get me at its max setting. Please let me have your views. Thanks!