Preamps with variable gain... pros and cons?


I am considering a preamp upgrage and have noticed many high end units have adjustable gain (in addition of course to the volume control). What are the benifits of this feature? What units have you auditioned or owned? What models would you recommend? Is this soley a solid state feature or do any tube preamps have it?

Many thanks.
blueswan

Showing 1 response by onhwy61

For years I used a Pass Aleph P which has this feature. The idea behind it is to optimize your system's gain structure. The preamp sounded best when the gain was high and the volume control attenuated least. The feature is not absolutely necessary, but it does allow for a level of added refinement.