Not ENOUGH GAIN

Why does it matter if the volume knob is set at 7? 7 is completely arbitrary.

Assuming your source has a fairly normal output voltage, your preamp should have plenty of gain to drive your amplifier to full power.

The real question is, at maximum volume, is your amp + preamp combination able to drive the speakers to the loudest you ever care to listen to?

If so, there is no problem.

> And to answer clio09 I have not tried it all the
> way to full open yet.

So ... you can turn it to 8, 9, 10, 11, etc and presumably play louder and you haven't? If you want it to play louder, turn it up. There's nothing special about 7. And there's nothing harmful about turning it to 8.

The Grounded Grid just has a different gain structure than you've been previously familiar. If you can play as loudly as you can possibly stand, then you're golden.

Personally, I'd love to have as much range of volume control as you seem to have. What you have now is fine grained control over your volume -- that's awesome.

My amp(Decware Torii 3) and preamp (Artemis LA-1) both have a volume control. Do I want the pre up as much as possible and then phase in the amp?

"jeffreybehr: "And can your system play as loudly as you want it to?"

Maxwell, does your system play as loudly as you want it to?

Hmmm, since the Grounded Grid is a DIY preamp kit my recommendation is to contact the seller/designer of these kits Bruce Rozenblit and get his opinion on this. With the gain structure that Phil laid out, I'd also say that something sounds a bit fishy.