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Troubleshooting help please

Hello,

What could cause sound not too completely turn down. With the volume control all the way down on my preamp itself or using remote, I still get sound. When I select mute sound goes out as it should. It is not very loud but I can clearly hear the music from 15 feet away. I have a tube amp and preamp. The same scenario occurs whether I am using tuner or CDplayer as source. I know issue is linked to preamp since problem does not exist with my other preamp. Could this be an impedance issue or is it simply an issue with the volume control itself?

Thanks
sympaticonorm
sympaticonorm OP
103 posts
 
I do have a mute button on remote and a mute switch on preamp itself. These will cut-off sound completely.
newbee
4,751 posts
 
Sorry, I didn't read your post carefully enuf and(mis)applied the info in the 4th sentence to the mute circuit, not the VC. Sounds like a VC issue to me, perhaps in connection with an input gain issue? If you had an input impedence issue it would likely reduce input gain and only in part of the frequency spectrum. Personally, so long as the output is balanced tonally and FR wise, and you have normal use of range of the VC I wouldn't be concerned.
sympaticonorm OP
103 posts
 
Thanks Newbee,

Yes, everything works fine except for the fact that I can't turn volume all the way down to nothing
xti16
1,525 posts
 
Sure sounds like the volume control. You mentioned it does not happen with your other preamp. Do you have a second system you could put the questionable preamp in. That would tell you for sure if it happens there too.
Have you tried maybe spraying some tuner cleaner in the volume control?
waltersalas's avatar
waltersalas
939 posts
 

The gain in your preamp could be too high. I have had this happen a couple of times with different preamps. You may be able to get it adjusted, which is what I did.

Good luck.
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