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Topic: Using the Volume Control to steer power amp (Read 3400 times) previous topic - next topic
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Using the Volume Control to steer power amp

My old integrated amp is slowly dying. Looking for second-hands on the internet, I found someone selling a Quad 306 power amp.

Since I only need to attach one source, my PC, I wouldn't really need a preamp other than to regulate the volume. If I don't get a preamp, I can just afford the Quad.

Qualitywise, volume control in foobar seems OK to me. I use 24bit output to my Terratec soundcard, and on my current setup I've never detected any loss of detail that way... but then, there's still a volume pot inbetween.

Mostly, I'm afraid I will have to lower the digital volume too much, and lose detail. I would test it with my current amp, maxing analog volume, if it weren't dying...

What do you think? Could there be signal quality issues? (this is why I post it in fb2k forum - I'm mainly asking for the quality of the Volume Control in the -70dB range or so) Any other problems? Thanks...

Using the Volume Control to steer power amp

Reply #1 –
Terratec Aureon Sky here - if I listen with headphones plugged directly into the card, lower volume to -40dB or lower with fb2k and crank up volume to max in the soundcard's control pannel, I can hear the soundcard's background noise (silence between tracks or other quiet places). So most likely lowering fb2k volume to -70 dB will make your 24bit card sound like 8bit.
Let's suppose that rain washes out a picnic. Who is feeling negative? The rain? Or YOU? What's causing the negative feeling? The rain or your reaction? - Anthony De Mello

Using the Volume Control to steer power amp

Reply #2 –
Quote
So most likely lowering fb2k volume to -70 dB will make your 24bit card sound like 8bit.

I think that's not what I want 
Thanks for trying.

I guess I should've expected that - using a low level signal inside the PC isn't very promising... 

Using the Volume Control to steer power amp

Reply #3 –
Maybe you could use an in-line attenuator like this one to tame the amplifier and use Foobar's volume control at a more reasonable level?

Using the Volume Control to steer power amp

Reply #4 –
i'm curious what happens when you have a system set like that and some windows sound effect goes off. i have enough trouble with foobar at -8db and web sites making noises 

Using the Volume Control to steer power amp

Reply #5 –
Quote
Maybe you could use an in-line attenuator like this one to tame the amplifier and use Foobar's volume control at a more reasonable level?

it's a good idea. But wouldn't I be better of with an integrated amp then? - the signal degradation in such an attenuator might just waste the merits of the Quad power amp...

Quote
i'm curious what happens when you have a system set like that and some windows sound effect goes off. i have enough trouble with foobar at -8db and web sites making noises  

I mute my wave output, then let foobar use kernel streaming. This bypasses the mute setting.

Using the Volume Control to steer power amp

Reply #6 –
That's just a quick example I found.  For best quality, you could use a stepped attenuator instead.

Something like this, maybe?  Unfortunately, that's $289. But there are others available for less, especially if you don't mind a little D.I.Y.