Audio: does volume posistion = better sound ???

[LarryC]

i did a comparison of 2 pre's today a joule electra la 100 mk3, and a emotive audio erato both pre's are stellar performers but i believe i have to start a new thread about symmetry in a system because the joule pre paired with the joule stargate amps was doing some very nice things.

I'm trying to remember if I knew you had a Joule pre -- when did you get it?

Jud Barber is concerned with where his volume sits, and he seems to feel it performs best in (I think) the 9-to-1 range. He also apparently believes in low linestage gain -- mine has only 11 db, which is good for lowered thermal noise with 104-db K-horns. (BTW, he lowered the OTLs' gain at my request, for the same reason. I do have a little OTL amp buzz, however.) Perhaps some of the quality you are noticing is a very low noise floor. Possible?

[fini]

The audio taper pot , as used in a preamp vol control, should ideally be used in the 1;00 to 4:00 range.

Oh, great. I don't get home until 6.

[joessportster]

larry the joule pre is not mine (YET) i borrowed it to compare with the erato, i have and still do consider fred volz pre's a masterpiece but i was almost literally blown away last night when i put the joule into play, i opened up wsome new attributes in what i considered well known music tracks, that along with the intense bass really got me to buzzing, and the volume knob resides at the 10:30 - 11 oclock range

Joe

[joessportster]

great wit there fini (one of my rteasons for being here so long)

mark thanks for the clarification

Joe

[RockOn4Klipsch]

So how would/does this work with A/V recievers? Is it better to have the trim in reciver be in the + dB arena and a lower "reference"setting (ie -30.0 dB or so)? Or is it better to leave trim in the - dB arena and use 0.0 dB as "reference" level? Or does it not matter inregards to A/V recievers?

[LarryC]

s it better to have the trim in reciver be in the + dB arena and a lower "reference"setting (ie -30.0 dB or so)? Or is it better to leave trim in the - dB arena and use 0.0 dB as "reference" level?

If you can't find the answer to your question, I suspect you should just experiment to see what sounds best to you. One Audio Research preamp (11 or 15?) had TWO volume controls on its front panel, labeled differently -- something like "gain" and "volume." Turning one up and the other down would result in the same volume level. Of course, they did the same thing but were inserted in different places in the preamp circuitry.

The manual straightforwardly said that balancing them one way would tend to decrease electronic noise but slightly increase audible distortion, while the other would tend to do the opposite. The user was supposed to find the best balance between noise and low audible distortion. ARC couldn't specify it because of variations in speaker efficiency, amp gain, etc., etc.

So, I'd just mess around with it until it sounds best to my ear. My 2 cents.

[Mallette]

In my case, the best place for the volume is always at the point where it provides spl at my ears equal to the original performance in the best seat in the house. Even if it were slightly cleaner or whatever at a different point I'd still want it there for "best sound."

Of course, that is all irrelevant if you are listening to a studio creation that never really happened, but for real space/time events I consider it the only way to set volume.

Dave

[oldtimer]

So lets requalify the question to "better experience" instead of "better sound." Proper volumes appropriate to the performance are definitely conducive to a better experience.

[LarryC]

In my case, the best place for the volume is always at the point where it provides spl at my ears equal to the original performance in the best seat in the house.

I definitely agree with that.

However, I wasn't addressing that, but rather situations were two or more level controls were involved -- preamp and amp, 2 controls on a preamp or DSP, etc. There is where messing around is indicated IMO.

[Mallette]

Yes, I read your post Larry. I was referring to Joe who started the thread. I did not get the impression that he had two controls. Perhaps I was wrong.

I can intellectually follow that two controls would interact and possibly alter the sound, but am not sure I'd really notice. Frankly, I'd just as soon deal with one properly designed one inserted at the best compromise position.

I just want to crank it up and get with it...[]

Dave

[Audio Flynn]

I still am not sure how to address this thread. I really liked the Blueberry balance with two separate potentiometers. My CJ has a balance knob which I try a bit for room correction. The volume knob on the CJ takes very little movment to get same as SPL as Blueberry did at a much further turn like if both "Balance" potentiometers were turned all the way up.

I think all integrateds or preamps have a bit of a "sweet spot" so to speak. With MC step up tranformers it is perhaps a different feel altoghther.