[BeatleFred]

I was just curious to know more about the idea of having the Stratos come equipped with Left /Right Channel Volume Controls on its front display - there certainly is enough 'real estate' (enough space) there.

In doing so,  you can then connect your CD player directly to the Stratos' inputs and bypass a preamp altogether for the 'purest' signal path.

Not that I have anything against preamps (I own a vintage late 70's Sansui CA-3000 & CA-2000) , but I think its nice to have this option.

And what amp might I be referring to that has this......?

Well, a Vintage Sansui BA-5000:

http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?s=9b95a41b94f8fd3a368a5e73d5452616&threadid=5319

[speedcenter]

I was just curious to know more about the idea of having the Stratos come equipped with Left /Right Channel Volume Controls on its front display - there certainly is enough 'real estate' (enough space) there.

In doing so,  you can then connect your CD player directly to the Stratos' inputs and bypass a preamp altogether for the 'purest' signal path.

Not that I have anything against preamps (I own a vintage late 70's Sansui CA-3000 & CA-2000) , but I think its nice to have this option.

And what amp might I be referring to that has this......?

Well, a Vintage Sansui BA-5000:

http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?s=9b95a41b94f8fd3a368a5e73d5452616&threadid=5319

I guess this would be equivalent to a passive pre-amp. Klaus just posted that something like this will be available soon, and it will have more than one input (which is what makes the gain controls on the power amp less useful)

In my case, having a volume knob on the power amps that are hidden behind the big maggies, facing the back wall with their face plate, doesn't sound like a great idea  

Peter