[jMelvin]

Recently, and for various reasons, I connected my aging PS Audio Trio P-200 preamp in front of my Cyclops and have been really surprised with the sound quality .. it's very good. In fact it's so good, I may just keep it in the mix. That being said, my question is where should the volume dial on the Cyclops be set? Yes, I suppose this is a subjective listen-and-decide situation but I wonder if there is a definitive answer to this question. Some say turn it up all the way (which seems to makes sense) and others advise approx 75% is more appropriate. I've tried both BTW and for now I've settled on the 75% setting as sounding "best".

Would appreciate your thoughts on the matter (Klaus, you too  ). Thanks.

[Ed_Zachary]

You are not the only person who has ever done this, but I would want to know what the peak to peak output voltage of that other preamp is before I go turning my Cyclops volume control up that far.

I have never had my Cyclops turned over the ten o'clock position.

If the Cyclops is set at 75% of gain, if your other preamp were to be accidentally turned up excessively your loudspeakers might be in for some pain.

[RDavidson]

+1

My gut says to just open the Cyclops' volume control all the way, so the potentiometer itself is out of the way of the signal path as much as possible. BUT, would doing so, create an issue where you might easily overdrive the amp's input section (or the internal preamp's output) and get really bad distortion especially on musical transients or worse?

[firedog]

Just turn the Cyclops up all the way. Essentially it is functioning then with no attenuation - just like a Khartago with no volume control. The cyclops isn't a "true integrated", it's a power amp with a volume control.

You'd use your pre for the volume control. You just have to remember to turn the volume down on the pre when you turn it off. Basically what everyone with a pre and a power amp does.

[jMelvin]

I probably should have been more clear and stated I was using the preamp as usual to control the volume while the Cyclops' volume remains set to either 75% or max (I'm listening again with it at maximum).

Ed mentioned output voltage on the pre, hence my question. I recently read something about this topic and for the life of me can't remember where but it addressed this same question. Firedog, you summed up the Cyclops just as I would (power amp with volume control) and I think I will use it as you suggest.

Thanks guys.

[RDavidson]

Interesting. I didn't realize the Cyclops' preamp was just passive.
As that is the case, DEFINITELY, 100%, ALWAYS open that volume control all the way, otherwise you're double attenuating without real reason to do so.

[Hadro]

I had the same situation and Klaus told me point blank to turn the volume up 100% on the cyclops.

[marflao]

To be honest I was puzzled when Jason (GentleBender) mentioned that he would get a Cyclops WITH a Tempest.
I always thought that a pre-amp can´t be paired with an integrated.

Thanks for enlighten me that,  in this case, the Cyclops could be used with one.
Even though I don´t need a pre currently it´s nice to know that the option is "there".

Cheers,
M.