[richs]

Vinnie -

I've read that resistor based volume controls sound better at high settings (the sound quality degrades as you add more attenuation).  Is this true of the Sig 30 and 30.2 volume controls? 

I'm considering adding preamp to add more gain to my system, but that would mean lowering my Sig 30 volume well below the 12:00-2:00 position it now sits at.  I'm concerned this might hurt the sound quality.

Thanks for your help.

Rich

[IronLion]

Given the quality of the DACT attenuator from the original Sig 30 and the Goldpoint in the 30.2, I doubt this is an issue with Vinnie's Signature series.

[Srajan Ebaen]

You mean "resistive" vs. "resistor". With discrete resistors, it's not an issue with the DacT. Each step is identical in using the same quality resistors, just different values. If it were a wiper pot, it'd be different...

[Vinnie R.]

Hi Rich,

Iron Lion and Srajan are correct...

It does not matter the position of the stepped attenuator... the sound quality remains the same. 

You'll want to set the stepped attenuator on your Sig 30 to a position that allows you the most useable range out of your preamps volume control. 

Best regards,

Vinnie

[richs]

Thanks everyone for clearing this up for me.  I'm going to try adding a Promitheus Tube Buffer with switchable 6 or 12 dB of gain before the Sig 30.  I'll let you all know how it works out.

Rich

[Vinnie R.]

Thanks everyone for clearing this up for me.  I'm going to try adding a Promitheus Tube Buffer with switchable 6 or 12 dB of gain before the Sig 30.  I'll let you all know how it works out.

Rich

Thanks, Rich! 

[Randy]

Rich,
  Please explain what you expect to accomplish by using the tube buffer with the 30.2? Being a nontechie, I have no idea.
Thanks.

[richs]

I'm a non-techie too. I am using the Musical Fidelity tube buffer between my dac and Sig 30 and really like what it does to the sound (smoother, without loss of detail, fuller sound stage).  A tube buffer does two things:  1) adds a bit of tube flavor to the signal path, and 2) impedance matches by showing a high impedance to the source and a low impedance to the amp.  I don't know why this is a good thing, but apparently it is. I don't know if it's the tubes or the impedance matching that is improving my sound, maybe it's both.

I'm trying the Promitheus tube buffer, because it adds either 6 or 12 dB (the Musical fidelity doesn't add any gain), and it has gotten great reviews. In my system, I think a bit of gain would be a good thing, since I don't have highly sensitive speakers hooked to the Sig 30.

I hope that helps.  May someone more knowledgeable than me can weigh in.

Rich

[Randy]

Rich, one of the other forums recently had a thread discussing buffers. The people who seemed to actualy know what they were talking about said a buffer's "impedance matching" benefits were bogus, or in other words, they do no such thing. (Personally, I have no clue one way or the other, but thanks for your response.)