[neatokino]

Hello--

Please excuse me if this is a topic that has been beaten to death, but I'm not quite sure I have a full understanding of it.  I am using a Mac Mini with itunes as a source, through a chinese DIY DAC, into an Audible Illusions preamp.  Because the preamp puts out a lot of gain and because I like to use my iphone as a remote control AND because the dual mono volume pots on the preamp are a bit of a pain, it's very convenient for me to use the volume control in itunes. 

Remote control and convenience issues aside, I find myself leaving the itunes volume at about 75% anyway because the AI preamp has so much gain.

My understanding is that lowering the volume on the mac reduces the number of bits going to the DAC and thereby reduces the sound quality.  I'm not sure I can hear the difference.  How much loss of information are we talking about?   Am I best off leaving the itunes/Mac at full volume and controlling volume at the preamp stage?

Thanks in advance,

Michael

[Mr. Orange]

I'm going to jump in the pool with the same question. I didn't know about the reduction of data.  My Threshold preamp doesn't have a remote so I too use the iTunes as a volume control. So are we doing some wrong?

[borism]

My understanding is that all digital volume controls (itunes etc.) degrade the sound by shortening the word length. Some digital volume controls use something called 'dithering' to minimize this effect on sound. I use the Pure Music player with itunes as file manager on my mac and it has a dithered digital volume control. You can read on the Pure Music web site (channld.com) about the effect of their dithered volume control. They claim that it does not become audible until set to lower then -12 db.

[Crimson]

iTunes also uses 24-bit dithering for volume control. That said, ideally you should leave it at 100%. It's mostly a tradeoff between convenience and audiophillia nervosa.

[Tcaster]

My friend who writes reviews for Macworld says that the volume control bit loss technology has improved in this regard.I have trouble hearing a difference and that is what matters right?