[tnewell]

I have a PS Audio HCA-2 power amp that has a gain of 30db. I have been lusting for an Aesthetix Calypso tube Pre-Amp. The specs on the Calypso say it has 29 db of gain in balanced mode. I use balanced interconnects.

Am I asking for trouble mating a preamp with 29 db of gain with a power amp with 30db of gain? 29db of gain seems awfully high for a preamp.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks

Tom

[Charles Calkins]

tnewell:

  My Nad 218thx amps have a gain of 29db. My Conrad johnson PF-R preamp has a gain of 20db. I have no problems with this setup. Even though it's a mismatch this system will play LOUD. When the pre is set to about a nine the db output is over 100db. Easily!!

                   Cheers
                    Charlie

[PhilNYC]

FWIW, my Blue Circle BC206 amp has about 22db gain.  My preamp (BC3 Galatea mkII) has a low-gain/high-gain switch on it...the low-gain position is about 13db, and the high-gain is about 26db.  When set to the high-gain position, turning the volume knobs to about 9 o'clock is about all I can do without overloading my ears.  On the low-gain setting, the knobs go to about 12 o'clock for a comfortable listening level.