[mklibra]

Hello, it should be more a question to James Tanner than anybody else but all views kindly welcomed: is there any difference in the sound quality between gain/sensitivity being either 1V or 2V (a rear panel switch) in the 4b sst c?
Is the 4b sst c designed to be used with any particular setting of the gain switch sounding better ?
Best regards. Marcin

[James Tanner]

Hello, it should be more a question to James Tanner than anybody else but all views kindly welcomed: is there any difference in the sound quality between gain/sensitivity being either 1V or 2V (a rear panel switch) in the 4b sst c?
Is the 4b sst c designed to be used with any particular setting of the gain switch sounding better ?
Best regards. Marcin

Good question:

The maximum noise floor is when you use the 1 Volt setting with the RCA single ended input and the 2 Volt setting with the Balanced XLR input.

The thing is I have always felt that my system sounded better with the extra 'gain' provided by the Balanced XLR input on the 1 Volt input. Not sure why - maybe just the old fletcher/munson effect?

james

[ingwe]

Good question:

The maximum noise floor is when you use the 1 Volt setting with the RCA single ended input and the 2 Volt setting with the Balanced XLR input.

The thing is I have always felt that my system sounded better with the extra 'gain' provided by the Balanced XLR input on the 1 Volt input. Not sure why - maybe just the old fletcher/munson effect?

james

+1

I'm driving B&W N803's with my 4bsst and the 1Volt input gives more air (presence?) to the sound stage than the 2V. Seems to have more bloom as well.

The F/M effect may be an issue if you didn't match volumes when comparing them--but you know that!

-m 

[mklibra]

Hello and thank you for your replies. I also have had a feeling that more gain somehow sounds better, however with my Theta Gen. V through Pass aleph P with 4bsst c balanced 2V input, I have a problem with too much gain (Theta has higher than usual output signal) and can only listen quite loud. Maybe a time for a change of Pass or/and Theta since the 4bsst c is so far the most satisfactory piece of audio gear I have come across for 12 years.
Regards. Marcin
 

[vegasdave]

I like my 4BSST with the 1V setting too. Thanks James for the recommendation!