[Norway]

Since CIAudio deliver only passive preamplifier's, have someone tried to use a transformer based preamp to a high gain D-100 or D-200? These have a reputation of solving the "dynamics problem" in attenuator and potentiometer based passive preamp's.

Here are a few examples:

http://musicfirstaudio.co.uk/html/passive_pre.html
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/audiozone4/pretone.html
http://diyhifisupply.com/?q=catalog/15/pre_amplifier_kits

Thought about replacing my Alps Blue based potentiometer passive preamp with one of the DIY Django trafo based preamp's. It will be connected to a VDA-2 as a source and out to a set of D-100's amplifiers.

[richidoo]

Don't forget Bent Audio. I think he has one of the best magnetic volume controls available now. "Lightspeed attenuator" (optical resistor) has always fascinated me too. Search diyaudio.com for it. CIA's high input impedance (100kOhms) makes passives more practical than the typical ss input impedance of 10kOhms.
Rich