As I've been posting, I am in the process of moving my CD collection to FLAC and have installed a SqueezeBox Touch in my system to replace my dead CD player.
One problem I was having was running the SBT into a Theta Chroma DAC via SPDIF, the DAC line level output was WAY too high when the SBT digital volume was set to 100% -- it was severely overloading the inputs on both the Parasound PLD-2000 and my Home Headroom, to the point where I only had maybe 1/8 or less of the volume pot range available without blowing myself out of the room. It also sounded pretty high-end emphasized, as well.
Running the SBT line outs into the same amps resulted in a much more liveable input level, but the midrange and bass sound thin compared with the Theta box. I used the Theta for years with my old NAD 512 as a transport, and always loved the sound.
So, problem solved today -- I took a spare set of Kimber PBJ interconnects, and built a 4-1 L-pad attenuator into one of the connector shells, using 1/4 watt 1% metal-film resistors, 22K inline in the hot and 4.7 K from hot to ground. The end with the attenuator plugs into the DAC output (giving a nice high impedance load to the DAC), and the low-impedance end goes to the amps.
Much better now -- I have at least 1/2 the full range on the volume pots available, and the high-end tizziness is gone, as well.
