12dB attenuator question

[olds1959special]

I ordered a pair of Harrison 12dB RCA attenuators so I can use my DAC as a preamp but hopefully be able to turn it up more. Will this be safer in case of the volume resetting? How much more will I be able to turn up the DAC? Will this help or hurt sound quality? Thanks.

 

[kemmler3D]

so I can use my DAC as a preamp but hopefully be able to turn it up more. Will this be safer in case of the volume resetting?

Yes, by 12dB I guess.

How much more will I be able to turn up the DAC?

12dB I think? But why do you want to turn it up more?

Will this help or hurt sound quality?

The attenuator will hurt sound quality, but you might get higher SNR out of the DAC by turning it up, so the effect is ambiguous.

 

[Sokel]

It must be the 20th thread you're opening these days?
You're changing, buying gear, asking, etc.

One thing, only:
Unless you design your system on paper considering what you need, get a proper gain staging, ensuring safety,etc, you're at lost.
I suggest to slow down and think of what you want/need and then proceed asking how to achieve it.

 

[ta240]

I'm confused. Am I missing something?

You are putting something between the DAC and amp that reduces the volume level going to the amp so that you can then turn up the volume on the DAC and send a higher volume level to overcome that?

 

[kemmler3D]

I'm confused. Am I missing something?

You are putting something between the DAC and amp that reduces the volume level going to the amp so that you can then turn up the volume on the DAC and send a higher volume level to overcome that?

I think the idea is to pad the output of the DAC down 12dB in case of a 0dB deafening reset that some people have experienced with DACs after power loss, etc.

 

[unpluggged]

I'm confused. Am I missing something?

You are putting something between the DAC and amp that reduces the volume level going to the amp so that you can then turn up the volume on the DAC and send a higher volume level to overcome that?

It's about avoiding too much of a digital attenuation while maintaining safe levels.

 

[olds1959special]

It must be the 20th thread you're opening these days?
You're changing, buying gear, asking, etc.

One thing, only:
Unless you design your system on paper considering what you need, get a proper gain staging, ensuring safety,etc, you're at lost.
I suggest to slow down and think of what you want/need and then proceed asking how to achieve it.

The only thing I actually bought was a Mackie Big Knob passive, which fixed my problem. And I'm not bypassing the ground on my DAC, if that's what you mean about safety. I just tried it and found it fixed my ground loop, but now I use a preamp with that system which eliminated the issue.

 

[JSmith]

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