Significance of Gain Adjustment (NAD C298+RME ADI)

[Mehdiem]

Hello folks, I am using RME ADI-2 FS as a DAC/Preamp feeding my power amp NAD C298.

My amp has a gain control from -20dB to 0dB. In my current setting, I kept the amp gain at 0 and my RME volume is around -40 to -50 db.

Im wondering if it’s better to lower the gain in my amp and increase the volume from RME? What be the significance of this change? Would it help to have a better sound stage? I tried playing around with it but I couldn’t form a conclusive opinion.

How would you set it?

 

[Sokel]

What -20 to 0?
As far as I know it has two gain settings,at x20 gain and at x8.5 gain.
Has something changed?

 

[LTig]

As long as you don't feed to high voltage into the amp set its gain to -20 dB and increase the RME's ouput accordingly. This leads to better S/N on the connection.

 

[Mehdiem]

As long as you don't feed to high voltage into the amp set its gain to -20 dB and increase the RME's ouput accordingly. This leads to better S/N on the connection.

How to I know if the voltage is high or not? I connected NODE to feed RME, and this is all my setup.

Btw, what S/N stands for?

 

[Mehdiem]

What -20 to 0?
As far as I know it has two gain settings,at x20 gain and at x8.5 gain.
Has something changed?

 

[Sokel]

Has a variable setting too?
I confess I didn't know that.
The best way to do it is to set it to fixed Low and control level by the RME.
That's also the safest way as long as level is enough for you.

 

[LTig]

How to I know if the voltage is high or not?

When loud parts sound distorted.

Btw, what S/N stands for?

Signal to noise ratio.