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Low gain, High gain usage guidelines

post #1 of 67
1/31/08 at 9:18pm
Thread Starter 
Was always wondering if there is any reason to use high gain if amp is capable of driving phones at low. For instance, my both Headamps, GS-1 and Pico can drive DT880 and HD650 at low gain just fine. Why would I ever want to use high gain then?
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post #2 of 67
1/31/08 at 10:17pm
It's not really a big deal other than volume. If you can run it fine on low gain, keep it there. You'll benefit from the advantages of having a lower gain, in terms of noise, etc. The high-gain setting is mainly for more volume.
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post #3 of 67
2/1/08 at 3:29am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by royalcrown View Post
It's not really a big deal other than volume. If you can run it fine on low gain, keep it there. You'll benefit from the advantages of having a lower gain, in terms of noise, etc. The high-gain setting is mainly for more volume.
I believe I've read somewhere that it's better to keep volume at no higher that 3 o'clock or something as after that amp starts to distort. With Pico if I crank it to max in low gain it'll probably blow my ears even with DT880. What the high gain is for then, K1000?
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post #4 of 67
2/1/08 at 7:20am
Gain switches are handy. Gives you that much more leeway to futz with volume issues or options. When OFF is at 6:00 and you hit max safe listening volume at 9:00 with high gain, then switching to medium or low gives you a wider volume band. In my case, medium takes me to 12:00 or even 1:00 or 2:00.

The gain switch is especially useful if you have a stepped attenuator. If you hit max volume at high after 3 clicks, switching to medium or low doubles, triples the clicks to max.
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post #5 of 67
2/1/08 at 8:18am
It's not only about volume. You get better dynamics on high gain with demanding cans!!!
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post #6 of 67
2/1/08 at 8:21am
Quote:
I believe I've read somewhere that it's better to keep volume at no higher that 3 o'clock or something as after that amp starts to distort. With Pico if I crank it to max in low gain it'll probably blow my ears even with DT880. What the high gain is for then, K1000?
What's your source? Maybe your source's output level is too high and yout amp's getting input overload...
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post #7 of 67
2/1/08 at 9:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT View Post
I believe I've read somewhere that it's better to keep volume at no higher that 3 o'clock or something as after that amp starts to distort. With Pico if I crank it to max in low gain it'll probably blow my ears even with DT880. What the high gain is for then, K1000?
Do you have the 80, 250, or 600 ohm DT880?
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post #8 of 67
2/1/08 at 1:45pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by QQQ View Post
It's not only about volume. You get better dynamics on high gain with demanding cans!!!
Based on my experience and from what I've heard from manufacturers this is inaccurate. If volume is perfectly matched there should be no SQ difference at all.

Quote:
Originally Posted by QQQ View Post
What's your source? Maybe your source's output level is too high and yout amp's getting input overload...
Don't think so, one is Pico out of USB, another is GS-1 with stepped out of Stello DA100, same was with MicroDAC and numerous external sound cards I've tried over years.

Quote:
Originally Posted by manaox2 View Post
Do you have the 80, 250, or 600 ohm DT880?
250 Ohm.

So, there is no harm from running volume pot close to max position? Is there such thing like sweet spot?
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post #9 of 67
2/1/08 at 1:51pm
There's a difference, a more powerful amplification carries dynamics improvements.
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post #10 of 67
2/1/08 at 1:59pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by QQQ View Post
There's a difference, a more powerful amplification carries dynamics improvements.
The output power is the same, the volume position is different. That's it. Of course if you maxed out low gain and switched to high to squeeze extra, that's a different story.
Try using SPL to set output volume exactly the same in both gains and compare.
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post #11 of 67
2/1/08 at 2:11pm
That approach put gain selector in position of a volume limiter...
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post #12 of 67
2/1/08 at 2:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by QQQ View Post
That approach put gain selector in position of a volume limiter...
That what it is for - extend volume pot range.
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post #13 of 67
2/1/08 at 4:14pm
Yeah, to clarify what's been said, to the best of my knowledge gain has nothing to do with dynamics - that's completely determined by output power. If you're content with the output power that the low-gain selector is putting out, then you're good to go. Sure increasing the gain will get you more output power, but also more volume.

Also, to the OP, the volume pot's position shouldn't really matter. If my understanding of pots is correct, a pot is just a variable resistor. In essence, it's simply stopping the amp from putting out the maximum amount of power. Distortion, on the other hand, is when the load is greater than the output power, so the amp tries to compensate for it by distorting. Therefore, if the load is extremely high, even if the potentiometer is at a low position, the amp will still distort because the pot's just not going to provide enough resistance.

In short, distortion and pot position should be independent. Keeping it on low gain has an auxiliary benefit: you get more control over the volume pot at low listening levels, and can save your ears
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post #14 of 67
2/1/08 at 4:27pm
So in case with low gain the signal from input goes through a pair of resistors before reaching the volume pot...
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post #15 of 67
2/1/08 at 4:52pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by QQQ View Post
So in case with low gain the signal from input goes through a pair of resistors before reaching the volume pot...
No, not resistors, multiple amplifier stages.
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