[pompon]

I have Apache and wonder what is the best config for gain value.

For HD650 : ?

For Denon D5000 :?

 

[jamato8]

I like to use a lower gain to get as much of the volume control out of the signal path as possible but what sounds best?

 

[johnsonad]

On mine I use:
K340 High
D5000 Low
Speakers Medium

Hope this helps

For me it is ease of use. I use speakers 99.999% of the time and don't notice the difference between low and med with this use. Play around and see what sounds best to your ears, really that is all that matters right?

 

[Tbln]

Use the lowest gain that you need.

I prefer the sound out of the low gain position for the HD650 and only need to go no further than 1 o'clock.

 

[nikongod]

use the lowest you can use.

if the choice must be made between high gain at "1/4" knob and low gain at "1/2" knob, go for low gain and crank the knob. if you max out the knob, then go up in gain.

 

[2deadeyes]

For balanced operation, I always had it on low for optimal volume control. The cans I used were low Z so they got loud quite easily. For SE, I preferred med.

 

[euclid]

i use low gain for headphones but unfortunately when set to preamp i get a low-level hum, i have to swith to mid gain and the hum goes away, i need to send it to Ray for service and the newer opamps, Best Buy was not very helpful.

 

[Dreadhead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I like to use a lower gain to get as much of the volume control out of the signal path as possible but what sounds best?

How does low gain do that? I could be entirely wrong but it appears to me that the gain switch is just being a 3 position stepped attenuator on the source input (so before the signal goes to the amp boards) much like how the stepped attenuation volume controls work. If this is the case for the amps to deliver the same volume to the phones the input to the amp boards is the same and hence the ratio of source input to amp board input is the same and hence the amount of resistance in the signal path should be the same. Unless of course for some reason they use bigger and lower value resistors on the gain switch vs the stepped attenuator.

Of course I don't have the experience you guys have so I may be way off.... Thanks in advance for correcting me.

 

[johnsonad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by euclid /img/forum/go_quote.gif i use low gain for headphones but unfortunately when set to preamp i get a low-level hum, i have to swith to mid gain and the hum goes away, i need to send it to Ray for service and the newer opamps, Best Buy was not very helpful.

He said Best Buy

 

[vcoheda]

i use low and med, but mostly low.

 

[achristilaw]

Strictly the impedance/sensitivity of the phone, and where your ears tell you to stop. I use low and medium, and have yet to use High Gain. Rays designs are muscular and the Apache epitomizes this.

 

[Skylab]

When I had an Apache for review, I definitely felt it sounded best on low gain. But it was almost irrelevant - for my headphones and listening levels, anything but low gain was essentially unworkable.

 

[Tbln]

The only time I felt a real need for the medium gain was when i was using the Beyer DT990 single-ended. The low gain caused some crackling, static type distortion in the cans that disappeared when I increased the gain to medium.

Strange?

 

[ephrank]

I don't have an Apache, but I want to share my experience with the gain switch.

I have a RSA Hornet M. I bought it for my K 701 and thought I'd need Medium gain. Turned out Low gain is enough. Then I bought a pair of HD 600 and thought I'd need High gain. Again, Low is enough!

I listened to both K 701 and HD 600 with volume knob at 10 o'clock (hot CDs) or 11:30 (proper mix) . For SR 60 its 10 o'clock for proper mix.