[xnor]

These attenuators are used at the RCA ins to attenuate the input signal of the amp. It seems to be a simple voltage divider with 2 resistors per channel (GBP 40 for that, really?), so it does influence impedances, but on the source <-> amp side, not the headphone output.
 
Here's what somebody wrote as a reply to a review of their attenuators. I thought it's quite funny:
"Rothwell ...: Ferrari's too fast? Run it with hand-brake."

 

[merkil]

These attenuators are used at the RCA ins to attenuate the input signal of the amp. It seems to be a simple voltage divider with 2 resistors per channel (GBP 40 for that, really?), so it does influence impedances, but on the source <-> amp side, not the headphone output.

Here's what somebody wrote as a reply to a review of their attenuators. I thought it's quite funny:
"Rothwell ...: Ferrari's too fast? Run it with hand-brake."

Lol that is pretty funny. Like I said, I don't own these and I'm not trying to promote them. I just saw a pair for sale, read a bit on them and thought they might be useful to some buddy. Maybe a person who has tried them can comment.

Edit: here is the link to the form sale if ppl want to ask the seller questions.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/646479/rothwell-audio-rca-in-line-attenuators-if-your-source-is-too-hot-for-your-amp

 

[peter123]

I've been using these for a while with my LD 1+:
 
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=266-244
 
Works very fine and give much bigger room to play with volume.
 
I'll try them with the Magni this weekend.

 

[peepr]

interdasting.  these don't degrade the signal? just reduce it as it were?

 

[merkil]

Quote:

I've been using these for a while with my LD 1+:
 
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=266-244
 
Works very fine and give much bigger room to play with volume.
 
I'll try them with the Magni this weekend.

 
 
These are more fairly priced. 
 
I have not used these before but I would think it would be fine in terms of SQ. One person in the reviews for the ones at part express said it didn't degrade SQ on his system, grain of salt?

 

[peter123]

Quote:

interdasting.  these don't degrade the signal? just reduce it as it were?

I've not been able to hear any difference in sound using them on my LD 1+ (but then again I don't have golden ears

).
 
I'm using them on my Magni right now and can easily go to between 1 and 2 o'clock on the volume with my FA-011 with classical music.

 

[wes008]

Quote:

I've been using these for a while with my LD 1+:
...

Purely going off of the amps (minus the attenuators) how does the LD 1+ compare to the Magni? (I know, two different beasts, I just wanted to hear your comparison)

 

[merkil]

I've not been able to hear any difference in sound using them on my LD 1+ (but then again I don't have golden ears

).

I'm using them on my Magni right now and can easily go to between 1 and 2 o'clock on the volume with my FA-011 with classical music.

These might be the answer to some ppls needs. To be honest the sharp volume rise is what turned me off the Magni (I went with the Asgard). If I would have known about the attenuators before hand it would have influenced my decision. Oh well, can't really complain to much both are great amps.

 

[ninjames]

I don't really understand those connectors. You are amplifying a signal and then you are ... reducing the amping? Seems backwards.

 

[merkil]

I don't really understand those connectors. You are amplifying a signal and then you are ... reducing the amping? Seems backwards.

No. These go in the back of the amp on the RCA plugs. You plug your RCA cables from your dac into them and they plug into the back of your amp. What they do is reduce the overall gain being fed into amp so that you can have more play on the volume pot of the amp. It reduces the signal before the amp and then the amp amplifies the reduced signal, but you will have more play on the volume because of this reduction.

 

[sunseeker888]

Merkil is exactly correct. They are in-line RCA attenuators comprised of resistors. The good ones are capable of attenuation across the audible band evenly; beware the cheaper type which can cause 'spikes' at certain frequencies due to uneven electrical suppression. I used to run inline attenuators with a Sony SCD-CE595 changer into an early 60's integrated amp. This amp had a hot linestage consisting of 6U8s I believe and the 2V p-p output of the CD deck was too much.
 

 

[ninjames]

How do we know enough power is getting to the headphones then? I still don't "get" this. The Magni has low travel on the volume control because it's outputting too much power, right? So this is lessening that output? 

 

[wes008]

How do we know enough power is getting to the headphones then? I still don't "get" this. The Magni has low travel on the volume control because it's outputting too much power, right? So this is lessening that output? 

Only lessening what's going in.

 

[ninjames]

Quote:

Only lessening what's going in.

Which would have to mean what goes out is less, no?

 

[merkil]

How do we know enough power is getting to the headphones then? I still don't "get" this. The Magni has low travel on the volume control because it's outputting too much power, right? So this is lessening that output? 

The amp will still be giving out the same amount of power. Nothing has changed in the amp, its still doing the same thing but the signal going in has been db reduced. Because its going in lower the amp won't amplify the gain to such high levels as before. Therefore you will have to turn the volume knob up higher to get equivalent volume as before.

Edit: At least from what I can understand. I don't know anything to technical. Maybe somebody can chime in here.