[Foe-hammer]

I purchased the VHP-2 Amp a little while ago, and was wondering what my source/pre-amp volume needed to be. My source is a Pioneer 1000C Receiver, with a digital TOSlink cable supplying the sound. The volume dial is analog knob, and not a digital dial.

Should i turn the volume to max, or in the 1 to 2 O'Clock position? Or lower? Would having the volume less then max decrease the sound quality when in conjunction with the dedicated headphone amp?

Thanks for the help...

 

[Foe-hammer]

Anyone?

 

[Navyblue]

Does the receiver has a line out? If so then the receiver's volume setting wouldn't matter.

 

[Foe-hammer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Navyblue /img/forum/go_quote.gif Does the receiver has a line out? If so then the receiver's volume setting wouldn't matter.

No, it doesn't have a line out.

I have the vhp-2 headphone amp connected to the 1/4" headphone jack of the receiver.

 

[Navyblue]

If the receiver doesn't hiss at max volume I'd leave it at that. However if it does I'd turn to the highest setting before any hiss is detectable (or starting to distract if hiss is ever present).

 

[Foe-hammer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Navyblue /img/forum/go_quote.gif If the receiver doesn't hiss at max volume I'd leave it at that. However if it does I'd turn to the highest setting before any hiss is detectable (or starting to distract if hiss is ever present).

That is what i've done, but i remember hearing that if the source is not turned up to max, then you'll be getting a lower bit fidelity, or something of the sort. I think it was in reference to a digital source.

 

[silverrain]

I used to do this -- I always put the volume around the middle of its output power -- using max volume can somtimes include internal clipping before the signal even gets to your headphone amp, because it leaves no headroom for transient spikes.

 

[Foe-hammer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverrain /img/forum/go_quote.gif I used to do this -- I always put the volume around the middle of its output power -- using max volume can sometimes include internal clipping before the signal even gets to your headphone amp, because it leaves no headroom for transient spikes.

Thanks for the information. So i'll just keep it at about 1 O'Clock and call it good, then.

 

[silverrain]

FWIW department:

I learned this lesson a long time ago, when playing electirc guitars -- in the old days, before we had distortion/sustain/fuzz effects "boxes" that we can just plug into for whatever sound we want -- the usual way we would get "fuzz" or distortion in our guitars (because we wanted to, with heavy metal, or even some blues) -- was to chain two amp heads in series, and max-out the first amp signal into the second amp, which introduced "overdrive" into the second amp, and the desired special effects.
Same as what you were talking about.

Or, like with Marshall amp "stacks" -- we would just overdrive the speakers themselves, for distortion -- but no "sustain" would happen this way, usually.

With the "overdrive" setup (amp-into-amp-into speakers) you could actually play a guitar without strumming the strings -- just touch/tap the string at correct spot on fretboard, and the note just "flows" out from the unbridled power, and would sustain itself for as long as desired.
This is one of the styles I used sometimes, same as Jimi Hendrix first made popular in a big way.
Now, I see how these techiniques carry over into any amplification situation, pretty much.

 

[tfarney]

Are there tape outs on your Pioneer receiver? Try those. Amping an amp just isn't a good idea, especially when they odds are good that your headphone amp is of higher quality than your receiver.

Tim