Stello HP100 gain switch/circuitry.

[Brutale]

Hi,

I've convinced myself that my HP100 sounds better on high gain (with the volume turned down accordingly) but I don't know whether it's just my imagination or whether there's actually something in the circuitry that could cause it.

Does anyone know whether it could be the circuitry?

(I'm using it as a preamp and have tried it with 2 different power amps.)

 

[Jigglybootch]

I was under the impression that the gain switch only affected the headphone output...

 

[TzeYang]

no, do a volume matching and you'll understand that both settings are the same.

You probably think high gain's better because "it sounds louder"

Gain only affects the amplification factor.

 

[Jigglybootch]

I'd still love to know why one would want the gain switch to affect the preamp output. I would think the output would be at a fixed level to be sent to a power amp.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Because some will own highly efficient speakers and amps, and others will own ones which are less so. Just like headphones, really.

 

[LoweArt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TzeYang /img/forum/go_quote.gif no, do a volume matching and you'll understand that both settings are the same. You probably think high gain's better because "it sounds louder" Gain only affects the amplification factor.

X2 - I've previously owned the Stello HP100 and have tried different headphones on different gain settings and the only difference was the volume level, not sound quality.

 

[2deadeyes]

There seems to be a general trend where people associate better SQ with higher volume

 

[Jigglybootch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Because some will own highly efficient speakers and amps, and others will own ones which are less so. Just like headphones, really.

But isn't that what the power amp is for? I associate gain with amplification, not a preamp passing a signal to a power amp.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jigglybootch /img/forum/go_quote.gif But isn't that what the power amp is for? I associate gain with amplification, not a preamp passing a signal to a power amp.

Gain increases voltage (which corresponds to loudness). The main job of a power amp is to supply the large amounts of current that a low impedance load like a speaker needs to operate properly. Depending on the gain of the power amp, and the efficiency of the speakers in a given setup, one might need to input a louder signal (i.e. more voltage) to the power amps to get the desired listening level. Hence the gain switch operate on the preamp output as well.

 

[Jigglybootch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Gain increases voltage (which corresponds to loudness). The main job of a power amp is to supply the large amounts of current that a low impedance load like a speaker needs to operate properly. Depending on the gain of the power amp, and the efficiency of the speakers in a given setup, one might need to input a louder signal (i.e. more voltage) to the power amps to get the desired listening level. Hence the gain switch operate on the preamp output as well.

I see.

 

[Gradofan2]

Does higher gain... potentially affect the SNR... or increase the noise level above that of lower gain configurations???

 

[Jigglybootch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gradofan2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Does higher gain... potentially affect the SNR... or increase the noise level above that of lower gain configurations???

It shouldn't have any effect on the SNR, the key word being shouldn't.

 

[Brutale]

Thanks for the responses. I guess the consensus is that it's my imagination - I did wonder...

It does seem strange that all the gain switch does is control the volume, given that it's located right next to a perfectly good volume controller. I wondered whether it did something more sophisticated.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Well it doesn't just change the volume. It changes the range of possible volume settings that can be achieved via the volume knob. One setting allows for finer steps, while the other allows for a greater maximum volume. It would be silly to have an additional switch if all it did was change the volume.

 

[Patu]

Slightly offtopic but I use HP100 as a preamp also. It's just sad to say that I like my speaker setups sound much better when DA100 is directly hooked up to my integrated amp (rather than having HP100 between there). HP100 slightly kills the soundstage and highs. The difference is actually very easy to hear. The interconnect cables I use between DA100 and HP100 (Transparent MusicLink) might have something to do here but I'm sure that HP100 itself affects more.

Now I'm forced to use HP100 between there because I need DA100 for my headphone rig also. There really should be two outputs on DA100. I don't want to use any RCA splitters between there so I'm pretty much out of options(?)