astrostar59
BannedMember of the Trade: Aries Cerat Espana, Auriculares High-EndAKA Headstage, headphoneweekend
When I had the SRM-717 I did try it for a while with a good pre-amp in front of it (Audio Note M3 tubed unit) and then direct from my Server. Thing is is you have 2V and the standard output impedance of line out there is NO point in adding a pre-amp to the front of any of the Stax amps IMO. They are designed to run off a line out from a CD plater or DAC, and not input more current. A pre-amp can output 30v depending on the design so way over the specs of any Stax amps input and may damage the amp if you feed it too much.
I also tried using volume bypass on the 717 and operating digital volume in Audirvana+ but it kills the sound as in digital in that application lower the output = less resolution.
You could try a passive and miss out the amps pot but then that will add more interconnects and move the pot further away from the amp circuit so may not help. Make more sense to fit a better pot to the Stax amp.
It is physically impossible to get more out a set Stax amp design without changing the amp insides (mods). So if the sound is not to your liking, and assuming the HPs or source are ok to you, then you need to change your amp.
Hope this helps.
I also tried using volume bypass on the 717 and operating digital volume in Audirvana+ but it kills the sound as in digital in that application lower the output = less resolution.
You could try a passive and miss out the amps pot but then that will add more interconnects and move the pot further away from the amp circuit so may not help. Make more sense to fit a better pot to the Stax amp.
It is physically impossible to get more out a set Stax amp design without changing the amp insides (mods). So if the sound is not to your liking, and assuming the HPs or source are ok to you, then you need to change your amp.
Hope this helps.