Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo volume controller on CD player

My CD player (sherwood newcastle CD980) has a variable output. I plug this straight into the power amp RCA's on a NAD 3150. This way I can use the remote volume control etc. But doing this i assume that i'm using the pre-amp in the CDP.
Of course the alternatitive is to use the fixed outputs form the CDP and use the Nad's pre-amp (i'm starting to lean this way now).

What would you do?

If it were me i would just use the outputs that dont have the volume simply because you dont need two volume controls. I suppose you probbly wont notice a difference but you might think there is one. This works well Thats why companies sell soo many cables

Hi nogoodboyo,

Even if you use the fixed-level outputs on the CDP, you are still going through the CDP's analog section. Assuming it's competently designed (most are), I doubt you would hear any significant difference between it and the NAD.

When you say you could use the NAD's preamp, do you have a NAD preamp? A power amp does not have a preamp, unless you are speaking of an integrated amplifier, which does.

If you have an NAD preamp, it would give you access to tone control circuits, etc. If you can't switch those out of the circuit with a bypass, they may introduce slight spectral changes even if the controls are set to the neutral position. Tone control circuits are never completely linear or "flat".

The only way you can bypass the CDP's analog section would be to use a coaxial or optical digital output and go through a different D/A converter than the one in the Sherwood.

Regards,

Thanks for the info Alan

The Nad is integrated but can be seperated to power and pre-amp via RCS's in the back. What I was wondering is if the CDP's fixed output comes directly ot of the DAC without going thtough it's pre-amp circuitry, it's obvious the variable output goes through an active pre-amp as I can get gain and attenuation via it's volume control.

If the CDP in fixed output does use it's internal pre-amp and, I plug that into the NAD in integrated mode then there are two pre-amps in operation; I would like to avoid that and, still get the benfit of using remote volume control.

I guess I should try both for a while and see what my ears prefer.

btw. my m60's arrived today (damn, delivery was fast!!) so I'm going to spend the next few days re-discovering my music collection (hehe). Will post with impressions.

UPGRADITIS!!!

Now I have to updrade my furiture -- those speakers are gorgeous. Just listened to Faure's requiew through 'em -- stunning!

please excuse spelling abd typos

Hi,

Glad you like your M60ti's. And nice to meet someone who likes the Faure Requiem as much as I do. The M60s have wonderful clarity on large choral works, as do the M80s, M22s, and M2s.

Regards,

Speaking of tone controls, Alan, is there a way to switch them out on the H/K 525? I only ask because I know you have/had one...