Headphone Amp question: Which volume controls to use?

[dreko]

Hi Guys,

 

Just received my Woo Audio amp. I've got it hooked up: Mac -> Dac -> amp -> headphones

 

I use foobar on the PC boot, Audrivana on the Mac boot.

 

Is this correct: I keep the software playback audio levels to maximum, then I just adjust the amp's volume knob?

On the PC, I keep foobar to max levels, but there's also the OS volume controls. Should this be maxed out too?

 

On the Mac side, I keep the OS volume levels at max or very close to max, then I adjust the Audrivana's volume knob.

 

Sounds silly, but I just want to make sure I'm not getting any degradation in quality by adjusting the wrong volume controls...

 

thanks

[dalethorn]

Generally what you say is true, especially if any volume controls on the computer or software start dithering the digital data when set to less than maximum. On the other hand, I have found instances where so strong a signal is sent to an external amp that the amp's front end is overloaded, but you could probably verify that with some simple tests.

[dreko]

Dalethorn,

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question.

Sounds like one should max the OS volume as well as the Playback software volume, and then just use the headphone amp's physical volume control, yes?

 

I'll keep an ear out for those instances you mention.

[dalethorn]

Sounds like one should max the OS volume as well as the Playback software volume, and then just use the headphone amp's physical volume control, yes?

 

That's usually the case, although in the case of the Dragonfly for example, since it doesn't have a volume control itself, it supposedly "repurposes" the system volume control in a way that doesn't degrade the signal. I've been all over that, even here at CA with a few people, and never became 100 percent satisfied that I understood all the rules. But definitely try keeping everything on the computer at maximum and listen carefully to the output of the amp. You should also get a reasonable amount of travel on the amp's volume control - if you got such a strong signal from the computer that you could not turn the volume control up on the amp past the 1/4 point, that could indicate a problem and make it difficult to fine-tune the volume level you need.