Hell yes, ask Michael Schumacher if he would like his Ferrari reduced let's say one percent in horsepower or 5 to 10 mph less in top speed, he would not be world champion.

My theory as far as cars go MORE HORSEPOWER.

Now as for the topic I agree the three decibels is not (at least on paper) going to be missed.

LQQK

Ideally, you should start by setting your preamp volume control to "0" or "ref", and all the individual channel trims to zero. Play a DVD with test pink noise (5.1). Set the gain pot on the power amps for 75db sound pressure level per speaker. I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but that is the way it is done on film dubbing stages, except the reference level is 85db instead of 75db. Doing this, besides giving you a calibrated reference setting on your volume control, insures the best gain structure for the reproduction chain. I know, I know, this is not how it is presented in most consumer manuals, but just trust me on this one.

Actually, power to weight ratio, and on that count, a motorcycle will beat any car, any day.

So long as the torque doesn't flip the motorcyle over in a power wheelie.

Here's my take on the preamp gain.

Yes there is 3dB less gain on the preamp, which means the signal going out the preamp RCA's is 3dB less at the same volume setting as before. -3dB of voltage is, I believe, .293V (1-.707) down from 1V and .586V down from 2V.

The 950 spec (on the web site) is 1V rated output voltage at zero dB gain for analog bypass. The rated output for digital inputs is 2V (at 0dB playback). I am guessing this really means what the output voltage is when the volume readout says 0dB.

So now that output voltage is less than those values by maybe 293 and 586 millivolts resectively.

The 770 amp achieves maximum rated output with an input of 1.43V (also on the web page).

It appears that the 950 might now be derated to 1.414V (1-.686) for any digital input, which is almost 1.43V. The question is, can the 950 exceed it rating? Well you can turn the thing up beyond 0 dB right? So I would suspect it can.

For analog, I am less sure. Maybe it is now only rated for .707V instead of 1V.

As a comparison, the Rotel 1066 is rated at 1.2V output for a 200mV input. This would be an analog only input, since digital inputs are not voltages.

Also for comparison, the Parasound HCA-2205 amp is spec'ed at 1V input equals 28.28V output (THX reference level) and 1.5V input equals maximum amp output. The Bryston 9B is 125W x 5. For it, 1V in equals 100W out.

This is a technical issue and I am no electrical engineer. If Outlaw were to state the maximum output voltage (without clipping or seriously distorting the 950), that would answer the question for certain. It appears that 1V is loud, but not max volume for most amps. 2V is most certainly max power (or more) for about all amps.

If the max 950 voltage is high enough max out your amp, then the benefit of less gain is a less sensitive volume knob, meaning you have more usuable range before the volume is "too loud."

Huuuhhhhhhhh????

Geez, you are really splitting hairs here. First of all, a voltage difference of 1/2 is 6db, not 3db. 3db is half the POWER. Really, you might as well split hairs on the color of the AC line cord on the 950, as it makes about as much difference. As a general rule of thumb, pretty much all consumer (and professional for that matter)sound gear has a maximum voltage output of somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 volts, or +20db above .775 volts. This is due to the fact that they pretty much all use the same power supply voltages (plus and minus 15-18 volts DC) and pretty much the same ICs or in some cases output transistors.
Fix yourself a BIG pitcher of Margratias, sit back, throw on a good movie, and enjoy!!

Fix yourself a BIG pitcher of Margratias, sit back, throw on a good movie, and enjoy!![/B][/QUOTE]

Where have I heard this advice before? Charlie are you there?
DmC

Maybe it would be more appropriate to call the Volume Knob an attenuator.

It actually is called that in some applications. On a mixing console, it's called a 'fader'. I think the most descriptive label is one I've seen in British hi-fi; a 'loudness' control. But then again, they made Norton and BSA motorcycles, so what do they know?



[This message has been edited by soundhound (edited September 13, 2002).]

Hey, wait a minute. I've had both a BSA and Norton and they were..... oh yeah now I remember, they were worthless.