Sean
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I'm a little over a month into being a Decware owner. Loving it so far, but like it has been said, these amps will expose weak points. I found mine! Well, one anyhow.
Here's my setup:
Mofi studiodeck with AT OC9/III > AT630 SUT > Jolida JD9 > Decware SE84C-EX >Tekton Pendragon and over a dozen sound panels. If I listen to anything digital, it's on the TV setup.
When the SE84 is the only thing ON the volume is dead silent with the volume all the way up. When the JD9 is on, I start getting distortion with when the volume goes past 12 o'clock. The JD is known as a pretty high gain unit. While listening at low volumes it's all good. Around 10/11 on the dial, complex passages sometime distort.
So working with what I have on hand I tried this, adding a Bellari passive pre between the JD9 and SE84. I set the volume on the pre at about 2 o'clock and then adjust the volume on the amp as needed (and there's a story behind how I do this that just might make some of you laugh). I do feel like I lose just a bit of dynamics and soundstage. For now, that's an acceptable compromise. My question is, should I turn the SE84 all the way up and use the Bellari to adjust listening volume?
The pic is my "Im lazy AF and don't want to be bothered to get up and adjust volume, sit back down, get back up, etc" volume control MKII, MKI was super wobbly. Anyhow, just a broom stick, conduit connector and stand. Too many years of remote controls have spoiled me.
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