Hi all,

I have been using an Aric Audio preamp to drive my Torii MK IV.  It is a good combination and both amplifiers use point to point wiring, good parts, simple circuits and VR tubes.  The preamp has a pair of 60s Bugle Boy 12AU7s and is nice and transparent.

I have never used a tube pre before this.  I have also never used a preamp with a gain control and a volume control. I noticed right away that the signal distorts if the gain is too high.  My approach has been to set the Torii's volume at around 80%. The volume control on the preamp is a motorized Alps.  That ends up at about 40% when I back off the gain so there is no audible distortion (to my ears).  

I have read plenty about riding the gain here. My summary is try higher input levels to the Decware amps and see if you like the sound better. I have little experience with setting gain on a pre however.  Is this similar to a bias control on amplifiers.  Higher gain = higher tube bias?  Should I aim for minimal gain on the pre?

What approach would you guys take? What should I listen for?

This isn't a big problem, the system sounds amazing, but I want to learn more.

-Karl