Digital volume on Squeezebox Touch.

[RMutt]

Has anyone tried using the Touch or Touch plus DAC directly into a power amplifier and controlling volume from the Touch? Are there inherent problems? I realise that left at full volume it could inadvertently cause damage but are there other issues? Is there anything I should consider before attempting this?

[rectorydp]

Yes I did this for a while. I did add attenuators after I had tested to reduce the likelihood of damage and to allow the digital volume to operate in the upper limits. You don't want to use too low a volume otherwise you will be dropping bits. I used the touch with the attenuators for about a year and then swapped to a passive pre. Removing the active preamp cleaned things up a lot for me and I was very happy with the passive. I recently swapped to a Caiman Mk2 and I am using the volume control from that at the moment.

I would certainly recommend using some attenuation but I think it can work well.

[WAD62]

Both of my Touches are set to 100%, I use the MDAC's volume control for one and the Mini-1's for the other...

I do use my SB3's volume control in my 3rd system, so in principal the same, into a Caiman II (on fixed volume). As the other post mentioned try to keep the volume above 35%, otherwise the SQ will be affected...I recall seeing the 35% figure somewhere on the Squeezebox forum

[RMutt]

Thanks rectorydp and WAD62. Will have an experiment and see before buying attenuators.

[StanleyB]

Attenuators kill the dynamic range and muffle a lot of the low level signal content.