EL-34 and 100k pot

[podboy]

I recently purchased a Sophia Electric EL-34 amp and paired with a Paradisea DAC. My problem is that there is to much gain. At 9 o'clock it is beyond a comfortable listening level for the room. At low volumes the L+R balance is off. The volume pot is currently a 100K Alps blue. How would a 50k or 250k pot affect the volume control? I would like to do most of my listening in the 9-1 o'clock range. Will it affect the sound? Thanks

[Eli Duttman]

Changing the value of the volume pot. will not provide relief from the "hair trigger" problem.

Assuming the source is capable of driving a "10" KOhm load, the solution is to build resistive voltage dividers inside the RCA plugs that insert into the amp. Use 1/8 W. 1% tolerance metal film parts. 6.8 KOhm resistors are inserted in the lines that go to the center/"hot" terminals of the plugs. 3.3 KOhm resistors bridge the center/"hot" and outer/"cold" connections. The values given yield approx. 9.7 dB. of attenuation.