Aleph "L" Stepped attenuator on the input or the output?

[Mark A. Gulbrandsen]

Having built Jens digital stepped attenuator, and am very pleased with it, I was wondering what you all feel about having it on the input vs. the output of the "L". Right now it is on the output.
Thanks for any tips and advice!!
Mark

 

[Mad_K]

Better to have it on the output; this way it also attenuates noise produced by the circuit..😉

 

[Aiace]

better if you use on input, so at the normal listening volume you got very low distortion.
Aiace

 

[Mark A. Gulbrandsen]

Well, I'm not sure which way to go with it. I have never checked the s/n of my L and the input overload point either. for that matter. I'm inclined to put it at the input if the S/N of the L is good...and it really ought to be. Since the attenuator is only 8 bit I can't really hook it up as a cut in for the circuit at a certain level like Nelson did in the L.
Am working on getting parts together to build a P but it will be a while....
Mark

 

[jam]

Years ago Yamaha put attenuators at both the input and outputs. This avoided overload and provided the best noise performance.

Jam

 

[Nickolas K.]

Why don't u check the Aleph "L" Service Manual and do things like NP does?
Just insert a 22k resistor at the input to get about 6 db of gain and use the attenuator at the output.

Nick

 

[Mark A. Gulbrandsen]

Has anyone out there ever measured the overload point of any of the home brew L's and, or the SN ratio? With that high of operating voltage it should have quite a high overload(clip) point.
Mark