I'm working on a new 6L6 amplifier and I'm not sure if I should add a volume control. My source, a Bluesound Node 2i has digital volume controls built in so I could set the amp at full volume and adjust it in software. Should I add a volume control now or leave it out? My current amp has a volume control but it's always all the way up. How many of you are building amps without a volume control these days?
I put in one if I could. Especially if you listen at low volume a lot and care about sound quality at those volume. At certain low volume, a pure digital volume control will needs to drop bits to achieve gain reduction.
I haven't built an amplifier for my own use with a volume control in years. I like to have them at my preamp/source selector. That, or use one at the device that is plugged in as a source, like a tablet, phono pre, etc.
I'll build without a volume pot for now. If it's needed, I'll add it to the back panel where I can adjust it and it won't get messed with by family members. My current source has a 12-volt signal that is wired to turn on my amplifier automatically when it starts playing. Nothing is more annoying than going to play something (it's controlled remotely from an app on my phone) and having my source turn the amplifier on, and then finding that someone turned the volume on the amplifier all the way down.