Hi all, just received my A8 and so far am really happy with it. I would like to use it as a full pre-amp but also have a home theatre processor (anthem AVM 90) I use quite often with XLR outs. I figure I can put the A8 between the L\R outs of my processor, and when I use XLR Analog In from the processor, set the volume to "passthrough" - but that seems like playing with fire. I am sure i will forget to change it back when using the internal player or coax at some point and damage my equipment. My question - are there any ideas on how to more safely accomplish this, or can someone recommend a pre-amp that wouldnt hold the A8 back that has home theatre bypass? Preferably 2 XLR inputs, XLR outputs with one of the inputs being able to bypass. Thanks in advance for any info! John
The A8 should remember the volume level on a per-input basis; so if you just set the volume at MAX (not bypassing it - it's exactly the same) when the AVM90 is selected, it should remember it.
I use a Ladder Bach pre. I have the A8 volume maxed and use the Ladder Bach volume control, my amp is a ATI AT54nc 1000 watt/500 per channel 8 ohms. This is a class D amp. It is build around the Hypex N core. This amp has a lot of power. This set up is very good. I had the A8 directly into the amp, but I have to say the Ladder Bach does open the sound up really nice.
Nice thing... BTW, I think that 500WPC can open the sound, regardless of what sound source you use...
So, technically, I could do a similar setup with my Denon... Pre-out RCA > A8 > Amplifier. I suppose I could also go digital coax or HDM A8 > Denon AVR for multi-channel listening?
I wouldn't agree. When setting the A8's volume to max, no relay click is heard, while in the case of enabling the pass through option, you can hear the relay click. Well, in this particular case it is safer to choose the max volume option.
Does the Ladder have any mechanism to provide for HT Bypass? For example, will it remember volume levels on a per-input basis so you can set the processor input to unity gain?
I did some testing over the weekend and seems unity gain for the A8 is at 0db rather than Max. It does seem to save volume for each input\output combination so I now have my XLR input renamed to "AVM90 Bypass" and it always returns to 0db volume when selected. So far so good!
I had no expectations other than trying to replicate what a HT Bypass might be doing in a standalone preamp that has the feature. In the case of the A8, unity gain appears to be at the 0db setting, and turning the volume UP beyond that would appear to add further amplification to the signal. I am still learning the terminology a bit but it seems there are Unity analog preamps where the Maximum volume setting is unity gain (such as a Denafrips Athena), but that doesn't seem to be the case here. What I dont know is if a HT Bypass setting on other preamps is also bypassing other parts of the signal path too, which the 0db setting on the A8 is not doing, but I am not really worried about since the AVM90 is primarily for movie soundtracks at this point and not critical listening.
I fail to believe that you can increase the volume beyond 0dB. You either bypass it (the volume control, I mean) and you get 0dB output, or you turn it to its maximum, which again is 0dB, cannot be any more than that, by definition.
I connected my AVM90 directly to my amplifier (as usual, but with no bass management no ARC enabled), set the avm90 volume to -35db and played a test tone. It measured 40db on an SPL meter. I then put the A8 between AVM90 and the Amp (XLR analog in to XLR analog out on the A8) and in order to get the same 40db on the SPL meter, the A8 had to be set to 0db. Any further increase of the volume setting on the A8 beyond 0db, increased the SPL meter reading beyond 40db. This is not uncommon based on what I have read for other preamplifiers who have a HT Bypass, some of them such as the Rotel provide specific volume settings for their preamps on the HT Bypass inputs, all are less then MAX volume. What you seem to be referring to is a unity gain preamplifier, but it doesn't seem like they all work similarly.
The preamp on the A8 provides up to +12 dB gain I think, so the unity gain position will be at less than the max setting.
