Problem with output levels

[NJB]

After many years with the old hifi relegated to the attic I have talked the wife into setting it up in place of the all-in-one box that we had been using. The one compromise is my gorgeous Epos ES14 speakers are not allowed. However, I have a pair of Cambridge S30s which are budget boxes but review ok.

So, it is Arcam CD73 into Naim nac 52 and nap 90 pair with chord company Cobra interconnect and chord carnival speaker cable into the S30s. Sounds reasonable, bit bright but the S30s cannot match the ES14s which are absolute stunners.

However, the output level from the CD73 is so high that the Naim volume is barely off the bottom stop for normal volume and that suggests that they are overdriving the S30s. Can I cure that?

 

[Mooly]

You need to attenuate the signal from the CD player. Depending on your diy skills you can make these (even by cutting an old interconnect and adding the parts) or buying a complete attenuator,

http://www.rothwellaudioproducts.co.uk/html/attenuators.html

The parts diy wise cost under £1 plus an old interconnect, or you could put the parts in a little box with sockets.

 

[NJB]

OK, so after the advice above and a quick look at the internet, I have ordered a set of Rothwell attenuators. The advice out there appears to be that the newer CD player has output levels that exceed the design of the Naim pre-amplifier. I suspect that Naim will be able to supply a modified input card, but the cost might make my eyes water. I am expecting that the attenuators will take away the edgy sound, probably a touch of distortion from the overdriven pre-amplifier stage, allow the power amplifier to operate closer to its sweet spot, but that I might lose a bit of the dynamics. I'll do the with and without attenuator comparison and see where I go from there.