Hi all,
Just a quick question.
Does anyone know if its ok to go over 0db with the volume - like +4?
My ATC scm40's are quite power hungry and I often find I am very close to 0db and sometimes would like to go a bit more...
I think I need a 220 companion
Any thoughts on this please...
Mark
I often go into the +'s on my twin d premiers ... when the dots turn orange ..I assume its not good , but thats at +12 or more.
I use dirac with a -10db attenuation hence me going into the plusses
Basically, 0dB means the full power at 0dBFS.
If the piece that you are listening to is having a headroom of xdB, or if you use room correction with xdB attenuation, basically putting the volume at +xdB puts you in the exact same situation as listening to a 0dB headroom piece with volume at 0dB which is perfectly fine.
In addition, to my knowledge, the Devialet does not do brutal clipping but a soft elliptic compression (i.e replacing the brutal plateau by an ellipse). It does so when the dB letters are flashing. the color of the dots have nothing to do with this, this is just a general warning at with +12dB as attenuation, you are likely to enter the soft clipping zone with more recording.
So although clipping is not good because you are not true to the piece anymore, soft clipping like the Devialet does has the immense advantage of not creating very high power high frequencies that the tweeters of most speakers would be unable to handle.
Jean-Marie
(06-Oct-2017, 07:22)jukemark Wrote: [ -> ]My ATC scm40's are quite power hungry and I often find I am very close to 0db and sometimes would like to go a bit more...
I think I need a 220 companion
Yes .. in my humble opinion, you'll be better of with 440 Pro.
Incidentally - I have B&W 802 D3 with D400. I am most of the time around -6dB ~ -2dB. Honestly, I should have a D800 or 1000Pro.
ATC's are extremely power hungry .. just like the B&Ws.
I would concur with Mark's comments. When I moved from 220Pro to twin 220 Pro's, I was able to drop volume by almost 4 - 5 db (from -5 to -10). -10 is concert level with the Harbeth 40.1's and the clarity of sitting in the front row.
Jim
I also found a boost in volume after taking the monobloc route. There was also more “grip”, which I think the ATCs will also appreciate.
I measured the difference between a 200 and 400, it was 2.5 or 3db on the remote, exactly as you would expect. I did this before comparing the sound on a home dem. If you don't account for the output difference the dem is compromised.
To the original poster, going dual mono will give you more headroom, and is great, so something to consider, money no object. But I also wouldn't have any fear of going over 0, just set it to what it sounds best to your ears and enjoy.
Thanks everyone for your replies. Strangely, I didnt get any notification emails for these! A 220pro companion is on my Christmas list...