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January 13, 2006 - 7:50am
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How to Level Match Players for Comparison?
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I can certainly appreciate your skills and willingness to do this, but I am curious as to why you wouldn't simply measure the sound pressure level at your listening position and make note of the needed volume adjustment on your control amp?
I'm pretty sure your method could yield a bit more accuracy, but that just sounds like a lot of trouble.
Naturally, you may be listening on a completely different level and through much more serious gear than I am accustomed to.
I am driving the Tri-vista 21 from the coaxial digital output of the Marantz, thereby simply comparing the two units' processors and output stages.
What I HAVE been doing is putting the Marantz in an "A-B" loop, continuously playing a passage of interest. I can jump up, switch the preamp input and adjust the (rotary, non-indexed) volume control on the preamp. The volume setting is notoriously difficult to get exactly right, though, and otherwise what's the point?
What I would LIKE to do is pre-match the levels, do the "repeating loop" thing, and have someone else switch the preamp input.
Ken
Back when HDCD first came out, manufacturers were required to attenuate their converters to the tune of like 3 or 6db.
I know Theta did this with their Chroma DAC and Robert Harley discussed how to correct this in his review of the Theta.
You might try to locate that old review and see how comprehensive his discussion about this was. As I recall, it was a pretty straight-forward fix and could probably be reversed in your situation.
I am not sure of the transparency of the Creek OBH remote level control, I have used one between a Cd player and a basic amp with good results. I must admit I was not looking for the last Nth of detail for critical comparisons.
Maybe others will chime in with their Creek OBH experiences. You might see if a friend has one to borrow and you could try and see what you think.
Good Luck.