NAD326BEE way too loud

pyrocyborg

Hi!

Just received my NAD integrated amp paired with my Polk RTiA3 and I can't even listen to the unit yet because... the volume knob is so sensitive! I mean, you turn it around 1 degree, and it increases the volume by 2 or 3 dB. At around 10 o clock, it's way too much for my room, it's unbearable (the knob is null at around 7 o clock). However, as you can see, there is no way I can achieve some background styding music this way like I was doing with my receiver.

Is there a way to adjust the sensitivity of the knob, or something else to reduce the volume to an acceptable level... and so that we can't accidentally turn the volume on and kill our ears as I just did? There is nothing is the manual about this... are the polkies too sensitive at 89 db?
Thanks!

mdaudioguy

Something isn't right. Describe EXACTLY how you have everything connected.

pyrocyborg

Well... My PC stream my flac files from it's hardrive to the PS3 via PS3 media server, the volume on the PS3 itself is set to 0 (normal). I tried lowering it, but it's only by a small amount. Then, it goes to the optical input of my V-DAC, which is then connected by RCA to my receiver, on the CD inputs.

Tony M

Different current outputs. You now have POWER.

Regulate it.
Keep the knob turned down to where it's listenable. Low is 7 and loud is 10. work in those paramators(sp). I put a piece of pinstriping on my volume know once and a dot of pinstriping where the volume was at where I thought max should be. Problem solved for myself . But if your friends want to turn your volume knob up to 12, hit em on the head with a book and then explain your gear has a limiting factor now because of the output power that NAD has over your previous power.

pyrocyborg

Tony M wrote: »

Different current outputs. You now have POWER.

Regulate it.
Keep the knob turned down to where it's listenable. Low is 7 and loud is 10. work in those paramators(sp). I put a piece of pinstriping on my volume know once and a dot of pinstriping where the volume was at where I thought max should be. Problem solved for myself . But if your friends want to turn your volume knob up to 12, hit em on the head with a book and then explain your gear has a limiting factor now because of the output power that NAD has over your previous power.

You're most probably right... but is it normal that by hitting one time the volume "up" on the remote, it's way too loud for comfort listening and that at a level "under", well, it's totally mute... I just checked again, it's too loud at around 9 o clock... I mean, I have a tiny listening area (16 feets per 11). The only way I can achieve a proper level is by turning the knob myself. While it isn't a pain, I would have prefered the lazy way... Probably the remote will be useless then! :P

FTGV

It appears there is a gain problem either internal to the NAD or the source feeding it is too hot.Is the amp fresh out of the box?

pyrocyborg

FTGV wrote: »

It appears there is a gain problem either internal to the NAD or the source feeding it is too hot.Is the amp fresh out of the box?

Yeah, a few hours old...

FTGV

You might send the nice folks at NAD an email or give their CS a call.

Tony M

I didn't know your remote was un-useable, unlike all other remotes sensitivities.

Yea, your right about it not being normal or even close to it now that I see the remote clicked once is unlistenable.

Goog luck with your detective work and the advice from FTGV seems very good.

pyrocyborg

Well, it's far from being unlisteneable... It's only that there is a large "gap" between each level while using the remote and that as for the knob itself, even a 0.5 degree rotation cause a significant increase in the overall volume, so finding a confortable volume is kinda harder than expected...

Maybe the PS3 isn't even made to be used with an integrated amp/ pre-amp/amp... but it's kinda awkward to think that.

I am not displeased by any mean. However, I wasn't able to listen critically to it (I am listening at very low level as it's late), but it doesn't seem a lot diferent in overall sound than my 250$ Yamaha AVR... at least at low level.

But there is something that I can hear so far: the sound itself it the same (still bright, so I believe every amp is supposed to be neutral), but this new combo seems clearer, every instrument is definite/distinct now. I can't know weither my v-dac or the amp causes the sound to be of better quality, but maybe I was hopping way too much (a night and day difference for example)... and that the Polk RTiA3 doesn't fit my listening style as this is still a bright combination.

Should getting some 86-87 dB sensitivity speakers a good idea to reduce the volume output to a lowe/acceptable level?

Thanks!

pyrocyborg

P-S: It seems acceptable for bluray duties... as most bluray seems to be recorded at lower levels.
P-S 2: Maybe it should be a better idea to connect my DAC by USB, and control the source volume on my PC... or would it affect too much the overall quality?

danger boy

are you using a variable output from your CD player or fixed output?

agfrost

It's kind of a kludge that may impact sonic performance, but you could find some in-line attenuators to drop your input signal level some.

Seems a strange problem; the preamplifier portion of the NAD should be able to manage the output of the V-DAC better than that. Stereophile reported output voltage of the V-DAC as 2.08V, a standard level. As FTGV indicates above, seems like there could be a problem either with the V-DAC or the NAD. They *should* play more nicely than that.

Hooking up a standard CD player directly to the same input RCAs could help decide if it's the NAD or the V-DAC.

pyrocyborg

danger boy wrote: »

are you using a variable output from your CD player or fixed output?

I can't tell as my CDP is my PS3, so it's using an optical output... I don't think I can use this kind of options.

pyrocyborg

agfrost wrote: »

Hooking up a standard CD player directly to the same input RCAs could help decide if it's the NAD or the V-DAC.

Yeah, thanks, I guess it's the only way to verify this. Well, it might as well be the PS3, but i'll verify that too.

heiney9

Soemthing isn't right here. Is your complaint that it's difficult to modulate the volume when using the remote control? As in everytime you increase the vol using the remote it jumps large increments? If so, some remotes are like that and it takes practice to learn how to do it.

Or, is it loud when you barely turn the vol knob manually as well? If that's the case and the PS3 is your source that could be the issue. I doubt it has anything to do with the integrated amp itself, but rather what/how the source is used.

H9

pyrocyborg

I just connected the DAC to my PC, and it's loud as well... so I guess it's the V-DAC? :S

But yeah, it sounds in every way better than my AVR... now symphonic metal doesn't sound too congested or very harsh (still harsh, but yeah, it's metal).

heiney9

What audio program are you using on your PC and are you using ASIO or WASAPI? What PC and what operating system?

H9

pyrocyborg

heiney9 wrote: »

What audio program are you using on your PC and are you using ASIO or WASAPI? What PC and what operating system?

H9

Uhm, Mediamonkey on PC, windows 7. Using WASAPI at the moment.

heiney9

Ok, just checking. Always best to start with the basics. Just trying to help. What cables are you using?

Seems like you have things set-up correctly.

H9

heiney9

Can I get an answer to the first sentence in post #17, please

H9

SDA1C

you can set multiaudi out on your PS3 and use the multi port with rca connections at the same time as the optical/hdmi.

SDA1C

heiney9 wrote: »

Can I get an answer to the first sentence in post #17, please

H9

Refrence post 19,7,5 Brock.

pyrocyborg

heiney9 wrote: »

Can I get an answer to the first sentence in post #17, please

H9

Thanks for your help btw! Uhm, well, the remote itself isn't that great. It turns the knob too far with a single "small push". However, with the knob, I can get a listenable level, but it's still under 8 o'clock. I am sitting at, let's say 9 feets from my speakers and my listening area is 16x11.

At the moment, I'm using some component cables as I had no classic RCA ones. Might it be the problem because it's the only thing left between the V-DAC and the NAD.

SDA1C

Still ain't right. Nothing at 7o'clock and earbleeds at 10? Cables aren't going to do that. Affect SQ? Certainly. But not jack sensitivity off the chart.

tonyb

pyrocyborg wrote: »

At the moment, I'm using some component cables as I had no classic RCA ones. Might it be the problem because it's the only thing left between the V-DAC and the NAD.

Um...I would think so.

You could also take the v-dac out of the equation alltogether and see how everything sounds.

PrazVT

My c375bee is the same way - if you adjust the volume using the remote - it is tough to go from silence to just a little over audible. however, using the volume control itself works fine. I guess it has to do with the remote design maybe?

PrazVT

But even with the remote it doesn't go to ear bleeding loud - so not sure about that part...

pyrocyborg

PrazVT wrote: »

My c375bee is the same way - if you adjust the volume using the remote - it is tough to go from silence to just a little over audible. however, using the volume control itself works fine. I guess it has to do with the remote design maybe?

Yeah, clearly... Or is it the amp "answer" to the remote input. I don't know if it's possible to use the NAD with an universal remote and see if it still turns the knob too much.

bikerboy

Reduce the output of the computer or ps3. The 2.8 v is much higher than the norm of 2.0v. Try a regular cdp and then compare.

jon s

I have the same issue with a vintage Sony STR-V7 receiver. Unfortunately, the volume control is a stepped Alps attenuator. I am using the amp to drive a pair of very inefficient (85dB/watt)Magneplanar 2.7QRs... The volume control starts at about 7:00 o'clock and the speakers are really rocking at the 9:30 position. The steps in that volume range is set at 7dB per click and drops to 5dB per click at the 9:30 position (it drops further to 1-2dB past the 11:30 position). So the volume adjustment is very course.

To compound the issue, previous Sonys had a mute button which reduced the volume by -20dB, which would have been great in my case, the volume control would fall in the 12:00-1:30 range for 1dB increments). But in this model, the mute does exactly that, it disables all sound.

I had this receiver hooked up to a pair of Polk LSi15s, I could not get the volume past 8:30 or 9:00 before the volume gets screaming loud. BTW, the amp section is rated for 150 watts per channel x 2, both channels driven into 8 ohms. At 4 ohms, it goes to 220 watts. This sucker is huge and weighs over 50 lbs.