possible to change gain on zhaolu 1.3?

[soloz2]

the output on my Zhaolu is too high. I have had some issues with it in the past, but never that bad. However with my two most recent purchases, a Marantz Sr7001 receiver and a MPX3 SLAM I am running into problems. The Marantz's Peak light shows and the sound gets distorted at times because it can't handle the inputs and I can't turn the volume up past 7 o'clock on my mpx3.

I've considered getting some of those RCA adapters to reduce gain by 3db or 6db, but I realize that is not an ideal fix. So does anyone have any experience with the Zhaolu 1.3? Can I change the gain on it?

[soloz2]

bump, here's some pics:

[soloz2]

you might want to try a lower gain tube in the driver position on your MPX3.

i plan to once I get an adapter, but the output is too high for my Marantz receiver as well so a new tube in the MPX3 wouldn't help that at all.

[PFKMan23]

What tube do you use in your MPX3 ATM?

[soloz2]

right now it's a sylvania 6sn7gtb. I just got the amp 2 days ago.

[n_maher]

i plan to once I get an adapter, but the output is too high for my Marantz receiver as well so a new tube in the MPX3 wouldn't help that at all.

This seems really weird to me, the part about the Marantz. I would have expected the output of the Zhalou to be pretty normal, like 2Vish and even if it was a good bit higher that it still wouldn't have caused issues with any modern receiver. Do you know what the output specs of the Zhalou are?

[PFKMan23]

I am also a bit baffled as well. The gain of your GTB is only 20 and while you could go with someithng like a 12au7 (gain of about 17) or a 6gu7 (another tube with a gain of about 17), I'm not sure that the difference of 3 would really matter in a huge respect.

[n_maher]

I'd bet changing the gain that little would make no difference at all.

[soloz2]

I'm not really sure what the specs are on the output of my zhaolu. But I know two things.

1. I have had problems before with this DAC causing a C&C Box v2 to clip

2. I listen much quieter than most of the people I've met at meets.

I've always had to watch my volume and have never been able to use the full range on any of the amps I've hooked it up to before. It's a very nice sounding DAC, especially for the money.

I did solder a 1k resister from the center pin to ground on one of the outputs and then put a 10k resister on the signal wire today. Oddly enough I only did this to one of the outputs yet now they both are quieter. I was able to turn the volume up to about 9-10 o'clock on my MPX3 and I didn't get the peak light to show up on my marantz, but the sound is a bit more constricted. Both the highs and lows seem to be rolled off a bit.

[soloz2]

I heard back from Wu.

Hi!

It is 2.5V at output stage .

You can apply L like a volume to it --must be with hi end resistor .

10 K in series and 2k parrallel at out,

Wu.

What reduction in gain will this be as opposed to using a 1k resister?