How do I find Unity Gain?

J

JCS123

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For using Leedh volume control with a preamp, what is the best way to find out what my unity gain is? I have a hard enough time even understanding what unity gain is, let alone determining what is is in my setup.

My goal is to compare and find out what sounds better in my system:

- Lumin T2 directly to amps using Leedh.

- What I currently have: T2 to an active preamp to the amps, no Leedh processing.

- Same as above, but using Leedh processing for volume control.

Thanks in advance for any help.
 
what is leedh?

Unity Gain is when the input and output voltage is the same between two devices. Used a lot for home theater bypass. Although to allow a signal to pass you wouldn't necessarily need absolute unity gain. Unless maybe for some reason it was critical for the voltages to match.

As an example, I used a regular input of a preamp as a bypass before, I just had to select a certain point on volume and be sure I was at that point each time I used the bypass as to not mess up the balance I initially set.
 
On my Classe Sigma, I can set it to pass through, which puts volume at 0.0 and turns off the volume control of my Classe. I then adjust volume on my iPad/iPhone using Leedh. I have always wondered if I am doing the same thing if I manually set the volume on the Classe to 0.0 and not having the Classe set to pass through.
 
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It would be the same.

Audiofan57 said:
On my Classe Sigma, I can set it to pass through, which puts volume at 0.0 and turns off the volume control of my Classe. I then adjust volume on my iPad/iPhone using Leedh. I have always wondered if I am doing the same thing if I manually set the volume on the Classe to 0.0 and not having the Classe set to pass through.
Click to expand...
 
Thank you Mr. Peabody. It is much easier for me to run Leeds h this way as I have to get up and use the display on the unit to set it to pass-through. Then I have to remember to turn pass through off when I switch to a different source.
 
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JCS123 said:
My goal is to compare and find out what sounds better in my system:

- Lumin T2 directly to amps using Leedh.

- What I currently have: T2 to an active preamp to the amps, no Leedh processing.

- Same as above, but using Leedh processing for volume control.

Thanks in advance for any help.
Click to expand...

If you don't have HT bypass in your preamp, simply try lowering the Leedh volume, then turning up the preamp volume.

Use a free sound level meter app on the smartphone to measure the sound level, in order to compare SQ at the closest possible volume levels in the various setup.
 
wklie said:
If you don't have HT bypass in your preamp, simply try lowering the Leedh volume, then turning up the preamp volume.

Use a free sound level meter app on the smartphone to measure the sound level, in order to compare SQ at the closest possible volume levels in the various setup.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Peter. I’ll do a little experimenting with the sound level meter.

Also, thanks to Mr. Peabody. This is something that I was hoping to find some kind of formula for, but it is becoming apparent that I will just have to try a few things out and find out what sounds best.
 
If unity gain is -0- on your volume when bypass is on, then if you set the volume to -0- on any input the result is the same.

JCS123 said:
Thanks, Peter. I’ll do a little experimenting with the sound level meter.

Also, thanks to Mr. Peabody. This is something that I was hoping to find some kind of formula for, but it is becoming apparent that I will just have to try a few things out and find out what sounds best.
Click to expand...
 
JCS 123, just curious what the results from your 3 options were. Which option sounded best to you? Anyone else using a preamp try the different options?
 
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Audiofan, my apologies for the late reply.

Due to various issues, I still haven't gotten around to getting that meter to test things out.

Thank you (and everyone else who responded) for the advice!
 
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