For me, preamp controls power of power amp. So when I turn on preamp, it will power up also power amp. And then quickly ramp up volume to previous setting. At shutdown it quickly ramps down volume and then powers off both. Also if power amp detects clipping, it will turn down volume on the preamp. But that would happen at crazy volume level, putting out more than 500W to my 4 ohm speakers…
If I set HQPlayer volume to -3 dBFS, typically my loudest possible volume setting is -20 dB when source is Holo Spring 3 in DSD mode, which means the input voltage is already relatively low. With some other DACs I wouldn’t be able to go that high. But I compensate in HQPlayer volume to avoid unnecessarily high attenuation in preamp (which should be called preatt these days anyway since the gain is negative).
I don’t like the idea of the preamp turning on the power amp. I’d rather turn on the amp manually so as to avoid any potential mistakes, and to save my hearing.
It takes a little while for all of my sources to settle and the relays to click on. I wait and make sure the volume level is low before turning on the amp.
As it is, with -3.0 in HQPlayer, I find myself having to go to -12 on the preamp to get a listening level I used to get around -20 with the Roon output to the Aqua Formula when set to Fixed.
P.S. Is there any chance you could make the globe a check box? I can’t really figure out selection by what it does now.
Also, maybe add a little text saying that -60 may be inaudible and that it should be turned up, but not higher than -3.0. I had everything configured and working except for the volume control, lol.
since the gain is negative).