I mentioned above the complexities of connecting the device chain together for different devices. I just found a problem, and the cause, and the solution, for one such.
For my Susvara cans I listen with my Chord M-Scaler + Hugo TT 2, a wonderful setup. Since that’s my best DAC I want to use that for the SR1a, but of course feeding the Jotunheim R special amp for the SR1a. The TT 2 has an unusual circuit, instead of a normal line output plus a separate power amp for headphones, the line drive straight out of the DAC has enough power to drive headphones and even some speakers, 18 W with balanced connection, so that’s how I use it with the Susvara. For connecting to the Jotunheim R, I unplugged the Susvara and used a balanced connection to the Jot — yes, it’s clumsy, I’ll have to figure something out, short of 10k for another Chord stack.
To avoid having to adjust the volume when I go back to the Susvara, I left it as is and set the final level with the Jot volume control.
But I was getting occasional pops and cracks and image shifts. I was pretty certain I wasn’t overdriving the SR1a ribbons, I’m not a metal head. Nor was I asking too much of the Jot output, with its 13 A capability. And I knew I wasn’t overdriving the TT 2 because it sounds great with the Susvara. But I realized the level coming out of the TT 2 is higher than a normal line level, I was overdriving the Jot input.
The TT 2 has a DAC mode which sets the output to normal line level and bypasses the volume control, so switching to that mode solved it, the Jot was happy with the normal level, so was the SR1a, and so was I. And when I go back to the Susvara I have to switch the TT 2 back to AMP mode, as well as shift the cabling. (I was previously afraid of using DAC mode, I thought if I forget to switch back to AMP mode when I connect the Susvara I would fry them with the volume control, I thought that was max level, but I am apparently way above line level for the Susvara.)
Complexities, as I discussed. I have to streamline this.