I have found threads on streamer vs pre-amp volume control and system automation but is there any reason to think there might be a difference in sound quality for fixed vs variable? For example, if I set the streamer volume to fixed and control the actual output with the pre amp vs setting the pre amp high and controlling with the digital volume? At the moment I have the pre at about 12:00 and am using the digital control vía app or streamer remote but I’m not sure if this is the best way.
The streamer is running in and set us isn’t optimised at the moment so im not expecting it to reveal subtle differences yet.
I’ve found with the NDX2 when playing through my headphone amp, that fixed volume output is quite a bit better than the variable output. I also use that through the 252 using system automation.
In which case you should use the amplifier’s volume. The variable volume in the 555 is a digital control that’s there only to achieve third party licensing approval, Apple I believe. It’s not a ‘proper’ volume control and not a patch on that in the 552. You should set up system automation and you can then control the volume via the app or the ND555 remote. You can also change sources using either, regardless of whether they are digital and connected to the 555 or analogue connected to the 552. It works really well.
Thanks HH, thats exactly the info I was after. Time to evict the spiders from the “odds and sods” cable box in the garage, to see if I can find a 3.5mm-RCA cable.