I have one airport express connected to a Sony ES receiver, and another connected to a Classe Integrated Amp, and all is well there. I also have outdoor speakers connected to an Adcom amplifier that used to be plugged into the Sony receiver using it's 2nd room functionality. For a variety of reasons I have separated this out and attached the Adcom amp. directly to a new airport express. Physically, the amp is with other indoor equipment, and there is a resistor based volume control outside near the speakers designed to control the volume post-amplification. Here is my concern, without a pre-amp, I believe the equivalent airport express output to the amp is minus zero db on a pre-amp (or +10 or what have you on pre-amps that don't use the minus db designation). In effect, am I sending a signal to the amplifier that is equal to having the volume knob turned up all the way, and then reducing that volume post amplification with the resistor based volume control, and if so, do I risk damaging the amplifier?
I can counter this somewhat by using Airfoil, which allows me to turn the signal volume down on the feed going to the patio speaker airport express and then turn the outside control up to achieve the same volume.
Or, I can invest in a cheap pre-amp that only needs to do one job: volume. Any suggestions there? Thoughts on this overall scenario?
Thanks,
-Lewis
