Output voltage, pre-gain, and volume limits...

[Hazenhart]

Does anyone have an authoritive statement on the best strategy for gain-staging with all these options?
I am assuming both pre-gain adjustments and volume limits are attenuating/boosting the signal in the digital domain before any actual pre-amplification of the analog signal via line out. I am also assuming that the output voltage defines the maximum amplification at the analog line out, in any and all cases AFTER pre-gain and volume adjustments. Please correct me if I am mistaken.
My primary WiiM Pro+ usage is whole house audio, most of the time background music that people are talking over, but occasionally with some more focused rocking-out with the volume up. Between my amp gain (Emotiva A4 in this instance) and sensitive speakers (KEF Ci200MR) to achieve a reasonable volume at 2v output at max WiiM volume I have set the volume limiter at 50%.
Would it be better for me to drop the output voltage and loosen the volume restriction?
At the end it's all output voltage, right(?)
What's the best approach here?

Thanks for your time.

 

[Wiimer]

Does anyone have an authoritive statement on the best strategy for gain-staging with all these options?
I am assuming both pre-gain adjustments and volume limits are attenuating/boosting the signal in the digital domain before any actual pre-amplification of the analog signal via line out. I am also assuming that the output voltage defines the maximum amplification at the analog line out, in any and all cases AFTER pre-gain and volume adjustments. Please correct me if I am mistaken.
My primary WiiM Pro+ usage is whole house audio, most of the time background music that people are talking over, but occasionally with some more focused rocking-out with the volume up. Between my amp gain (Emotiva A4 in this instance) and sensitive speakers (KEF Ci200MR) to achieve a reasonable volume at 2v output at max WiiM volume I have set the volume limiter at 50%.
Would it be better for me to drop the output voltage and loosen the volume restriction?
At the end it's all output voltage, right(?)
What's the best approach here?

Thanks for your time.

Some tests were done on them by @VintageFlanker and @onlyoneme.
The only quote from me is below, but I hope it helps.

[WiiM pro]
Volume limit
Fixed: -141.8dB THD+N
~75%: -138.2dB THD+N
~50%: -131.5dB THD+N
~25%: -115.5dB THD+N
~10%: -99.6dB THD+N
(Digital Output)

Line out revel
2Vrms : -88.8dB THD+N
1Vrms : -92.8dB THD+N
800mV : -93.1dB THD+N
500mV : -93.2dB THD+N
(In Pro, the lower the output voltage, the better the THD+N.)

[WiiM pro plus]
Line out revel
2 Vrms - SINAD 111.7
1 Vrms - SINAD 109.4
0.8 Vrms - SINAD 107.6
0.5 Vrms - SINAD 103.8

 

[Hazenhart]

If I am interpreting this correctly, and recognizing I may be oversimplifying, it looks like:

SINAD decreases more rapidly below 50% volume.
SINAD (for the Pro Plus) decreases more rapidly below 0.8Vrms.
Keeping the volume anywhere above 25% is more important than the output voltage high (in the Pro Plus).

Yes?

 

[Wiimer]

If I am interpreting this correctly, and recognizing I may be oversimplifying, it looks like:

SINAD decreases more rapidly below 50% volume.
SINAD (for the Pro Plus) decreases more rapidly below 0.8Vrms.
Keeping the volume anywhere above 25% is more important than the output voltage high (in the Pro Plus).

Yes?

Sorry, I am not an expert and do not have an exact answer to that question. I am not too concerned about them and adjust both as needed. However, yes, I balance these values so that they are not too low.

For example, my pro is only used to drive the subwoofer and I have the output level set to 800mV, volume limit set to 50%. the volume slider in the WiiM app is around 100% and I adjust the volume of the entire group as needed. (Ultra and pro are used as a group.)

 

[VintageFlanker]

Some tests were done on them by @VintageFlanker and @onlyoneme.
The only quote from me is below, but I hope it helps.

[WiiM pro]
Volume limit
Fixed: -141.8dB THD+N
~75%: -138.2dB THD+N
~50%: -131.5dB THD+N
~25%: -115.5dB THD+N
~10%: -99.6dB THD+N

Line out revel
2Vrms : -88.8dB THD+N
1Vrms : -92.8dB THD+N
800mV : -93.1dB THD+N
500mV : -93.2dB THD+N

Please specify that the first part of results are in the digital domain. The second, in the analog domain. That's a massive difference.

(In Pro, the lower the output voltage, the better the THD+N.)

Not quite. Down to a certain extent, yes. Below 0.8Vrms, the SINAD is decreasing.

 

[Wiimer]

Please specify that the first part of results are in the digital domain. The second, in the analog domain. That's a massive difference.


Not quite. Down to a certain extent, yes. Below 0.8Vrms, the SINAD is decreasing.

Thank you. Edited.

 

[petak]

I suppose the "Line Out Level" works in the analog domain as opposed to the "Volume" adjustment, which alters the digital signal.
I have a few MQA files and a DAC that can identify them. Changing the Line Out Level does not affect the file being recognised as MQA by the DAC whereas turning the volume down immediately turns off the blue led on the DAC.