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wellnessprovider81
Contributor I
January 6, 2019

What to do if amp doesn’t have volume controls

  • January 6, 2019
  • 15 replies
  • 1647 views
I have got a sonos connect and a Anthem MCA-5 amp buy the amp does seem to have anywhere on it to adjust volume (it is old and heavy) and there is no screen for showing volume.

Do I still use variable on the connect or in this case would I use fixed?

I tried it one variable but don’t seem to hear anything but I’m worried if I put the connect to fixed that it will blow my speakers or do something else wrong...
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    Stanley_4
    Stanley_4
    Grand Maestro
    January 6, 2019
    I'd never, ever suggest using variable when sending to a device that does have a volume control. Too much opportunity for "fighting" signal strengths.

    I have one of my Zone Players set up this way and Bruce's advice is good, it can be very frustrating juggling two volume controls and you can get BLASTED if you have the receiver volume high for another source and the Sonos volume high because you had the receiver volume low the last time you used Sonos and forget to readjust both.
      wellnessprovider81Author
      Contributor I
      January 7, 2019
      In addition to the question about those speakers and amp, would you guys let me know how I would listen to a centre channel speaker (alone) with a connect. I want to break it in since it is new.

      With the rca wire/amp set up I have now (red going in red and white into left) what would I change with the plug ins?

      There is a rca input for centre channel on the amp but what wire do I put into it?
      Airgetlam
      Airgetlam
      January 7, 2019
      There is no center channel. You're sending a stereo signal to your amp, it has Left and Right only. The CONNECT only deals with stereo, it doesn't have the capability to accept or interpret an 5.1 signal.
      Bruce
      wellnessprovider81Author
      Contributor I
      January 7, 2019
      Well the amp has 5 channels. Couldn’t I send one of the two red or white wires ONLY into the amps centre channel input for the RCA?
      Stanley_4
      Stanley_4
      Grand Maestro
      January 7, 2019
      You can plug the RCA cables into any amp input you want, the Connect and amp don't care.

      Might see if the amp offers a stereo to multi-channel option, some do.
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