# 20db attenuation in DS??
**URL:** https://forum.psaudio.com/t/20db-attenuation-in-ds/1038
**Category:** DACs
**Created:** [April 23, 2014, 8:53am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/20db-attenuation-in-ds/1038 "2014-04-23T08:53:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Erik\_Miner](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Erik_Miner)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2014, 8:53am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/20db-attenuation-in-ds/1038/1 "2014-04-23T08:53:26Z")
I’m wondering how is the 20db attenuation is implemented in the DS? I’ve always run my PWD at 100% because it sounds better but I don’t get a lot of range on the volume control…
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### Author:  [@tedsmith](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/tedsmith)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2014, 8:58am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/20db-attenuation-in-ds/1038/2 "2014-04-23T08:58:50Z")
It’s a relay that adds shunt (quality) resistors to ground. The sound is just about the same with and without it. (I won’t say identical because someone will contradict me 🙂 )
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### Author:  [@Erik\_Miner](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Erik_Miner)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2014, 9:16am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/20db-attenuation-in-ds/1038/3 "2014-04-23T09:16:05Z")
Thanks Ted… Which way would you say is the more transparent way of attenuating the output using the attenuating circuit or turning down the volume control?
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### Author:  [@tedsmith](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/tedsmith)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2014, 9:25am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/20db-attenuation-in-ds/1038/4 "2014-04-23T09:25:02Z")
The digital volume control is entirely transparent in one way: it doesn’t have any digital nasties. But since it’s digital the effective noise floor is raised. The resistor (and relay contacts) can’t be perfect, but they are darned close. If you only need about 20dB attenuation overall, I’d just use the volume control. If you need more like 40dB overall I’d use the 20dB attenuator as well to keep more S/N.
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### Author:  [@Erik\_Miner](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Erik_Miner)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2014, 9:27am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/20db-attenuation-in-ds/1038/5 "2014-04-23T09:27:47Z")
Thanks Ted! I’ll try it both ways… Do you know if the balanced outputs on the DS are the same in terms of volume as the PWD MKII?
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### Author:  [@tedsmith](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/tedsmith)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2014, 9:32am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/20db-attenuation-in-ds/1038/6 "2014-04-23T09:32:23Z")
The balanced outputs on the DS are a little lower (3 or 4dB?) than the PWD MKII.
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### Author:  [@Erik\_Miner](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Erik_Miner)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2014, 9:43am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/20db-attenuation-in-ds/1038/7 "2014-04-23T09:43:56Z")
Thanks again Ted, I was hoping that might be the case…I may be able to keep it at 100% as I do now and pick up that bit of volume control range I need.
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### Author:  [@mariankiely](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/mariankiely)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2014, 10:03am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/20db-attenuation-in-ds/1038/8 "2014-04-23T10:03:00Z")
Sorry Ted, was the only pic I had with a beard.
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### Author:  [@rossop-2](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/rossop-2)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2014, 1:06pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/20db-attenuation-in-ds/1038/9 "2014-04-23T13:06:33Z")
With regards to an installed upgrade kit, how do you turn the 20db attenuation on and off?
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### Author:  [@tedsmith](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/tedsmith)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2014, 1:09pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/20db-attenuation-in-ds/1038/10 "2014-04-23T13:09:40Z")
There are no UI differences between an upgraded DS and a full production DS.
The “Filter” button on the remote toggles the 20dB attenuator.
There’s a “gear” button in the upper left of the display for settings. In “settings” there’s a Level entry that you can select “High” or “Low”.