" By “going direct” I meant plugging the headphone out jack of my computer into the input of the SA-250 amp and using the volume control of the computer. Also, my Denon cassette player has an output level control. Thanks!"
---
A few things, your tube amp is a very old design, modern tube amps are a lot more neutral and detailed. To go from your PC to the amp, like you’re doing now is pretty bad, you’re losing a lot of detail, both from the PC volume control, which is digital as well as the headphone out, which isn’t the best quality, it’s basically an internal headamp board based on cheap components and possibly not a lot of gain. Look for a cheapish external DAC/Preamp, with an USB input, then you can hook up your PC to the DAC/Pre via USB which will transmit the audio signal digitally, without loss...then the DAC/Pre will convert the digital to analog, amplify to line level, and send it to your Conrad Johnson. You will hear what a difference that makes.
Few examples:
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_772D1/Audioengine-D1.html?tp=59340
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_779DACMPLB/Cambridge-Audio-DacMagic-Plus-Black.html?tp=59309
---
A few things, your tube amp is a very old design, modern tube amps are a lot more neutral and detailed. To go from your PC to the amp, like you’re doing now is pretty bad, you’re losing a lot of detail, both from the PC volume control, which is digital as well as the headphone out, which isn’t the best quality, it’s basically an internal headamp board based on cheap components and possibly not a lot of gain. Look for a cheapish external DAC/Preamp, with an USB input, then you can hook up your PC to the DAC/Pre via USB which will transmit the audio signal digitally, without loss...then the DAC/Pre will convert the digital to analog, amplify to line level, and send it to your Conrad Johnson. You will hear what a difference that makes.
Few examples:
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_772D1/Audioengine-D1.html?tp=59340
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_779DACMPLB/Cambridge-Audio-DacMagic-Plus-Black.html?tp=59309