Stepless Stereo Volume Control?

C

Chris Marty

New Member
Hello!

I've been searching around for a couple hours now and I can't seem to track down what I'm trying to find. I'm looking for a stepless stereo volume control to place between a power amplifier and a stereo pair of speakers. All of the in-wall speaker volume controls that I can find are "stepped" controls with 10-12 volume positions (the type that click into each position). I'm trying to find a smooth, stepless control that allows for an infinite range of fine tuning between zero and maximum.

Is anyone aware of such a product?

Thanks in advance,

Chris
 
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Check into L-Pads. They are infinitely variable.

Definition:
A speaker L pad is a special configuration of rheostats used to control volume while maintaining a constant load impedance on the output of the audio amplifier. It consists of a parallel and a series rheostat connected in an "L" configuration.

A conventional volume control (stepped or not) will change the load impedance as the level is changed.

An L pad will fit in the same hole a stepped level control uses.
 
There it’s a limit to how much power any type of attenuation device can safely handle. How many watts of amp are we talking about here?
 
For use between the amp and speakers, running full range instead of just controlling a tweeter level, introduces power handling requirements. We're talking big, 3", wire-wound L-pads now, as they need to dissipate as heat all the power they're diverting. I don't know if these can be found as commercial units.
 
If you put an Lpad between the amp and speakers, unless it is in the maximum position, and essentually out of the circuit, you will "muddy" the bass.
 
Chris Marty said:
Hello!

I've been searching around for a couple hours now and I can't seem to track down what I'm trying to find. I'm looking for a stepless stereo volume control to place between a power amplifier and a stereo pair of speakers. All of the in-wall speaker volume controls that I can find are "stepped" controls with 10-12 volume positions (the type that click into each position). I'm trying to find a smooth, stepless control that allows for an infinite range of fine tuning between zero and maximum.

Is anyone aware of such a product?

Thanks in advance,

Chris
Click to expand...

Why not use a passive preamp between the source and amp?

Any attenuator taking full range between the amp and speakers will kill the sound quality to an extent and will likely run hot with any amount of volume.
 
toddalin said:
If you put an Lpad between the amp and speakers, unless it is in the maximum position, and essentually out of the circuit, you will "muddy" the bass.
Click to expand...

Good point.. is this due to the same voltage divider effect of, say, adding a resistor in series? I had a pair of speakers that used L pads for the mid and high frequency instead of rotary switches wired to resistors.. and I never noticed much ill effect, but of course the bass was totally unaffected.
 
Betomon said:
Good point.. is this due to the same voltage divider effect of, say, adding a resistor in series? I had a pair of speakers that used L pads for the mid and high frequency instead of rotary switches wired to resistors.. and I never noticed much ill effect, but of course the bass was totally unaffected.
Click to expand...

pretty much. Basically it ends up killing the damping factor of the amplifier, so if your speakers are a type that needs a lot of woofer control they will be prone to getting very mushy when resistance gets added to the mix.


I am curious why OP wants to do it this way vs reducing input to the amplifier.
 
As others have said, I also believe you would be better served by a passive volume control before the amp. I have a feeling we're not getting enough information on the practical application of this configuration, though. There might be mobility issues, amp and source in different rooms, etc.

Generally, I'd be inclined to recommend the Schiit Sys, a passive volume control in the $50 range.
 
Long ago I had a customer at Lafayette Electronics who wanted the same thing. He wanted to get "maximum distortion" from his instrument amplifier, without bothering anyone. A few years later I had a guitar practice amp with a 3" speaker that did exactly that if you played a bass through it...
 
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