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Yamaha Variable Loudness Control

H

hpm40

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The Variable Loudness control on my AX-630 Amp is a first for me. In the manual it suggests setting the Variable knob to "flat" or 0, then adjust the volume knob to your normal listening level. Then if you need to reduce the volume, turn the Variable Loudness knob counter-clockwise and it will decrease the volume and automatically retain the natural balance between lows and highs. When I do this as instructed I get the most highs at 0, as I turn the VL knob CCW it seems I get more bass but less highs.

Is this Variable Loudness really a popular feature ? It's not like my Pioneer receivers where it's on or off and when it's on it increases both bass and treble noticeably.

How do you use this Variable Loudness feature ?
 
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Play around with both the volume and loudness controls. Spend some time trying different settings. You may find somewhere you like.

Or maybe not! :)

Good luck.
 
I think I recall my A-S501 manual saying to set the loudness to zero then adjust the volume to the max level you would ever use. Maybe give that method a try to see if the effect is better at your normal levels.
 
Hi all ,

I recently purchased a Yamaha C-80 and the Loudness control is acting as a Volume control , is not adding or cutting the low or high frequencies as in the other devices .
This is normal or is something broken ?

Definitely the potentiometer needs cleaning , because is making the dirty noise when is rotating .

Any advice ?
 
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My Yamaha AX-630 integrated amp has been out of the rotation for months, but as I recall, yes to my ears the Variable Loudness seem to control volume more than tone. But my hearing is not what it used to be.
 
CostinB said:
Hi all ,

I recently purchased a Yamaha C-80 and the Loudness control is acting as a Volume control , is not adding or cutting the low or high frequencies as in the other devices .
This is normal or is something broken ?
Any advice ?
Click to expand...

Turn the loudness to the flat position and then turn the volume control up until you are at the loudest (max) volume you will listen at, then turn the loudness control down to your desired volume. As the loudness gets turned down it boosts lows and highs based on our hearing. Leave the volume control where you set it (max level) and always use loudness for adjusting. Yamaha has the C-80 owner's manual online for viewing or download.
 
Yes , you are right ! The Loudness is working fine ! I should be listening carefully !!!

It is a different setup and is working together with the Volume potentiometer .

The Loudness is working as a Tone control , the sensation is felt as cutting the midrange first and going wider to both ends Hz and kHz .
In reality , the bass is collected after R371 and the heights , after filter C327 and amplified by the Ci NJM4558S .

Very interesting : the Loudness module is exactly the same for Yamaha C-85 , 80 , 65 and 60 .

Thank you very much for your help !!!:bowdown::beerchug:
 

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Loudness is related to tone control but more complicated. It's based on the ears decreasing ability to discern highs and lows as volume decreases. Some manufacturers back in the day had a loudness switch, on/off, that had the effect of boosting base and highs to compensate at low volume. People just treated it as a bass booster and cranked um up. Yamaha's approach is much more refined and IMO useful.
I usually start with max loudness at low listening level. It sounds like crap, all highs and lows. Then reduce the loudness, or add back the mids, while fiddling with volume to achieve a blissful balance of low, mid's, and highs at low (wife approved) listening level. Then I pretty much leave volume alone and adjust loudness. Ideally no loudness, turned flat, is about proper volume when wife's out of the house. Using Loudness to control listening level, the trip from too loud for wife, to acceptable listening levels, is then a smooth transition and everything stays in balance. This is much more functional than the abrupt Loudness on/off used by most other manufacturers back in the day.
 
Last year , I did this diagram for my devices with Loudness .

Most of the time , the Loudness button cancels the filter that cuts some frequencies . So , the normal signal is with Loudness ON .
Loudness OFF is cutting some low frequencies .

Yamaha C-60 / 65 / 80 / 85 is different : First, it cuts everything maybe over 200 Hz or low and amplifies the highs that pass C 120 nF , maybe over 10 kHz .
The perception is the dropping of the midrange frequencies . The parameters details are saying -40dB at 1 kHz .

The main control of this Loudness is on the bass / low frequencies . So , the room resonance and the loudspeakers are the main factors of this setup .

This button option was introduced as @WannaBeHiFi mentioned .... " at low (wife approved) listening level. " or to spear the neighbors .
 

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The Loudness on switch is better than nothing . The adjustable / variable Loudness is much better .

Most of the devices with adjustable Loudness have a simple schematic as you can see in my above chart for Kenwood KA-1100 / 3300 D . (R , C and a variable resistor / potentiometer ) .

Yamaha C-60 / 65 / 80 / 85 has a more sophisticated approach . I have 2 friends and they don't like it ( maybe just because they don't have it ?? :confused: ) . Is their problem !
I was playing last night with this Loudness and I was quite impressed : I got different "shapes / colors" for sound . It is a good idea too to use the Loudness as a Volume setting .

It is a unique excellent model :
- very good quality ;
- parametric tone control ;
- adjustable / variable Loudness ;
- plenty inputs ;
- plenty input types for pick-up ,

which makes it worth the money !!!
 
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