A passive monitor volume controller

[P. Rene]

any suggestions please!

[Acoustic Cloud]

http://www.frontendaudio.com/SM_Pro_...ion_p/3348.htm

This is a cool box that will do 2 mon pairs.
I am currently using a little crummy Behringer 1002fx to control mine, and I hear no difference in the sound/color. I hooked it up and back several times..

I may not use this forever, but the quick eq-fx auditioning with a quick twist can be cool!

[Jim vanBergen]

did you try searching this forum? Been discussed a LOT lately.
Personally, I like the A-Designs ATTY.

JvB

[Acoustic Cloud]

I got the ATTY, sent it back. The cables all come out the sides, east and west.. (not like I should have noticed that before I bought it...duhhh...) that may be ok for some, and not be a problem, however, it takes up alot more space sideways than the box size, due to 2 cables ends coming out left and right.

For almost the same price, the SMpro box can be had..

Other than that, cheaper than all of them is the little Behrry units. If I stop using mine, I will always keep it for some wierd menial task, live or in the cave....

[raal]

if you have one set of spkrs the ATTY will do you fine. i don't use mine for speakers, but i use it all the time for different things. very useful box. the cables coming out of either end i could do without, but the box works great. passive.


PS just checked the SMpro link. looks pretty cool. passive also.

[Acoustic Cloud]

Originally Posted by raal

if you have one set of spkrs the ATTY will do you fine. i don't use mine for speakers, but i use it all the time for different things. very useful box. the cables coming out of either end i could do without, but the box works great. passive.


PS just checked the SMpro link. looks pretty cool. passive also.

I agree that it would do a great job at other things, however, he asked about a product for monitors, his monitors. If you have the left right space, this is a great box. If you would like all connections in the back, the other option would be better. Plus it comes with rack ears, (loooong ones) if you wanted to rack it. The A-Designs doesnt.

I personally wish I didnt have to use a "box" at all, but I have to.

[Dave Peck]

How about a Coleman Audio TB4 MK II?

http://www.colemanaudio.com/

DP

[The Beatsmith]

I just got a presonus central station + remote for my fireface 800 and i love it

[supaheef]

Anyone like the look of the NHT PVC? I quite like the look of this for the coin (about US$99) but haven't made the leap yet. I would still like to make my own with L/R channel mutes, phase flips, mono-to-one-speaker switches, but have yet to find a good schem or pricelist. For a while I used a Soundcraft Compact4 mixer, as it has two seperate monitor outs (one with mono) and two headphone outs too. Sounded good, better than the B*@#$ger pus.

sh

[Acoustic Cloud]

http://gearslutz.com/board/showthread.php3?t=27973

hmmmm.....

[GYang]

Coleman
Phil Marchand

[supaheef]

hmmmm, NHT indeed, nice thread link. I think I will go the custom build route afterall, Goldpoint switch and all that. Proof again that the poor man always pays twice. I just don't dig anything on the market currently, but the impending Audient Centro looks quite nice.

sh

[thijs noisia]

Originally Posted by supaheef

Anyone like the look of the NHT PVC? I quite like the look of this for the coin (about US$99) but haven't made the leap yet. I would still like to make my own with L/R channel mutes, phase flips, mono-to-one-speaker switches, but have yet to find a good schem or pricelist. For a while I used a Soundcraft Compact4 mixer, as it has two seperate monitor outs (one with mono) and two headphone outs too. Sounded good, better than the B*@#$ger pus.

sh

we used the soundcraft compact as well, but it isn't exactly quiet, there's some hiss, and after extensive use the dials start to produce a really loud crackle when touched, really annoying.

currently using nht pvc, it does what it does well, but i miss the routing options of the soundcraft now :( we used to send the second output to a second pc for spectrum analysis, now using the motu ultralite's headphone out for that because it won't clone the main output.

[ericzang]

Anyone familiar with the SPL Volume2?
http://www.spl-usa.com/volume2/2602_inshort_E.html

around $300 or something. Atleast it has a mute switch. Also it is active, apparently as a preference over passive.

In a similar price range is the Goldpoint SA1X
http://www.goldpt.com/sas.html

It is a stepped attenuator. Does this mean that the control has detents rather than the knob turning being fluid? Other than precise volume recall, is there some advantage as to sound quality, as my deductions during my searchings seem to imply?

Thanks

[Dot]

I wrote some on the SM Pro Audio M-Patch and the idea of $99 switchers...
http://studioforums.com/eve/forums/a...89/m/119103099

[Acoustic Cloud]

Originally Posted by Dot

I wrote some on the SM Pro Audio M-Patch and the idea of $99 switchers...
http://studioforums.com/eve/forums/a...89/m/119103099

Some need them for "muters" rather than "switchers"

[joshelevator]

coleman audio

[Acoustic Cloud]

Originally Posted by joshelevator

coleman audio

overkill here, for most applications... at least most in low end theory......

[Finnish]

I like my SM Pro M-Patch 2. Not too expensive, and well worth the money!

[chipwits]

Check out this:
http://jos.vaneijndhoven.net/switchr/
and
http://jos.vaneijndhoven.net/switchr/design.html

Don't know how good it is, but seems cool. i.e. Stepped attenuator via relays controlled by a firmware program on an IC. IR remote interface. 64 steps (40 more steps than a rotary ladder type).

Also found another project.. wow this is a lot of relays! :
http://www.soton.ac.uk/~apm3/diyaudio/Attenuator.html

Btw, why do people complain about the Presonus. Have read it is great quality and I see it uses relays and resistors for attenuation. Perhaps they are using cheap resistors or their IC that computes which resistors to use is off? Or perhaps and Impedance matching problem?

James

[Poplab Studios]

i own and love my Big Knob (does this sound a little bit ..äähm)anyway,
it has a talkback section, outputs for 3 pairs of monitors, and many other stuff on board.

maybe have a look at this one

[chipwits]

I am guessing the Mackie Big Knob uses a potentiameter for attenuation (volume control). From what I have read the better passive volume controls use stepped attentuation. e.g. 24 position rotary switch with 24 seperate pairs of resisters for ultimate transparrency and balance.

Still trying to figure out which one to get. I might go with the goldpoint. But they mentioned their ladder type stepped attenuator might make clicking/popping sounds when changing volumes, which means they have a problem with their "break-before-make" implemention.

James

[redddog]

I can't believe there isn't more talk of the Central Station. It's completely passive. The high-enders will never consider this unit as lond as there's avocet and all the other ridiculously priced volume controllers out there but I'm telling you....the Central Station is money and its entirely passive.

What more do you need?

[chipwits]

redddog:

I have heard some people say here (or was it homerecording.com I forget) that the Presonus wasn't entirely passive; however, after reading fairly detailed review on the Presonus I discovered it used resisters along with relays for attenuation. I guess it uses them in series , with an IC/firmware calculating which relays to turn on to get the appropriate volume attentuation. Seems better than the Goldpoint in that their series stepped attenuator can have up 24 resisters the signal goes through depending on volume level: e.g. at 50% volume level it is going through 12 resistors I believe. Whereas the presonus might only be going through 5 or 6 resisters. I dunno though.

Anyways, I have read here from a couple different people that have A/B's the Presonus to the Goldpoint and said the Goldpoint sounded much better. I don't know if this is accurate or not, but if it is perhaps the Presonus, even though it is using less resistors in series, might be using some other component in the signal path or cheaper relays or resistors? I'd really like to know how the Presonus "really" sounds as compared to a steppened attenuator like the Goldpoint. I need to decide on something soon.

Also, I have read here people recommending not to use the Presonus' remote volume control because the wires get extended to and from the unit going though another potentiameter, messing the signal. However, I find this hard to believe, after reading the detailed review. In the review it specified that the Presonus used resisters and relays for attenuation. This would then mean to me that the remote controller is just sending a digital signal to the IC controlling the presonus to activate the appropriate relays (just as the volume dial on the front also sends the same digital signal to it). Therefore, not in any way touching the analog signal. The remote must just be a digital controller similar to an IR remote; I no analog signals are going through it. So if anyone can clarify this, please let me know. =)

If there are any potentiameters in the signal path of the Presonus, I don't want it =P. Must be "stepped" for me. So if it has a *pure* resister/relay setup that would be what I would want (assuming it uses good resisters and relays of course). The following is a fairly recent DIY project on web I just found today which looks very nice (uses only resisters and relays .. nothing else in path.. no pots):

http://jos.vaneijndhoven.net/switchr
http://jos.vaneijndhoven.net/switchr/design.html

Wonder how this sounds.

James

[soundawg]

Originally Posted by The Beatsmith

I just got a presonus central station + remote for my fireface 800 and i love it

yes, yes, I have the same

[soundawg]

Originally Posted by soundawg

yes, yes, I have the same

and the talkback on the remote is a great plus!

[squeegybug]

Originally Posted by chipwits

Anyways, I have read here from a couple different people that have A/B's the Presonus to the Goldpoint and said the Goldpoint sounded much better.

How about comparing the CS to a DA/AD loop through the Lavry Blue? No controller or attenuator even in the circuit.

I did this with the Central Station and recorded the samples plus the difference files. I'll see if I can find the clips, the original thread has been locked and hidden.

There were no audible differences with the CS in the circuit.

Steve

[Andrew Kinsey]

If you just want a volume controller and not a full blown monitoring controller then theres a new group of products out now from SPL, the Volume2 & Volume8.

http://www.spl-usa.com/volume2/2602_inshort_E.html

[chipwits]

Originally Posted by squeegybug

How about comparing the CS to a DA/AD loop through the Lavry Blue? No controller or attenuator even in the circuit.

I did this with the Central Station and recorded the samples plus the difference files. I'll see if I can find the clips, the original thread has been locked and hidden.

There were no audible differences with the CS in the circuit.

Steve

That would be excellent squeegy, if you could post the clips! If the presonus is 100% transparrent I am gonna get it.

[Saudade]

I bought an M-patch2 a month ago and I am really happy with it. My audio interface is pre 2000AD so doesn't have frills such as headphones and output volume control. The M-patch 2 is a perfect fit for my purpose and even lets you connect a 2nd pair of aux inputs via RCA terminals which I use for my CD player/game soundcard. The fact that it lets you switch between 2 pairs of monitors and even has mute and "mono sum switch" makes it a no brainer choice for me at the price.

I don't know about the sonic purity, but I noticed quite a significant difference in terms of sound coming from my headphones versus the mackie mixer I have been using for 10 yrs. It is just so much more quiet though it could be a gain structure thing cos I don't even have to switch the headphone volume knob more than "1" to get a good working volume. I just take the main volume knob to about 3 o'clock and it's loud enough to burst my eardrums There is also a much more pronounced mid range or should I say, an even flatter spectrum representation coming through my ATM40fs headphones. Oh, only when using the heaphones amp does one need to switch on the power. The rest of the signal path is completely passive or so the manual says.

Can't wait to try them with my new set of monitor speakers when my piggybank is full....

No I don't work for them, just a happy customer. Oh did I mention they come with clever rack mount ears that you can either use as rack mount or vertically as "legs" which will tilt it at 3 different angles for desktop use. How very thoughtful!