Is it true, that on a RTI AD4, there is no way to adjust the levels of the sources?

Source 1, Sonos, screaming!

Source 2, cable, quiet.

Source 3 bluray, quiet.

And RTI says?

Consider getting level matching devices, aka line drivers, from car stereo houses to balance all at screaming levels.

If there is a way to do it, I don't know how. I will search the RTI forums...

You can patch it by using the zone level driver command in every source selection. Kind of a pain to find the right levels at the beginning, but it you often sell the same stuff, you will be able to achieve it whitin minutes on a new install...

Might not be a good solution, but this what we've learned to do when installing a Speakercraft MZC...

You could use a pair of pontentiometers to lower the Sonos volume on the line level, but it sounds like the other two need to come up as well, in which case, a car audio line driver is your best bet.

I saw a couple of 16db boost with RCA in / out for $14 shipped, but you would also need a small 12 volt power supply. I am sure the amperage draw on those is very low.

Then again, built in gain controls should be standard.

Cant you just turn down the output from the sonos? Not sure what your exact set up is. I have had this problem in the past when several sources were the same level but a sat box was much lower. I fixed it by using a headphone amplifier I bought at Guitar Center. Used 1/4" to RCA cables for in and out. Worked like a dream.

Audioples lil amp

I would just turn down Sonos

Sonos has settings in the setup menu when using the RCA outs for various things like consumer gear, desktop PC speakers, pro gear and so on just like on a computer. If SONOS is that much louder your settings are wrong.

Are you sure this is all available if the volume is set to fixed? I would certainly want the volume set to fixed if using any other type of VC.

I dont know the answer to the OP question but I think the answer is "no".

what you are describing applies to Sonos line in , when sonos is set to fixed output you cant adjust any levels . [Link: sonos.com]

He is referring to the output of the Sonos and not the line inputs. But you can adjust the input levels to compensate for the exact problem is trying to fix.

You could try these: [Link: parts-express.com]

Look, you get what you pay for regarding the RTI piece. The reason they created it was for "budget" installations and it has budget features. I am a RTI guy but hate that they claim "committed to custom." Both the AD4 and AD8 do not have all of the features they should to truely be a custom piece. My thought would be to create a piece of equipment that even Crestron or AMX would want and not something I can find with every other mfg. Zektor is the perfect example.

This is why I said RTI should never get into the integrated amp manufacturing business, they should have partnered with another manufacturer like Sonance who actually knows what they are doing. So here we are with a product that may have been a good idea on paper but ended up short on a few fundamental features and seriously short on power.

It is my firm belief that control system manufactures should stick with control system related things, and partner with other expert company's when they want to step outside their area of expertise.

the solution depends on a couple of other things.

As to the two quiet sources: when you turn up the volume on the system using those inputs, do you get all the power that the system can put out? That is, are these sources actually too low to perform? If so, then the Sonos needs to be attenuated, and you're done.

But if not, then they need to be brought up by some small preamp such as a stick-on from RDL.

Every system has a noise level. If an input signal is too low, the signal to noise ratio is degraded, and just turning that up gives you a louder noisy signal. It's better to raise a low input signal before it goes into the final equipment than to just turn the final equipment up all the way.

It does sound like a lack on the part of the RTI piece if external preamps are needed to get full power out of the RTI piece if normal consumer signal levels are used. Lord knows RTI is not professional!

Typical what we did  back in the day was cut up an old RCA patch cable and insert an audio taper potentiometer in the middle of just one of the RCA pairs  then turn the gain down with the pot to taste. then measure the resistance across the potentiometer. then utilize an actual resistor of similar impedance to what was measured, which we would then solder inside the ends of a legitimate stereo patch cable. This works great and pretty much never wears out. & no wall wart is required. Keep the potentiometer patch cable in the tool box for future project tests

Sonos piece is the only issue. And unfortenlly, there is no control when set to "fixed" output. I used a car audio line driver to solve the issue.

The RTI AD4-8 is great for what it is. Inexpensive multiroom audio device.

Now I need to find an "automatic gain control" for Sonos. Different issue all together.