looking for a rheostat type vc, not the ones that have have click stops..

the first click is not low enough and if i turn the amp down then he complains about not enough volume..

the real problem is he has sources from ipod dock (high) to turntable with a phone adaptor (low) i have even tried to adjust the inputs on the receiver itself which helps but doesn't completely solve the problem..

any ideas?

Let's start with this: do you mean volume controls between the power amplifier and the speakers?

If you do, the step-type controls are all that's available. You won't get much life out of a potentiometer used as an amp-output volume control. Either that, or you'll have to come up with about a 20 watt audio taper wirewound volume control, and then find them in pairs for stereo adjustment.

You're right about what the real problem is, and that's where you should put your energy. Even if you find the product you're looking for, your client will have to adjust the volume every time he changes input.

What model of phono (I take it you mean phono, not phone) adapter are you using? I haven't used many of these, but the ones I've seen are all pretty spot on, level wise.

You've tried to adjust the inputs on the receiver itself. Does that mean you've actually adjusted them, but that they don't adjust over a wide enough range, or that you've tried but failed because the receiver doesn't have that option?

And how many inputs actually are giving you grief? If you fixed the iPod dock by adjusting its output (what brand and model are you using?) and we found you a better phono preamp or a 10 dB outboard amp, will your problem be solved, or are there yet other inputs at yet different volume levels?


For reference, a rheostat is similar to a potentiometer with one connection at an end of the resistor and a connection at the wiper. It will only insert resistance in series with the circuit. A potentiometer, on the other hand, includes that third connection, so the voltage is spread across the resistance from input (max) to ground (zero), and then the wiper "picks off" a voltage from any point in between. None of the transformer volume controls are rheostats or potentiometers, as they use different power taps on the transformers as outputs. The older or cheaper resistive type controls, which don't sound as good as the transformer type, are closer to being rheostats, but the large amount of heat dissipation, required by the large currents involved in amp output signals, means these have to be made with high current resistors. It's just really really hard to duplicate this with an actual potentiometer.

The best solution to this age old problem is to stop using volume controls. Don't offer them as an option. Every single time we used them in the past we get the same complaints. Use a receiver that gives you the ability to adjust volume on zone2 and sell them an additional universal remote for the other room.

As a quick fix, you might just try a different brand/model of volume control.  I've run into volume controls where the first click (transformer tap) is just too loud and replacing with a different unit fixed the problem.

You can use these, or other brands, to adjust the line level outputs of the various devices so all are at the same input level at the main amplifier.



[Link: google.com]




Cheap and they work. Just need a 12v power supply for each one.

Yes


It's an MCM product


Yes it's a yamaha that does have input leveling, just not enough


The iPod dock is the integrated yds 10 that's connected to the yamaha


The cd player and iPod dock are ok, if I could just come up with something to give the phono some more then i could probably turn down the amp levels and be ok. I'm just not familiar with any of the adaptors that do this. I know they exist but I don't have time for trial and error on this little project.

so what happens to the quality?

+1

MCM has a variation on the phono preamp that's just a 20 dB (or so) line level amp. It's got an input attenuator on it, so you should be able to get the phono output up to where it oughta be.

On the other hand, we haven't thought about why a preamp that actually sells has such a low output. Maybe it doesn't.

Is this a moving coil cartridge feeding a preamp set to receive the higher output voltage of a moving magnet cartridge? If so, then the proper thing to do is get a moving coil to moving magnet transformer, or ditch the MCM for a moving coil preamp, or ditch the [probably better] moving coil cartridge for a moving magnet type.

Never had a "quality" problem. It's not like you're cranking it way up....

Hey thanks,

Looking through some stuff tonight and found one of these left over from a job we did a year or so ago, (used them on head phones).. Never even would of looked for it if you hadn't mentioned it..

Thanks again..