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What I am really looking to do is put a "volume" control between a source and preamp. What I am adding is simply a remote volume control to a preamp that has none.
Please all comments like buy a preamp with a control and why do you need it - I've heard. I'm lazy and I like my present setup.
Again what I am using is a 10k metal film resistor in line with a remote control 50k pot used as a variable shunt to ground.
Any why i SHOULD improve upon this setup?
Follow Ups:
A lot of potential soulutions will degrade the sound. I know you don't feel the need to improve but the potential for degrading the sound is high. To what degree it degrades will be based on the quality of the control AND the two sets of cables you use to insert the device in you system. Placette RVC ( remote volume control) is perfect but it ain't cheap. 127 volume positions via remote control. Even used they don't show up often and usually cost $500. Good luckET
Edits: 02/05/16
Does the Placette use a stepped or ladder configuration?
I had my eye on the Khozmo shunt. But I'm not rushing this one. Because it's an addition to an already great system.
If I am reading correctly, you have added a remote controlled attenuator between source and preamp. Existing preamp has it's own manual volume control. I would remove the in and out wires from the manual volume control inside the preamp and hook them together bypassing it. Just use the external remote controlled VC.
Forgot to add. If you have other sources and need the Pre volume control, put it at full volume for use with the add on attenuator.
I am not an avid attenuator experimenter, but I do a lot of DIY, and I am not reluctant to modify a circuit. That said, what is the problem with what you've got? I found that a shunt arrangement such as yours sounded really a lot better than a series attenuator which it replaced. I would only keep in mind that not only is the quality of the series resistor paramount but also the quality of the resistance to ground. If you are not happy with the range of attenuation available using the values you quote, you could do some homework on how to make that better; it would be based on the output impedance of what is driving the attenuator and the upstream impedances in parallel with the hot to ground resistance of your attenuator (the 50K pot in this case). There is some expert information on choosing the R values of a shunt attenuator available on the internet.
In my case, the only other alternative I thought about seriously was an optical attenuator. They are available commercially as a kit, but I cannot recall the source. I have a friend who uses that kit, and he is very pleased. The other option would be a Dave Slagle autoformer, which would probably be excellent too.
Right now I am using a Radioshack 1/4 watt metal film 10k resistor. Pretty transparent and not a bad little resistor!
When i up the value of the line resistor it does have a positive effect on making the shunt have smaller db increments. Lower the value and the db increments get too narrow for the volume control to be of any good use - ie, twitchy.
All in all it does work quite well. Like I said I use it for a narrow volume range and it does fit my needs. Now I should use the best most transparent resistor I can find.
I was looking at the Vishay lines but which one would be best?
charles
This one is the most transparent IME. Available direct from manufacturer and also several vendors:
For the series resistor, I use Vishay nude TX2575. They can be purchased on-line for ~$10 each. For the shunt resistors, I use a Khozmo shunt attenuator with Dale-Vishay resistors, the little beige/brown colored ones. Caddock TF020 (from M Percy) are also very transparent as are the "other" nude Vishays sold by MP, TX23-something-something. This, of course, is my opinion. However, it's backed up by very low noise measurements for these resistors. IMO, a TX2575 will blow away anything you could have bought at Radio Shack.If, as someone else inferred, you have two different attenuators in the signal path, one built in and one used as a remote, by all means do cut back to one in-line attenuator. That alone should help.
Edits: 02/04/16
And it has a remote version
THANKS!!!!!!!
charles
I searched a long time for something like the Khozmo, so I would not have to build a shunt attenuator myself. It's nice quality and has given me no problem; I use the manual version, no remote. I have seen some complaints about the company on the web, for long delivery times and at least one about quality of the switch, but in my case, the lead time was short and the quality is obvious. I use their stereo shunt attenuator in a balanced circuit.
I'm going to go for the Shunt version with remote.
I am assuming the shunt version uses only two resistors in any position?
thanks
charles
Correct. I use the nude Vishay TX in series and the Khozmo to ground. It places one Dale-Vishay at a time between hot and ground. The wiring instructions are pretty clear. For balanced, I had to do some thinking and got some advice from TubeDIY.
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