Tom Mobley Posted December 26, 2003 Share Posted December 26, 2003 see this stepped attenuator anybody got any experience with these? is there any reason it should be good? or bad? the thing is almost 2.5" in diameter, mounting issues arise. I've emailed the guy a couple times, he's in Taiwan, can build 50K to 250K per request. I've asked him about building a single to use in monoblocs as an input attenuator for using the amp without a pre. Opinions? I think I saw somebody on the asylum needing to use a cap across it to get rid of some popping. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted December 26, 2003 Share Posted December 26, 2003 I can't remember where I read about someone using one of these volume controls. Was it the Passive control Mike made not long ago ? Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Mobley Posted December 26, 2003 Author Share Posted December 26, 2003 Craig, You're absolutely right, it was Mike. Maybe he'll chip in here if he see's this thread. Tom of course, this IS the first time you've ever been right on this board..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted December 26, 2003 Share Posted December 26, 2003 Tom I brought the thread to the top. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted December 26, 2003 Share Posted December 26, 2003 Certainly look beautifully made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted December 26, 2003 Share Posted December 26, 2003 Well, at least you Emailed the guy with questions. I just bought mine off the auction. For my application/situation, I figured it was worth fifty bucks to get me out of using the same CD player with a variable output. Now I can use DVD players, or other CDP's. I bought the stepped attenuator for a tube linestage project that may happen before the world ends.... So I just tried it on whim as a passive. I had hoped it wasn't gonna pop between detents, but that's life. I just searched around and found a quick fix. I geuss I could tear the thing apart and maybe fix the popping in the switching, and see. There was a couple things Erik mentioned to try in that thread. Mark gave some nice informative replies as in helpful formula as well. I still have these big ol' Russian 1000v Military 0.1 mic caps in series on the outputs. It works, the LF roll-off is about right,with 470k input on the Magnavox PP amp, not the SE, with the ancient 1 meg input. I haven't noticed any HF roll-off that my limited 15kHz hearing can detect..... I still need to try some of other things mentioned. I like it, I still get a little swooshing between detents, but I set it and forget it. I have friend in town who pretty much has a FM radio station in his apartment. He has some nice Shallco and Daven stepped attenuators, mono and stereo. He wants some cash for them, and I'm still ponderin'. These have round metal cases, industrial, with the big wiper on the back and the big contacts. And they can be adjusted. You could go crazy and replace all the existing resistors with Caddocks or something. In your situation Tom, if you want a volume control for each mono amp, you would probably want to go with mono volume controls, or use a stereo volume control(attenuator,etc..) in a separate enclosure. Then you have to deal with the cable length issues, as pointed in the thread you are refering to. I still have cable issues to address. Did you happen to ask the guy who sells these stepped attenuators on Ebay, if he had mono versions? Did you happen to ask him about switching noises? (I guess I better ask him that one.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Mobley Posted December 26, 2003 Author Share Posted December 26, 2003 Yeah, I did ask him about mono units. Haven't heard back from him on that yet. I expect I will tho'. He's in Taiwan, I have no idea what time it is over there. I read that about your switching noise, will you follow up with him on that? Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted December 26, 2003 Share Posted December 26, 2003 I should Email the guy and ask him about it. He may have some options, and opinions on the switching noise matter. I hate Emailing people overseas, I Emailed someone in the UK, no reply, and the folks who sell the James Transformers, nothing yet. So it doesn't suprise me that you have had no reply. Maybe it takes a little longer, or I need to be more persistant, or my Emails just don't get there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Mobley Posted December 27, 2003 Author Share Posted December 27, 2003 Mike, I got a reply from him. He mentions availability of mono units and a smaller diameter version after the first of the year. I thanked him and mentioned the issues raised in your thread, sent him a URL for it, invited him to stop by. see what happens. his emails are short, he's either pushed for time, has language barriers or both. I'm thinking the nice resistors are really a separate issue from the pot in the center. if the pot has problems with the moving contact/wiper, the quality resistors won't help. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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