Adding volume pot to cd player?

artfuldodger · 22nd September 2011, 03:37 AM

Could a volume pot be added between a cd player's pcb and the RCA jacks? Would there be any advantage to this versus using the headphone jack and volume control of the cd player? Would there be any advantage to this versus adding a volume control before the RCA inputs of the tripath amplifier? Amp already has RCA jacks on pcb.

gmphadte · 22nd September 2011, 07:08 AM

Volume control on a CD r dc controls and will normally not induce contact movement noise. Any cheap pot in the signal path will do that.

The answer is yes for all your queries. Select something like 22K and above.

Gajanan Phadte

poynton · 22nd September 2011, 08:35 AM

Volume controls on many cd players usually work by losing bits.

So as the volume decreases, so does the quality.

.

oshifis · 22nd September 2011, 11:07 AM

The Marantz CD-74/84 has volume control (better said level adjustment) at the RCA output. Not quite useful, because the variable resistors are separate for L and R, located at the back, adjustable by screwdriver, have about 6 dB range, but still...

artfuldodger · 23rd September 2011, 02:20 PM

I've decided not to add a volume pot anywhere and just use the headphone out of my Sony cd deck which has level control. I looked at some of the CD player/decks on Ebay that have variable level Rca outputs. Would there be any advantage to using those outputs versus the headphone jack?

Extreme_Boky · 25th September 2011, 12:11 AM

Headphone jack = added PCB tracks, noise, potentiometer, extra sound-coupling capacitors and... an extra OP...

If you really have to adjust the volume inside the CD player you could vary the feedback... a little... at the first stage, after the DAC... use multi-turn trimmer potentiometers... you can get around 6dB attenuation. This is only to trim once and forget… you’ll need to remove the cover to do adjustments

Boky

artfuldodger · 25th September 2011, 03:06 AM

I took the volume pot off my amp because it sounded terrible. Every cd is recorded at different levels. It seems some sort of externally controlled volume is necessary. Where or how is the best way to achieve this? I don't won't to buy a step attenuator for a cheap tripath amp, Sony cd player, and Fostex F127e speakers.

Extreme_Boky · 25th September 2011, 06:56 AM

There are cheap, but good stepped attenuators on e-bay. Good switch with dale resistors... from China for under $40. I would put the attenuator just before the amplifier. If you want to unplug the interconnects from the amplifier all you need to do is to turn the attenuator all the way down and short the input to ground. This way you do not need to unplug the amplifier from the mains…. Very useful if you do a lot of demos / A-B tests and similar….

Boky

artfuldodger · 25th September 2011, 01:23 PM

Boky, what ohm attenuator do you recommend? I saw this 100k ladder type that looks good.
100K Ladder Type Stereo Attenuator with Dale resistor | eBay

Extreme_Boky · 25th September 2011, 09:08 PM

With commercial grade audio equipment I would go with 50k. But 100 will do the job nicely as well.

I use these attenuators for high-end mods:
High Quality Audio & Industrial Attenuators

Noble plastic film attenuators are also excellent, small, very good tracking between left and right channels, and are cheap - but hard to find...

Boky

22nd September 2011, 03:37 AM	#1
artfuldodger diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2008	Adding volume pot to cd player? Could a volume pot be added between a cd player's pcb and the RCA jacks? Would there be any advantage to this versus using the headphone jack and volume control of the cd player? Would there be any advantage to this versus adding a volume control before the RCA inputs of the tripath amplifier? Amp already has RCA jacks on pcb.

22nd September 2011, 08:35 AM	#3
poynton Magneto the Gravity Man diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: A life on the ocean waves when I'm not at home in N. Wales (but I'm not Welsh so no sheep jokes!)	Volume controls on many cd players usually work by losing bits. So as the volume decreases, so does the quality. . __________________ If it ain't broke, break it !! Then fix it again. It's called DIY !

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22nd September 2011, 07:08 AM	#2
gmphadte diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Dona paula, Goa	Volume control on a CD r dc controls and will normally not induce contact movement noise. Any cheap pot in the signal path will do that. The answer is yes for all your queries. Select something like 22K and above. Gajanan Phadte

22nd September 2011, 11:07 AM	#4
oshifis diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Budapest, Hungary	The Marantz CD-74/84 has volume control (better said level adjustment) at the RCA output. Not quite useful, because the variable resistors are separate for L and R, located at the back, adjustable by screwdriver, have about 6 dB range, but still...

23rd September 2011, 02:20 PM	#5
artfuldodger diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2008	I've decided not to add a volume pot anywhere and just use the headphone out of my Sony cd deck which has level control. I looked at some of the CD player/decks on Ebay that have variable level Rca outputs. Would there be any advantage to using those outputs versus the headphone jack?

25th September 2011, 12:11 AM	#6
Extreme_Boky diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Sydney	Headphone jack = added PCB tracks, noise, potentiometer, extra sound-coupling capacitors and... an extra OP... If you really have to adjust the volume inside the CD player you could vary the feedback... a little... at the first stage, after the DAC... use multi-turn trimmer potentiometers... you can get around 6dB attenuation. This is only to trim once and forget… you’ll need to remove the cover to do adjustments Boky

25th September 2011, 03:06 AM	#7
artfuldodger diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2008	I took the volume pot off my amp because it sounded terrible. Every cd is recorded at different levels. It seems some sort of externally controlled volume is necessary. Where or how is the best way to achieve this? I don't won't to buy a step attenuator for a cheap tripath amp, Sony cd player, and Fostex F127e speakers.

25th September 2011, 06:56 AM	#8
Extreme_Boky diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Sydney	There are cheap, but good stepped attenuators on e-bay. Good switch with dale resistors... from China for under $40. I would put the attenuator just before the amplifier. If you want to unplug the interconnects from the amplifier all you need to do is to turn the attenuator all the way down and short the input to ground. This way you do not need to unplug the amplifier from the mains…. Very useful if you do a lot of demos / A-B tests and similar…. Boky

25th September 2011, 01:23 PM	#9
artfuldodger diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2008	Boky, what ohm attenuator do you recommend? I saw this 100k ladder type that looks good. 100K Ladder Type Stereo Attenuator with Dale resistor \| eBay

25th September 2011, 09:08 PM	#10
Extreme_Boky diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Sydney	With commercial grade audio equipment I would go with 50k. But 100 will do the job nicely as well. I use these attenuators for high-end mods: High Quality Audio & Industrial Attenuators Noble plastic film attenuators are also excellent, small, very good tracking between left and right channels, and are cheap - but hard to find... Boky

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