Making my diy system USER FRIENDLY!

[paulspencer]

my system needs a delicate ritual, the most annoying part being that I have to turn down the passive attenuators on my sub amp before turning off my eq unit, or I get a big THUMP (even after the amp is OFF for 30 secs)!

so ... on to a user friendly system ... My idea:

* remote mute/volume control for the subwoofer amp
* slave power up mains switching triggered by an old VCR

see this thread: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showt...983#post699983

* remote controlled AV selector switch box

http://www.vidcam.com.au/sales/av42gs.html


* learning remote with a macro that turns it all on / off!

http://www.zensonic.com/z150.php


has anyone had some success in getting their system USER FRIENDLY? What did you do? has anyone tried anything like what I'm planning to do?

Remote:

AV switch box:

[BillH]

Hi, Paul.

I had the same 'thump' problem with a Harman Kardon Citation 12 amplifier. Large turn on and turn off thumps. I added a time delay relay connected to the speaker outputs and all is good.

Here's a circuit that you could try.

[paulspencer]

Update:

I've got the remote at a nice price on ebay $50 and was able to pick it up. It works nicely, although the macro function doesn't seem to do quite what I thought.

[AndrewT]

Hi,
try a mute (FET) across the input inside the power amp.
Could be arranged to delay signal in at switch on and instant mute at switch off.

This could be adopted throughout the system to mute all input signals at switch off. It is fully automatic, no thinking required.

[paulspencer]

Andrew I like the sound of that. Can it be done OUTSIDE the amp? Can you show me any kind of example?

I am also interested in putting together a circuit which switches on the power amp automatically when there is a signal, like with a plate amp. Does anyone have a schematic for such a circuit?

[AndrewT]

Hi,
the auto switch on can be found on ESP site ( http://sound.westhost.com. ) It also switches off after a delay on no signal. His relay circuits all have full voltage across the coil when activated. Find a circuit that pulses the relay coil on and then runs at reduced voltage to keep things cooler.
I'll see what I can do generating a schematic of the mute that can be zipped without you needing a schematic reader. It appeared in JLH's writings and only has about 7 components.

[AndrewT]

Hi,
I did this schematic in a WORD doc and then zipped it. Let's see if it is visible?
It works as a switch on delay mute.
But may need development as a switch off mute!!
Anyone able to confirm if this simple circuit is a workable switch off mute?
The circuit could just as easily be tacked on to the output of a preamp particularly those that have a switch on thump. Note that the mute shorts the output of the preamp to ground and momentarily loads the preamp with the output impedance as the preamp load (maybe 50r to 200r).

[AndrewT]

Hi,
I did this schematic in a WORD doc and then zipped it. Let's see if it visible?
It works as a switch on delay mute.
But may need development as a switch off mute!!
Anyone able to confirm if this simple circuit is a workable switch off mute?

[djQUAN]

my system has three amplifiers (eight channels in all) all with time delay muting. no power switches on most of my line level processors (if they do have one, they're always on the 'on' position) then all the equipment are plugged in a 30A power distribution unit with breakers and magnetic contactor. one switch brings it all to life and there's no thump.

[jleaman]

Originally posted by AndrewT
Hi,
I did this schematic in a WORD doc and then zipped it. Let's see if it visible?
It works as a switch on delay mute.
But may need development as a switch off mute!!
Anyone able to confirm if this simple circuit is a workable switch off mute?

i was once told that a good sounding amplifier has nithing in the signal path having this mute curcuit would totally ruin the sound..

Always use the kiss method ( Keep-It-Simple-Stupid )