Group order of switched ladder attenuator? Anyone interested?

BrianGT · 17th March 2004, 10:58 PM

Anyone interested in a stepped attenuator kit to go along with the gainclone kits? I have done some research, and the best solution seems to be the Elma stepped attenuator ladder seems like best switch out there to use. It has low contact pressure to make it silky smooth, compared to a standard 24-pole 4-pole shorting switch. Elma also makes the hardware that goes into the DACT attenuators. All contacts are gold.

I ordered one to try out, and I will post results when I get it. Would anyone here be interested in a kit with one of these and a resistor set? The single unit price for these is just over $90, but if I could get enough interest, the price for a kit could be under $90 (hopefully around $80) including all the resistors needed to put in it. This is probably the nicest attenuator on the market that you can buy, and probably the best solution out there for the gainclone kit. Expensive resistors could be substituted in the most used listening positions on the unit.

I will post details when I get the one that I ordered, and see if there is enough interest to organize a kit for this.

--
Brian

BrianGT · 17th March 2004, 11:00 PM

picture from datasheet:

--
Brian

BrianGT · 17th March 2004, 11:04 PM

Wiki is here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/index.p...or+Group+Order

--
Brian

Da5id4Vz · 17th March 2004, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Anyone interested in a stepped attenuator kit...

Quote:

the price for a kit could be under $90 (hopefully around $80

Show me the WIKI!

(Sorry, missed the message about sending Email)
(Sorry again, missed the message about WIKI to be posted shortly)

BrianGT · 17th March 2004, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Da5id4Vz

Show me the WIKI!

(Sorry, missed the message about sending Email)
(Sorry again, missed the message about WIKI to be posted shortly)

Sorry for the confusion. I just made the Wiki, and I will make a dedicated thread for this and post details once I receive my unit and determine how it works. I also ordered some units from Grayhill and Electroswitch, so I will see what works out best.

--
Brian

Da5id4Vz · 17th March 2004, 11:20 PM

No confusion, justy fun.
Golly thats fast.

tg3 · 17th March 2004, 11:25 PM

And post a schematic with your review too, as I always confuse the different passive attenuator topologies.

BrianGT · 17th March 2004, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tg3
And post a schematic with your review too, as I always confuse the different passive attenuator topologies.

Here is the schematic from the datasheet, just 2 resistors in the signal path at a time. This should be the cleanest solution.

I like the attenuator that I have in my gainclone now, but it pops when I change settings, and this one should not have any problems like this, and be silky smooth when changing the volume.

The best part about this attenuator, is that you can easily put it together, as the pcbs on it are made especially for the task, unlike regular 4-pole switches.

--
Brian

Sandy H. · 18th March 2004, 12:02 AM

Brian,

You (and wifey to be) have been kicking 'B' on the GC kit. I also think a group order on the attenuator is a good idea, but these things must be made of gold! Even with a group buy, I'm guessing you'll get the cost to $50-60 + the resistors yielding an $80+ kit cost, as you mentioned. Is there any way to combine 2x 6-way switches to yield a similar result, with the obvious compromise in user friendliness? I like the idea of an attenuator vs. a pot, but I really am too cheap to pay more for an attenuator than the amp.

What are the other options for those of us who just bug out at paying the bucks for a mechanical switch?

No offense is intended and in the end, I'll probably be interested in an attenuator, just since it is being offered. . .

Sandy.

Variac · 18th March 2004, 12:39 AM

$90 is hellacheap for a ladder config stepped attenuator.

I recently bought 2 Shallco 27 position 6 deck switches,
Don't know how they will work, but they don't have those cool PC boards. So at least I need a set of resistors.

So, what brand resistors are you considering? HUGE savings here with a bulk order. The new Holcos don't have as good a rep as the old. The Vishay/Roderstein and Dale metal film are OK from what I've heard. Apox remote attenuators use :
Meggit Hollsworthy H8 0.1% High Performance Metal Film Resistors . I don't know much about them maybe worth contacting them.

17th March 2004, 11:25 PM	#7
tg3 diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Seattle, WA	And post a schematic with your review too, as I always confuse the different passive attenuator topologies. __________________ If you don't measure, you don't know.

18th March 2004, 12:39 AM	#10
Variac diyAudio Editor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: San Francisco, USA	$90 is hellacheap for a ladder config stepped attenuator. I recently bought 2 Shallco 27 position 6 deck switches, Don't know how they will work, but they don't have those cool PC boards. So at least I need a set of resistors. So, what brand resistors are you considering? HUGE savings here with a bulk order. The new Holcos don't have as good a rep as the old. The Vishay/Roderstein and Dale metal film are OK from what I've heard. Apox remote attenuators use : Meggit Hollsworthy H8 0.1% High Performance Metal Film Resistors . I don't know much about them maybe worth contacting them. __________________ Burning Amp Festival Sunday, October 28th, 2012 in S.F. We need Volunteers & sign-up's for what you're bringing!

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17th March 2004, 11:04 PM	#3
BrianGT diyAudio Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: near Atlanta, GA	Wiki is here: http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/index.p...or+Group+Order -- Brian

17th March 2004, 11:20 PM	#6
Da5id4Vz diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: lost in america...	No confusion, justy fun. Golly thats fast.

18th March 2004, 12:02 AM	#9
Sandy H. diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Charlotte, NC - USA	Brian, You (and wifey to be) have been kicking 'B' on the GC kit. I also think a group order on the attenuator is a good idea, but these things must be made of gold! Even with a group buy, I'm guessing you'll get the cost to $50-60 + the resistors yielding an $80+ kit cost, as you mentioned. Is there any way to combine 2x 6-way switches to yield a similar result, with the obvious compromise in user friendliness? I like the idea of an attenuator vs. a pot, but I really am too cheap to pay more for an attenuator than the amp. What are the other options for those of us who just bug out at paying the bucks for a mechanical switch? No offense is intended and in the end, I'll probably be interested in an attenuator, just since it is being offered. . . Sandy.

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