Tone Controls?

[fuzzjunkie]

Hey All,


First post here, but I have been lurking for a loooooong time. I'm a guitar amp guy, but I figure if I like tubes for guitar, I would like them for HiFi.
Anyway, I've notice through searching and surfing that there don't seem to be any pre's or line stages that have tone controls. Is that taboo in Hifi or am I just missing them? I know they would reduce gain of course, but has anybody adapted them them into the middle of an Aikido stage or other?
Thanks for any pointers to schematics or threads.

[Miles Prower]

"Anyway, I've notice through searching and surfing that there don't seem to be any pre's or line stages that have tone controls. Is that taboo in Hifi or am I just missing them?"

Yeah, it's the latest fad in audiophoolery. And you have been missing designs that include tone controls.

Here are several ideas for tone controls: Thermionic Info.

Fred has a complete design that includes tone controls: Studio Preamp.

[ray_moth]

At one time, when the frequency balance of signal sources was highly variable, e.g. from AM rado stations and poor tape and gramophone recordings, tone controls were thought necessary.

Today, the quality of signal sources is less variable, so tone controls are largely superfluous. Also, they are said to cause 'smearing' through phase distortion. If they are present, there is usually a tone control defeat switch so they can be excluded from the circuit when not required.

Bottom line, tone controls are not fashionable. As for graphic equalizers, well . . .