Behringer DCX 2496 attenuation of outputs?

[AndrewT]

Hi all,
Getting ready to connect my digital xover.
What value of attenuation would be recomended for the outputs?
I will be using amps with 34db to 35db of gain with 90db/w speakers.
A db range to suit quiet and louder music would help.
I want to wire up a temporary attenuator until I have time to develop a digitally controlled analogue attenuator as suggestted in the thread that ran recently.

 

[DougL]

I am using 6 dB attenuation, simply by NOT shorting the - to ground on the Unbalanced output.

I would start there.

Doug

 

[bzdang]

Here's the beginnings of a simple attenuator box with a stereo pot from Percy Audio and some ratshack parts.

 

[AndrewT]

Hi,
The manual talks about automatic detection of unbalanced connections and adjusting gain to compensate. Have I reworded that correctly?
I intend connecting both hot & cold to a 10k for each, then connecting a dropping resistor (about 1k0 to 1k5) between the 2 10k's. That way it appears to be balanced, then tap off across the 1k0 as input to the power amp.
If output is +22dbu at clip then -6db still leaves +16dbu (almost 5v) at the input to the power amps. see my other thread re output voltage.

 

[Davey]

Andrew,

Yes, you reworded correctly. That's exactly the way it works.

Your balanced attenuator configuration sounds good. The component values you mentioned would yield a little over 20db of attenuation which sounds about right with your high gain amplifiers. However, you may need to fine tune the values so the DCX doesn't clip. I would try maybe a 5k potentiometer in place of your 1-1.5k parallel resistor and experiment to find the optimum setting and then replace with a fixed resistor.

I am assuming your power amps have balanced inputs?

Cheers,

Davey.