As I told you, all I have experienced have been weak pop noises not dangerous to anything. If you have loud noises, then yes there is a problem.
Yes, there is an example calculation. Substituting your own values shouldn't be too difficult should it?
The sample is this for a 10k attenuator and a 100k load: (10^-1 - 100^-1 )^-1 = 11.1
Just replace the 10 and 100 with your values to get the value you need.
Perhaps where you live. Of all the universal remotes I have bought in Denmark and Germany, I have managed to find one that doesn't work. Many of the no-name Chinese TV remotes are reported to work fine also.
Best regards,
Mikkel C. Simonsen
Hopeless.
How about a formula with a brief explanation?
That is not the formula I am looking at in my manual.
Maybe you should mention that on your website. I don't live in Denmark or Germany, perhaps remote controls from the '70s are popular over there but not here in the U.S.
Also, the rotary encoder cuts out for several clicks during it's rotation, I believe it's defective.
I don't appreciate you condescending tone and regret buying this defective and ultimately useless POS.
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The text posted above was copied straight from page 3 of the manual, so yes it is 😉
The formula is a re-arranged version of the standard equation for calculating the value of resistors in parallel, so I didn't think a lot of explanations were necessary. The only part that can be difficult is figuring out how to type it on your calculator. The two calculators I normally use (a TI-30 and a TI-68) are very different for instance.
If you don't have a calculator with a X^-1 function, you can calculate it like this:
1/((1/attenuator impedance) - (1/load impedance)) = load resistor
Remote controls for brand new products made by many manufacturers are very popular. The protocol may be from the 70's, but it's still in wide use. I have no idea if protocols are different in products made for the US market, but the only remote I ever bought in the US (a universal RCA type) works fine. And if you don't want to spend time looking for a remote, I sell several known-working types.
Quite possible. A small percentage of them don't work properly. But I haven't been able to find any better encoders at non-horrendous prices. You can get a replacement if you want one of course.
I don't mean to be condescending, and I'm sorry that you feel that way. But if that's how you feel, I don't think I can do anything to change that.
Best regards,
Mikkel C. Simonsen
Hags :
You are blowing it out of proportion. I've had mine for 2-3 years, daily use and I change volume on almost every track; I don't listen to albums. There are slight pops as you increase volume and after about -40db you cannot hear them over the music anymore. They never change and are always the same, light and liveable with.
You only have to read a few threads on relay attenuators to know this is a fundamental problem that a lot of them suffer. If you didn't expect this before you bought it then you didn't know what you were buying. I've tried two kits and I stuck with Mikkel's, it was way better than the other.
For a kit that cost me $100-150 and does everything else flawlessly plus sounds great, I can put up with it.
The documentation is _amazing_! I have built a lot of stuff and nothing has come close, you get a booklet of instructions, values, tips, everything is packaged and labeled very well. I had custom firmware on mine too, at no cost.
Maybe you should come to the EU because like Mikkel I have no problem with remotes.
I have used mine with two different amps, a headphone amp as a 'preamp' feeding a Gainclone and four different sources, all sound the same, a slight pop.
My speakers are 91db, so they are sensitive(ish)
You are blowing it out of proportion. I've had mine for 2-3 years, daily use and I change volume on almost every track; I don't listen to albums. There are slight pops as you increase volume and after about -40db you cannot hear them over the music anymore. They never change and are always the same, light and liveable with.
You only have to read a few threads on relay attenuators to know this is a fundamental problem that a lot of them suffer. If you didn't expect this before you bought it then you didn't know what you were buying. I've tried two kits and I stuck with Mikkel's, it was way better than the other.
For a kit that cost me $100-150 and does everything else flawlessly plus sounds great, I can put up with it.
The documentation is _amazing_! I have built a lot of stuff and nothing has come close, you get a booklet of instructions, values, tips, everything is packaged and labeled very well. I had custom firmware on mine too, at no cost.
Maybe you should come to the EU because like Mikkel I have no problem with remotes.
I have used mine with two different amps, a headphone amp as a 'preamp' feeding a Gainclone and four different sources, all sound the same, a slight pop.
My speakers are 91db, so they are sensitive(ish)
Magsy, just a couple questions: do you know any other attenuator in this world that pop when you change volume and you can not totally mute the music? If yes? Please, inform me were to get it.
Last question, I wrote an inquiry email about this attenuator, mikkel inform me with following note:
Why they were not informed that there was a possibility of the popping and and that it would be impossible to mute totally the music?
The economic problem is the last problem. I want to mount to my pre amp an attenuator that not pop at every step, and would like to stop the music as I wish. And this should be a standard feature of each attenuator, regardless of cost.
I'm in europe 🙂
Last question, I wrote an inquiry email about this attenuator, mikkel inform me with following note:
Why they were not informed that there was a possibility of the popping and and that it would be impossible to mute totally the music?
The economic problem is the last problem. I want to mount to my pre amp an attenuator that not pop at every step, and would like to stop the music as I wish. And this should be a standard feature of each attenuator, regardless of cost.
I'm in europe 🙂
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I really don't think I'm blowing anything out of proportion. The level of the clicks and pops change however slightly and seem to be slightly louder when the volume control is untouched for awhile. I have already mentioned that my rotary encoder is malfunctioning, so much for trouble free.
Your charge that I didn't know what I was buying is ridiculous. There is no mention of anything like this on his website, none! Also, there are a number of commercial products that use relay attenuators and I've heard nothing negative about those products.
If I had read a thread like this one prior to buying I wouldn't have bought it.
The documentation is lacking. I don't need a history on the RC5 protocol or even an explanation, I just need to know what remotes, if any, it's compatable with. I have gone through numerous remotes, even some Philips universal remotes, all have failed to work with this.
You can have the EU, I'll stay where I'm at, thanks.
I will say this, it does sound great, even with no load resistors in place.
I'm not sure where in the "amazing" documentation it tells me that the load resistor provides a constant output impedance but, I don't see it. If this is common knowledge then I guess I'm the dummy. However, I'm not even sure I need to provide a constant output impedance as a normal 10K pot or stepped attenuator wouldn't provide that anyway.
If you can live with your clicks and pops that's great, I on the other hand would prefer not to.
Mikkel, as you mentioned, if you'd like to send out a replacement rotary encoder to replace the defective one I have please PM me.
Yep,
Mine cost me all of $1.00, including batteries at the local GoodWill / Recycle / Hospice store. Try looking there. Mine is a Philips brand remote it works as designed......volume up, down and mute. It still makes the clicks when it's
changing the volume........bummer. If you can't find one that works PM me and I'll send you mine. I'm tired of the clicks when I change the volume.
I'm an admitted Noob in electronics, even emailed that information to Mikkel.
I like Mikkel as a person, I do think he makes an effort to sell quality kits.
NO PLACE OR TIME was it mentioned that "CLICKS" are normal...WTF???
Why do we take the time to build our own equipment?
BECAUSE it sounds better and we enjoy saying "I built it".
I'm NOT proud of my PreAmp because of the clicks. I'm ashamed of it.
Magsy,
You have lived with the "clicks" for 2-3 years?
If you built your speakers, are they still raw MDF?
If you built your Amp, is it still in an open box with alligator clips?
If your amp shuts down on its own every hour, do you only listen for 59 minutes?
Wouldn't it be nice to have things work as expected? And just work?
I'm proud of my work on my stereo, and want to show it off, I'm sure you are too. Why live with something that's wrong? or don't you think the "clicks" are wrong?
My dog only bites me "sometimes".
I have a selector kit made by Mikkel that works perfectly. Too bad there is no cure for the attenuator. I have to redesign my custom Carbon fiber Powder Coated case now to adapt to some new attenuator..........still undecided on which one. And I'm NOT HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope that this thread prevents someone else from buying and being disappointing with this remote kit.
Mikkels other kit I've used works well as described and designed.
Ron
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I'll have another look at it as I said, but I can't promise anything yet of course.
I have quite a few people that have bought them more than once, so not everybody is disappointed. And when I tested the boards initially years ago I didn't have these problems - otherwise I would have worked on them back then. But what causes the clicks to be absent in some situations and present in others I haven't quite worked out yet.
Best regards,
Mikkel C. Simonsen
It is a kit, it came in fifty bags, you built it yourself, it is in no way sold as a commerical packaged product. You are being cheap, if you want perfection then you need to pay for it I'm afraid.
It was bound to click somewhat, they nearly all do, it is stuffed full of relays, there is a huge thread on here discussing its design and build. If you were not slightly expecting it before you built it then you really did not research relay based attenuators at all.
People often ask me why my expensive balanced Goldpoint Stepped attenuator 'steps'. Why isn't it smooth they ask? I agree, I'd like it to be smooth but it is a tradeoff for quality, sometimes things have to be this way.
People ask me why I won't unplug my headphones while the amp is turned on; there is no output protection, the amp would be destroyed if you did. You couldn't sell that in the shops could you? Yet I spent $2000 building it. Performance comes first.
I'm annoyed that my $60,000 car has a paddle shift gearbox that gives you a smack in the back like a jack hammer every time you change gear, BMW say it is normal, my passengers complain. I bought a sports car, I have to live with it.
Things is DIYA never just work, you should know that by now 🙂
Hags :
I think you have your IR wired wrongly or something.
It was bound to click somewhat, they nearly all do, it is stuffed full of relays, there is a huge thread on here discussing its design and build. If you were not slightly expecting it before you built it then you really did not research relay based attenuators at all.
People often ask me why my expensive balanced Goldpoint Stepped attenuator 'steps'. Why isn't it smooth they ask? I agree, I'd like it to be smooth but it is a tradeoff for quality, sometimes things have to be this way.
People ask me why I won't unplug my headphones while the amp is turned on; there is no output protection, the amp would be destroyed if you did. You couldn't sell that in the shops could you? Yet I spent $2000 building it. Performance comes first.
I'm annoyed that my $60,000 car has a paddle shift gearbox that gives you a smack in the back like a jack hammer every time you change gear, BMW say it is normal, my passengers complain. I bought a sports car, I have to live with it.
Things is DIYA never just work, you should know that by now 🙂
Hags :
I think you have your IR wired wrongly or something.
I use the remote supplied by Mikkel volume up/down and muting and it works fine. Why do you need another remote?
Nothing is wired incorrectly. I was told by Mikkel that I may have a bad IR receiver or something else wrong with the board.
That was all I was told, nothing else, I was/am left hanging with a defective product. Great product support.
I bought and paid for a product expecting it to work, and work correctly. Maybe this is how things are in the EU but it doesn't work that way here.
Maybe your DIY "things" never work but mine always do, that is, until I spent money on this.
I cannot find a remote that will work with this attenuator board. I was told I may have a bad IR receiver or another problem with the board.
No solutions, nothing, just told I may have a defective IR receiver or board.
Nice service after the sale.
I cannot find a remote that will work with this attenuator board. I was told I may have a bad IR receiver or another problem with the board.
No solutions, nothing, just told I may have a defective IR receiver or board.
Nice service after the sale.
probably is the IR receiver, just change it
I keep hearing you guys from the EU defend the clicks and pops saying that this is normal and I should've expected it.
Then in the same thread the person selling these boards claims there is no problem with them.
I've never experienced this level of poor product support or customer non-service.
Then in the same thread the person selling these boards claims there is no problem with them.
I've never experienced this level of poor product support or customer non-service.