A mono switch...I haven't had one of those for a long time and they do come in handy once in a while. I may have to consider that one, thanks.
Mike
FWIW, I have slight hearing loss in one ear (62 years old). I've always needed the balance control to restore center imaging and to have proper balance of the channels. It is esp. needed in headphone listening.
Finally, my amplifier is a Scott integrated tube amp with ganged pots for left and right. The channel tracking is very bad and it is a pain to adjust each pot to get balance, and when the level is changed, balance has to be restored. My next preamp will have a balance control. I am looking at the the TubeCAD Attenuator, which uses three 11-position Grayhill switches in a hybrid approach to control level, which also provides a balance function. Take a look at it!
Finally, my amplifier is a Scott integrated tube amp with ganged pots for left and right. The channel tracking is very bad and it is a pain to adjust each pot to get balance, and when the level is changed, balance has to be restored. My next preamp will have a balance control. I am looking at the the TubeCAD Attenuator, which uses three 11-position Grayhill switches in a hybrid approach to control level, which also provides a balance function. Take a look at it!
Attn-1: 100-Decrements Stepped Attenuator
I'm like the guy above. 60 years old and down a bit in my left ear. I'm looking at the same balance and attenuator pcb he mentioned.
I'm like the guy above. 60 years old and down a bit in my left ear. I'm looking at the same balance and attenuator pcb he mentioned.
Mainly for vinyl which can have the balance off a bit.
Tried that 30 years ago. Was a pain. But the remote master volume I will implement at some point will have balance controls.
Thanks everyone for the replies.
I was definitely leaning towards not including the balance control, and I think that's the way I'm going to go. I appreciate the problems some have with room boundaries and such, but I don't have those issues, my program sources never seem off-balance, and at the age of sixty-three, my ears are exceptionally good and still hear out to 12 kHz in both ears....I'm a lucky guy!
The stereo/mono switch that KSTR mentioned sounds like a good idea, I'm going to do that.
Thanks again.
Mike
I was definitely leaning towards not including the balance control, and I think that's the way I'm going to go. I appreciate the problems some have with room boundaries and such, but I don't have those issues, my program sources never seem off-balance, and at the age of sixty-three, my ears are exceptionally good and still hear out to 12 kHz in both ears....I'm a lucky guy!
The stereo/mono switch that KSTR mentioned sounds like a good idea, I'm going to do that.
Thanks again.
Mike
Of course, $ is important and if your budget cannot support $129 stepped attenuator with Grayhill switches, then by all means consider the A3.
However, recognize that the the more expensive attenuator has many more steps than the A3, allowing for a greater level of control, especially in terms of balance. In addition, the quality of switch is much higher with the Grayhill, which arguably may result in higher audio quality.
However, recognize that the the more expensive attenuator has many more steps than the A3, allowing for a greater level of control, especially in terms of balance. In addition, the quality of switch is much higher with the Grayhill, which arguably may result in higher audio quality.
Mike
Since you need a volume control anyway, why not make it a dual concentric pot?
99% of the time the two knobs can be left to work as one, but provides the option to adjust the balance if needed.
Some of the Japanese amps used to do this, Pioneer for example.
I haven't noticed it recently but perhaps I just haven't looked much.
I am surprised it is not more commonly used, no extra complexity in the circuit or clutter on the front panel but all the functionality of a balance control.
Best wishes
David
As I mentioned in my first post, my Scott integrated tube amp has dual concentric pots. That are typical carbon pots and the tracking is miserable.
If a company made concentric pots with high quality conductive plastic or using stepped attenuators, that would be the best solution but they do not exist to the best of my knowledge.
That is why I suggest the TubeCAD stepped attenuator kit or the A3 attenuator kit.
If a company made concentric pots with high quality conductive plastic or using stepped attenuators, that would be the best solution but they do not exist to the best of my knowledge.
That is why I suggest the TubeCAD stepped attenuator kit or the A3 attenuator kit.
sucks with the cold. i have a different problem ... my left ear starts to itch / hurt when i listen to my tube preamp. i know it sounds odd but i'm not joking.
i know this is not regarded as the most efficient solution and somewhat "old school" (the way the balance control is implemented) but i've had great results with the simple p88 circuit from esp including volume and balance control. you can set it up on a breadboard and it will probably cost you somewhere around 20 bucks.
Funny you would mention that...
About 45 years ago, when I was in high school, the very first preamp I built had separate single pots for not only the volume, but for the bass and treble controls too. Back then I didn't have access to parts and supplies like I do now, so I had to work with what was available to me at that time. It was kind of a PITA to adjust all six controls (two volume, two bass, and two treble) and get it to sound "right."
If it weren't for the fact that dual-concentric controls that you mentioned are made of unobtainium, I'd actually prefer that method also...oh well.
Mike
Hi guys,
about the original topic:
I found very useful the balance function in past just to test different speakers on left and right channels. You could use it if the position in your room is not centered but that is not an audiophile listening anyway right?
Now if I need it I can do it with my active crossover, from the remote control, band-by-band. But I actually never use this function.
about the original topic:
I found very useful the balance function in past just to test different speakers on left and right channels. You could use it if the position in your room is not centered but that is not an audiophile listening anyway right?
Now if I need it I can do it with my active crossover, from the remote control, band-by-band. But I actually never use this function.
On the last super-whiz-bang preamplifier build that I put together, I used a four (it also had a hafler matrix setup) of single channel split-shaft potentiometers recessed into the face of the chassis, so that one needed to insert a small screwdriver to adjust balance on each individual channel. This was for use in a strangely shaped room that really benefited from some adjustment. At the input of the amplifier was a basic stereo potentiometer for overall channel volume, fedding a buffer stage. All of the outputs had a buffer after the channel control. Overkill, but it worked great.
Nowadays, I don't even put volume pots on my builds, unless it's an analog source-only application, in which I find they rarely even get used anyway.
Nowadays, I don't even put volume pots on my builds, unless it's an analog source-only application, in which I find they rarely even get used anyway.
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It's a pain to order this stuff because the searches on the usual suppliers' websites don't have "dual concentric" as a selection criterion.
But Bourns lists dual concentric conductive plastic pots as available and I found a specialist potentiometer supplier on the web so it looks possible.
I have a friend's Pioneer to repair with this system and the knobs are pretty nice, don't even have to think about it, they usually work as one but are easy to adjust for balance if needed.
This reminded me that I need to source the pots for my own next build.
Best wishes
David
What I've found is that mfg. have the capability to make things and list them as "availableA" but what that means is that they are available to manufacture: they have tooling, machines, part designs, manufacturing processes and trained people to put together the parts to make the catalog item.
What they do NOT tell you is that they are not stock items, and must be ordered in minimum quantities like 10 (at pretty high rates), or at 1,000 or 10,000 for more reasonable rates. And then, there is usually a wait time, to get it into the production queue.
Thus, as a practical matter, these items are made of "unobtainium."
What they do NOT tell you is that they are not stock items, and must be ordered in minimum quantities like 10 (at pretty high rates), or at 1,000 or 10,000 for more reasonable rates. And then, there is usually a wait time, to get it into the production queue.
Thus, as a practical matter, these items are made of "unobtainium."
Potentiometers.com claim to have the various modules and to assemble a custom pot with a minimum order of one.
I haven't asked for a quote yet, I expect it's not cheap but presumably not totally unaffordable if they plan to actually sell any.
Anyone have experience or another recommendation?
Would this be worth consideration as a group buy?
Best wishes
David
These are Clarostat units. If you look at the Series 70 specs, they are +/- 5% linear taper, which would not be particularly suitable for volume control. This applies to each unit, so if you had a particular bad build, you could end up with 10% difference between L and R sections.
All the other Series offer log taper, BUT they are +/- 10%. You could end up with 20% difference between L and R sections.
Yes , you can adjust each one individually, but based upon my experience with the Scott dual concentric controls, it is a pain.
I end up back where I started: recommending the TubeCAD V2 attenuator or the A3 attenuator. With the former, you are getting sealed gold switch contacts, and YOU decide what kind of resistors to use - carbon film, tantalum, metal film, foil... AND the settings are repeatable and very fine.
All the other Series offer log taper, BUT they are +/- 10%. You could end up with 20% difference between L and R sections.
Yes , you can adjust each one individually, but based upon my experience with the Scott dual concentric controls, it is a pain.
I end up back where I started: recommending the TubeCAD V2 attenuator or the A3 attenuator. With the former, you are getting sealed gold switch contacts, and YOU decide what kind of resistors to use - carbon film, tantalum, metal film, foil... AND the settings are repeatable and very fine.
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