best option for pot/stepped attenuator?

[earwaxxer]

Hey Jim - I totally agree. Thats the set up I'm listening to now. - No pot. All volume control is done in the digital domain in 24bit. Despite the naysayers, I have not found a significant negative, at least in terms of the Logitech Transporter that uses the AK4396. I'm happy as a clam. But, what I can say, is that I have compared the sound from some of my kit, with and without pot and have not found a huge difference. I can do this using my DAC as a preamp.

What I found, for example, was that my system sounded MUCH better going balanced vs. single ended. I was surprised. Its cool though. Whatever works, even though I have shelled out some significant cash for RCA interconnects. We audiophiles have to pick our battles carefully. Live and learn.

 

[2wo]

I agree with Eric about the digital volume control. As long as I am using the top end of the scale,  I  think it sounds  better than a pot...john

 

[Grainger49]

If you decide to do it yourself you must read this page:

http://www.siteswithstyle.com/VoltSecond/12_posistion_shunt/12_Position_Pure_Shunt.html

There is a spreadsheet you can download, select your number of steps, step size and it calculates the resistors needed.

VoltSecond is a long, long time Bottlehead.

 

[adamct]

Ugh. I just tried installing a TKD volume pot. Frankly, it was an enormous PITA. A really, really frustrating and fiddly experience. I followed the wiring diagram at the top of this page: http://www.partsconnexion.com/controls_pot_tkd.html

I finally get everything set up, then hook the Crack back up to test it out. I get BLARING volume out of my headphones, even though the volume is turned down all the way.  When I turned the volume knob, it appeared as though it was just changing the left/right balance, but not the volume. This is what it sounded like, without the headphones on, at least. I didn't dare to actually wear the headphones, and with the volume so high, it is hard to try and isolate one side of the headphones to test it out.

Did I make a mistake in following the diagram I linked to? Should I have just wired it up like the stock pot? I remember reading somewhere that there is a guide on how to tell how your volume pot is wired, but after much searching before I embarked on this fiasco, I couldn't find it.

I note that the diagram linked to above shows the left/right channels wired in opposing directions: I.e., the left channel is ground-out-in, whereas the right channel is in-out-ground. This is contrary to the markings on the pot itself, which showed the solder terminals on the lower deck as 2-1-C and the upper deck matched those markings, so that 2 was above 2, 1 was above 1 and C was above C.

Please tell me what I did wrong and how to fix it...I'm feeling very frustrated, as you can surely tell. Many thanks in advance!

Best regards,
Adam

 

[Paul Birkeland]

It is incredibly rare that a volume pot differs from the stock pot in the Crack in terms of connections.

 

[adamct]

OK, thanks. That's what I get for not asking first....

 

[adamct]

Fixed. Thanks again for the quick response!

 

[Paul Joppa]

The figure at the top of the referenced page says "Typical Balance Pot Wiring" - but ALL of the pots on the page are VOLUME pots, not balance pots. (A balance pot would normally be linear taper.) Perhaps you could email Parts Connexion and "call their attention" to the problem!

 

[rs01]

Are the majority of the potentiometers drop in replacements in terms of the cut-out on the mounting plate or is there a bit of Dremel work involved?  I'm considering adding a 100k Blue Velvet along with the Speedball that I should have in next week.

 

[adamct]

Don't know. I had to widen the hole a tiny (and I mean tiny) bit to fit the TKD. I picked up some sort of grinding bit at Home Depot for $3.50. Worked like a charm.

 

[Paul Joppa]

Are the majority of the potentiometers drop in replacements in terms of the cut-out on the mounting plate or is there a bit of Dremel work involved?  I'm considering adding a 100k Blue Velvet along with the Speedball that I should have in next week.

We have in the past used and followed the US standard 1/4-inch hole with another adjacent hole for the anti-rotation lug/post. However, there are many non-standard and/or metric products out there, especially among the audiophile specialty products. In recent years, we have tried to make holes that fit the Goldpoint products as well, since they are only slightly different and are among the most affordable options. But we have not made any attempt to identify all the possibilities! Sorry but you will have to do your own homework to find out if a non-stock part will fit.  :^)

 

[jrebman]

The good news with the crack is that theree is a fairly generous amount of room to work with and I've not yet found a pot that won't fit, but some of the metric pots do need a bit of work with a rat tail file or reamer, or whatever to open the hole up a bit.

-- Jim

 

[Doc B]

Are the majority of the potentiometers drop in replacements in terms of the cut-out on the mounting plate or is there a bit of Dremel work involved?  I'm considering adding a 100k Blue Velvet along with the Speedball that I should have in next week.

We have in the past used and followed the US standard 1/4-inch hole with another adjacent hole for the anti-rotation lug/post.

To clarify, The standard shaft dia. is 1/4", and the mounting hole is 3/8"