Remote-Controlled Passive Preamp

[ToolGuyFred]

Has anyone seen a kit for a remote-controlled passive preamp?

All my most-used audio gear comes with an infra-red remote control, so it would be nice to have one on the preamp too. I was thinking of something which can select source, adjust volume and have an output suitable to connect to the first grid of my Foreplay.

If not, then:

I have seen an application using an existing remote control with a Pic microcontroller. Controlling relays for stepped attenuator, inputs and outputs should be comparatively trivial, maybe even add a display screen of some sort. Anyone out there tried anything like that?

 

[Wardsweb]

Check this out: http://www.diyhifisupply.com/node/177

 

[Mikey]

Get ahold of John Chapman at Bent Audio:

http://www.bentaudio.com/index2.html

I'm sure he's got something that will work for you!

Mike

 

[Grainger49]

What Mikey said, at VSAC 2008 Bent Audio had a very long table full of remote volume controls and input selectors.

 

[Wardsweb]

OOOOOHHH! Bent Audio. I want their controller bad. It's just too trick.

 

[glynnw]

I have experimented with passives quite a bit (Placette, Creek, EVS Ultimate Attenuators, home-made, etc.), but was never able to really replace my preamp.  The slight sound improvement (if any) just didn't justify giving up the convenience of a preamp.  Then a few months ago I purchased a used Bent Audio Tap-X TVC.  Holy shamoly!  Using it resulted in a sense of ease and smoothness that I found beguiling.  After much comparison with my Foreplay III I settled on the Tap-X in my system (please don't ban me from this board - I know it's heresy).  As I understand it, this might not work for everyone, depending on the gear involved, but going from a Wavelength Brick (tube) to my Paramounts I am completely satisfied at this time.  Bent no longer sells the Tap-X, but they appear to still sell the parts necessary to make one.  Call or email John Chapman and ask him - he's a very nice guy.  Oh yeah, the Tap-X has remote volume and balance.

 

[Doc B]

No problem here, the TAP is really nice. We had a TVC prototype around for quite a while and it had certain sonic qualities in the treble that were a little better than the FPIII in my system while I found the bass in my setup to be a little better with the FPIII. John is indeed one of the nicest guys in the business.

 

[ToolGuyFred]

Thanks guys. The Bent Audio stuff looks really nice.

My old school friend and Saturday-night drinking buddy is also a control engineer and has just got tooled up with all the PIC development gear (I notice one of the Bent boards is sporting a PIC chip) so I'll ponder for a while whether to go ready-built or develop something exactly to my own requirements.