[keiron99]

I'm trying to work out the best way to add remote volume control to my Stax Energizer.

Could I simply remove the wires from the volume pot, and attache them to a motorised volume pot? I'm sure it could be done.

Is anyone aware of a high quality IR controlled motorized pot I could use?

 

[n_maher]

As far as I know there are only a couple of kits out there to do what you describe. The only that I know of are available from Welbourne Labs, they even have a prebuilt linestage that you can buy which may suit your needs perfectly provided the price isn't too high. I've seen Alps motorized pots but I can't say that I've seen them coupled with the necessary IR receiver module/remote.

Best of luck.

Nate

 

[Nisbeth]

Have a look here: http://www.dantimax.dk

A remote-1 kit and a motorised pot of a suitable value should be all you need

/U.

 

[n_maher]

Please excuse my ignorance of international currencies but what are the prices on that web-page shown in? Being that the company is in Denmark it would seem the Denmark Kroner might make sense but the symbol used makes me think that it's probably Euros. Even if the prices are Euros it looks like a complete remote vol kit could be had for under $100 USD, not too bad.

 

[Nisbeth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by n_maher Please excuse my ignorance

Don't worry about that, we like you anyway

(sorry, couldn't resist

)

Seriously, the prices are in euros. AFAIK, if you are outside the EU you pay the prices in the "Ex VAT"-column

/U.

 

[riffer]

A few options from DIYCable:

http://www.diycable.com/main/product...ecc98863cb2eb7

http://www.diycable.com/main/product...ecc98863cb2eb7

 

[blip]

Another option is DIYClub:
http://eshop.diyclub.biz/index.php?c...5e7f0402973ade

Even Velleman has one:
http://www.mbelectronics.com/view.aspx?id=180

There are a few totally DIY designs out there as well using microprocessors. IIRC there have been a couple of decent ones in DIY journals. I'm also got some ideas if you're at all interested in programing micros.

 

[Garbz]

http://www.rentron.com/IR-DX8.htm THese are chips I use for remote circuits in my hifi. Have 2 now. My main amp which used to run the volume pot's motor and now instead pulses the input to a digital volume pot.

And for my dac where it controls input selection.

 

[keiron99]

Thanks all.

Two of these products stand out because they would appear to require minimal technical knowledge! They are the Wellbourne and DIY Cable DACT model. But the prices of these products is just unbelievable! $405 for the latter. I don't doubt it's high quality, but $405 for a remote controlled attenuator? How do they get these prices?

Unfortunately I don't have the knowledge or skill required to implement the other solutions suggested. The search continues!

 

[dsavitsk]

Audio Electronic Supply (Cary Audio) sells an analog kit: http://www.audioelectronicsupply.com..._ALP_RVC_2_KIT

 

[keiron99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsavitsk Audio Electronic Supply (Cary Audio) sells an analog kit: http://www.audioelectronicsupply.com..._ALP_RVC_2_KIT

Looks interesting but the website is a bit short on info!

 

[n_maher]

Quote:

Originally Posted by keiron99 But the prices of these products is just unbelievable! $405 for the latter. I don't doubt it's high quality, but $405 for a remote controlled attenuator? How do they get these prices?

It's really not that hard to imagine how they came up with the $400+ for the SA. The DACT stepped attenuator normally sells for $180 without any of the remote hardware.

Nate

 

[keiron99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by n_maher It's really not that hard to imagine how they came up with the $400+ for the SA. The DACT stepped attenuator normally sells for $180 without any of the remote hardware. Nate

Given that I have cloth ears - despite having pretty good gear! - is this sort of level of component likely to have a positive impact on sound quality compared to, for example, the Alps pot in the Stax energiser? (Not that sound quality is the issue behind this project, it just started as a convenience issue).

Also, is there a fundamental difference between the DACT and the Welborne http://www.welbornelabs.com/remote.htm which to my untrained eye would appear to have no moving parts?

 

[blip]

Like all answers involving pots: Yes/No/Maybe . Is the welbourn of a better quality? Yes. Will it make a MASSIVE difference? No. Will it make enough of a difference to make it worth-while... maybe. Hate to be evasive but from my reading that is really what it comes down to. (Heck, that's about as much as we can say about most pieces of equipment!)

IIRC the Welbourn has no moving parts and instead uses some kind of solid state switching for its attenuator. Beyond that, they are pretty coy about the design so I don't think we have much more detail.... Though the fact that they suggest a well regulated supply seems to suggest that there is some audio circuitry somewhere in the signal path. A secret digi-pot maybe?

Or maybe the microprocessor they use is just touchy.

Anyway, if you don't mind the price (which is pretty reasonable really... I'm just cheap!) the Welbourn is probably a great choice.

Edit: While I'm thinking about it, anyone know what chip that Velleman uses? I wonder if it could be made into something nice with a little modification... Sort of a cheap carrier board for a digital pot.

 

[Magsy]

I've just built the Dantimax kit, using RelVol 1 (64 step relay attenuator) and Control 2.

I pondered over the Welbourne a lot, but I wanted the nice display that you can have with the Dantimax kit badly

The kit is fantastic, honestly the best kit I have ever bought. It is a proper full kit, everything including the kitchen sink is there. He provides manuals that cover everything, individual components are bagged and marked. He even wrote on each resistor what its value was...

There is a lot of soldering, I spent 2 hours at it and I am pretty fast. There are no difficult parts though, only one SMD piece in the kit.

The software is user configurable from the front panel and display, you can change volume offsets, balance, input names, remote control configs, startup delay etc - it is a well polished bit of kit.

I only finished yesterday so I cannot say how it sounds, but in a brief test it is as least as good as the Alps Blue. Volume steps are almost silent, there is a very slight click as volume changes but it is inaudiable at higher levels.

Overall very pleased!