RCA Line Attenuators

I saw an interesting thread on this topic but the search engine fails to find it. Can someone link me to it or at least recommend a brand ? I need to attenuate a DVD player's audio output which is too hot and makes volume very difficult to set; at one notch it's too soft, but I crank it in the slightest and I have to run out of the room.Help !!!

 

Something like this?
CANFORD IN-LINE RCA (PHONO) ATTENUATOR Phono in/out

 

I’ve used Rothwell attenuators before and they’re decent: Attenuators

 

A "car volume control" from the auction site, or at an auto parts store that has pieces for car stereo installations.

 

I use a pair of -14dB Goldenjacks attenuators between my tube preamp and solid state power amp. They are excellent. There is zero effect on my system sound, except that the noise floor is a lot lower and my volume control is much easier to use.

 

I used Rothwell attenuators briefly when my phono stage was over driving the input on my integrated amp. They work however they effectively killed the frequency extremes for me.

 

I'd probably try some kind of passive preamp with a volume control before trying attentuators again. I tried the Harrisson -6dB ones and while they definitely "worked" they did something to the sound I really didn't like, so I sent them back.

 

Thanx; yes, this is the idea. But I'd need to source them from the USA. Any USA-based brands ?

 

I definitely go for this instead, and you also get full control of the level you want.

 

I use these .
I would not be without them

Better bass, better treble
More relaxed sound.

 

The Harrison Labs ones are fine if you want US based product. Just work out how much you want to reduce the output voltage of your player by. Here's a

Here's the thread that got me interested ......

Is Your CD Player/Changer Too 'Hot'?

It will depend on the input sensitivity of your amp as well. Try the -6db from Harrison Labs to start.

Here's a detailed but very interesting thread from the Harbeth Forums which looks at getting more room to move on your volume dial. You'll have to login in to see the videos.

'How loud?' versus how far you turn the volume control - Harbeth: For 40 years - the world's most natural sounding loudspeakers

This db voltage ratio calculator can help you work out how much attenuation you can try in relation to your amps input sensitivity ......

Crown Audio - Professional Power Amplifiers

 

I use Harrison Attenuators.

They can be ordered from Amazon or Parts Express.

I use them all of the time that I need attenuation on a RCA input. Have used them for years.

I use there to balance out my power amplifier's.

I have never found them to be a problem with effecting the sound in any negative (or positive) way.

Otherwise, I would not use them. But I use them all of the time without having any issues.

 

Hey thanx for the helpful tip ! My amp has ¨muting¨ switch (-20db). It is extremely useful, but it cuts out a channel when in the ¨ON¨ position. I had it cleaned by a tech, but it continued to do so. My soon-to-arrive, new Yamaha CDP, like every budget CDP of today, doesn't feature variable line output like my current (but failing) Technics. I'd always relied on that, but at the full 2V output, most CDs are so loud you just can't obtain a comfortable volume with the receiver's vol knob; one position is too low, and the next sends you out of the room, hence the need for the attenuators. The Technics attenuates its signal by up to 12dbs, in 2db increments, so I guess -6 (middle point) will provide adequate volume to work with, for I usually don't dampen the signal beyond 6-8 db, at the most. The fact they can be intercalated (and removed) at will, is a good thing

 

I use a set of Rothwells on my cdp out. I rarely listen but no complaints on sound quality. Price is another thing, these cost more than the cdp itself (second hand) cost me.

 

Know the people you're dealing with:
Harrison Labs Crossovers - FMODS, PFMODS, FMOD CABLES, BASS BLOCKERS, Contract Manufacturing

 

Yeah you'll just have to experiment, if you're reaching your comfortable listening level by 9 o'clock on your volume control it's handy to be able to push that point on the dial back to 11 or 12 o'clock, to give you a bit more wiggle room on the dial. Likewise you don't want to reduce it too much where you're having to turn it to the 3 o'clock position to get any juice.

I'm awaiting a pair of the -10 Rothwells at the moment. My new Vincent amp gets plenty loud at 9 o'clock making finer adjustments difficult.

Attenuators

 

There is also the option to DIY an attenuator if you decide that the Rothwell, Harrison, or other isn't going to be good enough.

Here's a thread with info and the motivation for a DIY attenuator instead of the Rothwell: New toys: Parasound JC3 phono preamp & Lyra Delos cartridge

 

I was using Rothwell -15dB on Chord DAC because of its too-high output (3V), and was working fine, no audible sound degradation, just a proper volume control on Primaluna pre...
Selling it now because I got a new DAC.

 

I too think a passive preamp works well.

 

These worked well for me. My Sangean HD1 tuner has over the top output. Must be 5mv I'm guessing. These worked very well and now it is on par with my other sources and sound quality is excellent>
https://www.amazon.com/Harrison-Lab...P97Y05AN2E2&psc=1&refRID=87XRS7M76P97Y05AN2E2

 

All are quality products that are made in the good ole US of A.

 

Yeah lots of complaints online about the Harrisons altering tonality or 6db having practically little effect; one fella measrured the 6 db ones attenuating only 3 dbs. But lots of satisfied customers as well; how come ? Same on this board. Weird.

 

This is a company which has been manufacturing attenuators for some period of time.

Devices like this have only one single purpose and that is to drop the voltage of the input signal, without effecting any other properties, or to have as little effect as possible at a given price point.

An attenuator at -3 dB. will cut the signal in half, 3- dB will decrease the signal down to 25% of the original signal and so on.

Each -3 dB. increment will decrease the signal by half of the previous increment.

-6 dB. of attenuation may appear to have little or not effect if the original signal is that overly strong and overpowering.

Realize that it takes about 10 db. change in power to make a signal appear to be twice as loud or half as loud.

I was thinking that you might very well need 10 dB. on attenuation if either your line level source is too powerful or your amps input is too sensitive, or maybe both?

They also sell a variable attenuator, which is something that you might consider.

I don't know about how the variable is packaged, but the regular ones, like I have come two to a pack.

 

12db did the job with mine. Glad I didn't try the 6db. No complaints about the SQ, but it's a tuner so not my most critical source. If anything, it sounded better with them because it wasn't breaking eardrums at 8 o'clock on the volume knob!