Remote volume for vintage gear

littlewoodboats

I keep looking at the different options for remote volume. I have noticed a lack of analogue devices without going home built or kit routes. Being hopelessly out of date as usual I was under the impression that digital devices were not considered to be optimal for this application. Expensive to boot.

Has anyone built an analogue device? If so would you mind sharing what you used?

Steve

Joe08867

Are you looking for something to turn the volume knob? Never heard of anything to do that.

drumminman

The two pre amps I own each have motorized volume controls. That's the only way I've heard of to remote control the volume.

I would imagine you could DIY something with for example an Alps motorized volume control and RCA jacks into and out of it, so you run the pre outs from your integrated/receiver into the control, and then from the control back.
You'd use the volume on the base unit as a gain, so once set you'd leave it and control volume with your newly built unit.

Just speculating - never done this.

zingo

One of the best options that is used a lot in the industry is the motorized Alps pot. There are kits for it many places on the internet, and I believe it's a simple as running power and the eye for the remote.

rtart

Seeme like there were some add-on boxes that did this - many years ago. As I recall, they worked by looping through a tape monitor and attenuated the signal using an IR remote. Not very 'hi-fi', though.

littlewoodboats

That is the type of pot I thought I was looking for. It would need a power supply plus the circuit for the remote sensor with (I think) polarity switching. And remote of course

There is a unit from a company called Audiocubics. $350.00 plus the cost of the power supply. I believe these are digital solutions. I have read about a unit from Chase named RLC-1 but this is a complete preamp. Selling for $70.00 used on eBay not a very good one it seems. A complete preamp seems a bit overkill not to mention the added garbage in the signal path.

rtart

There's this: http://www.placetteaudio.com/remote_control.htm

Only a grand!

littlewoodboats

rtart wrote: »

There's this: http://www.placetteaudio.com/remote_control.htm

Only a grand!

I probably ought to order two or three of those just to have the spares. :eek: Is it just me or does that seem a bit much?

rtart

Site says,"This low cost passive unit is ideal for the user who has only one source component in his system or for someone who wishes to add remote volume control capability to a favorite preamp."

Must be a good deal!

cnh

How would something like that even work? Would you put it on the outs from a pre-amp and run its OUTS to the amp, set the pre-amp at half or more volume and then use this box as something like Variable Volume out on a TV?

Or would you have to wire it directly before that Volume pot inside the gear in question. I can't really see any other way of this thing working because you have to access the Volume regulation, somehow!

1000 dollars does seem a bit excessive. For that amount, I can "easily" continue to just get up and adjust the volume myself--thank you very much!

cnh

littlewoodboats

I would put it in between the preamp out and the amp in with the volume control on the preamp set to the max level desired. I can uncouple my old Yamaha integrated so it should not be a problem. You can do the same thing with the tape monitor but as mentioned above the quality might be lacking.

I am with you cnh. For a thousand dollars the silly thing better fetch beers and fold my laundry.

rtart

littlewoodboats wrote: »

I am with you cnh. For a thousand dollars the silly thing better fetch beers and fold my laundry.

And chill the beers while dispensing peanuts!

littlewoodboats

rtart wrote: »

And chill the beers while dispensing peanuts!

You bet!

Tony M

Hobby shop RC motor with a rubber wheel touching the knob...50.00 tops.

littlewoodboats

Tony M wrote: »

Hobby shop RC motor with a rubber wheel touching the knob...50.00 tops.

I have seen some solutions that were not far from this. I saw one where a guy had taken a dead unit with a working volume control with a belt around the knobs.

A hobby shop servo could work. I have not had the cover off of my CA-1000 so have no idea if there might be room inside for the servo and receiver. Probably the most complex way of doing this but would definitely be elegant.

I like what this guy did but do not see the point in controlling anything other than volume.

http://hackaday.com/2011/08/19/adding-wireless-controls-to-vintage-stereo-equipment/

MHAMBONE

Acoustic Research used to make one called Stereo Remote Control. I still have one somewhere.

This shows it and the specs.
http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/IP.Board/index.php?showtopic=1865

skrol

I bet Red Green has a solution. It probably involves some close line, a couple pulleys from a Ford LTD wagon and duct tape.

leftwinger57

How far back is vintage to you. My Onkyo p301 has a motorized volume control and I found the matching remote during another search.

littlewoodboats

For two channel I use a Yamaha CA-1000 from the early 70's. http://www.thevintageknob.org/yamaha-CA-1000.html

Someone with more talent in this regard than myself could build one. There are several good examples that could be copied. If someone would be interested in taking on the project I would like to hear from you. The parts are available

mhardy6647

Even fairly young children may be trained to adjust volume; some incentivizing may be required for consistent levels of performance.
Note that this may not be the best possible option if one has, e.g., a DIY vacuum tube amp with exposed high voltages...

;-)

George Grand

About 15 years ago, maybe more, Chase Technologies marketed a product called the RLC-1 to address the exact requirements you state. I purchased one from Roy Allison Labs up in Mass. They fly under the radar as dead quiet pre-amps also.

littlewoodboats

George Grand wrote: »

About 15 years ago, maybe more, Chase Technologies marketed a product called the RLC-1 to address the exact requirements you state. I purchased one from Roy Allison Labs up in Mass. They fly under the radar as dead quiet pre-amps also.

Thanks for the input on the RLC-1. They are available without breaking the bank. I can buy one used for less than the price of the parts to build something.

Is there anything special to know about the RLC-1 relating to the age of the units?

George Grand

Nothing at all.

What are they going for these days? At one point back then, you could get them for $59 from mail order houses. I think they started life at $99 MSRP.

mrbigbluelight

Got side-tracked (as usual) and found an interesting little discussion over on AudioKarma.

RLC-1 got some nice mention and they did offer a mod that it appears you may want to do to an RLC-1. It has an "audio compensation" that increase bass as you lower volume. Don't like the sound of that and apparently neither do other posters. There's an extremely simple mod that involves lifting a couple resistors off the pads and it puts the RLC-1 in the "Run Silent, Run Deep" mode.

Here's a link:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-49849.html

littlewoodboats

Thanks much for the info. Now that I am looking for one there do not seem to be any for sale. Story of my life.

One will show up on epray sooner or later.

rtart

MHAMBONE wrote: »

Acoustic Research used to make one called Stereo Remote Control. I still have one somewhere.

This shows it and the specs.
http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/IP.Board/index.php?showtopic=1865

That's what I remembered!