Adding a 12v trigger (or other audio-triggered power on/off)

[NotTheDroid]

I've got a friend who has a pair of older ATC SCM-50A active speakers. She's super smart, but quite forgetful, and often doesn't remember to turn the speakers off at the end of a listening session. She's already paid a bunch of money to get one of the amps repaired as a result, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to avoid a repeat experience of that by setting her up with a system that senses signal and automatically turns an outlet or power strip on and off.

The ATCs don't have a 12v trigger. The rest of the signal chain is a Chromecast Audio connected to a Schiit Modius via toslink, with XLR cables running to a passive preamp and then to the speakers (and a Rythmik F12, but that already has auto on/off).

The Modius has a pair of unused RCA outputs, and it can output signal simultaneously through those and XLR. Is there enough juice in the 2v RCA outputs to wire the two RCA outputs into the green pin in one of these and have that work? Or would a Bobwire DAT1 be enough juice for the power relay module? The only actual outboard 12v trigger receiver I can find is this one from Audiophonics, and it's 230v — would it be a problem to use one of those on 110v US power? I guess one other option (short of building something custom) would be to replace her DAC with one that senses signal and turns itself off when not in use, and to use that as the master control on a smart power strip to turn the other outlets on and off, but that seems like an awfully expensive way to do it.

Is there really no 110v power strip or plug out there now that the Niles is discontinued that has a 12v trigger on/off?

 

[somebodyelse]

Have a look for auto switching power strips - they sense current on one or more of the outlets and switch some of the others. The Rythmik should draw enough to switch them. 240V and different sockets here so can't comment on specific models that might work in your area, but there seem to be plenty of reviews out there.

The Adafruit one won't trigger from the RCA output, but will from a 12V trigger - that's well within the 3V to 60V DC input range it accepts. It looks like the Bobwire should do the job of generating a trigger you could use with either the Adafruit or the Audiophonics. I expect the Audiophonics would work with 110V but can't say for sure.

 

[NotTheDroid]

Oh man, I can't believe I didn't think of that. Ordered an auto switching power strip, and I'll just use the Rythmik as a control. Thanks so much! I'll report back when the power strip arrives and I try it.

 

[GXAlan]

Panamax and Furman “line conditioners” have 12v triggers. The older Monster Power and Belkin PureAV products worked too.

This is an opportunity for @MonolithGuy maybe. A no nonsense power strip with 12v triggers.

 

[Haflermichi]

Just get a used Niles APC-2.
Note however that the suggested minimum "trigger" device is 30 watts draw. A lot of old tube TV easily met that.
IE: Turn on the TV and the APC-2 then turns on an outlet strip.
You will have to find something in the front end with enough current draw to trigger the APC-2.
But this is the exact intent of the product.

 

[GXAlan]

Panamax and Furman “line conditioners” have 12v triggers. The older Monster Power and Belkin PureAV products worked too.

This is an opportunity for @MonolithGuy maybe. A no nonsense power strip with 12v triggers.

This is how Monster HTS5100 MkII and Belkin PF60 did it. You have your various banks and then physical switches to decide if you want that bank to be always on or part of the trigger, delayed or not, etc.

They were UL listed and also had a ground lug as well (which is missing from Audioquest and Furman, but found on Panamax).

They then added a ton of various AC line filtering which is unnecessary.

So
1) Power strip or component is fine
2) UL listed power distribution. Can even skip surge protection if you are allowed to, with the surge protection upstream. If it’s not too expensive to have high voltage disconnect or series mode surge protection that would be great
3) with series mode protection, I would probably pay $500 and with as plain distribution with triggers, I think $250 is reasonable.