Are passive volume controls totally transparent?

[Miguelón]

And the lower the volume is turned down the worse it performs.
If one is going to really turn it down super low, then a preamp is a safer option.

What is considered super low? More than 10 dB?

 

[Holmz]

What is considered super low? More than 10 dB?

I have kind of lost lock on what you’re doing.

• If it is bi-amping and cutting say a tweeter, then that could be 10-20 dB, which seems fine.
• If you are using it solely as a volume control then you might be asking 40-60dB, which is a lot.

 

[Miguelón]

I have kind of lost lock on what you’re doing.

• If it is bi-amping and cutting say a tweeter, then that could be 10-20 dB, which seems fine.
• If you are using it solely as a volume control then you might be asking 40-60dB, which is a lot.

The second, thanks for answering and precision

 

[Holmz]

The second, thanks for answering and precision

In that case I would just use a preamp.
I cannot imagine walking 25’ to adjust the volume, or doing it and running down 25’ of cable.

Maybe just use the digital volume control?

 

[Miguelón]

In that case I would just use a preamp.
I cannot imagine walking 25’ to adjust the volume, or doing it and running down 25’ of cable.

Maybe just use the digital volume control?

Sorry, I’m not who asked for the 25 feet cable case, I use the digital volume. Was only by curiosity.

My case is simply 10 feet cable and need for -30 dBFS values or so, its enough with 10 dB reduction of analogue or so, maybe 14…

I think will be fine also without the attenuation and going -40 to -45 dBFS

 

[JRR]

I’m the one with the 25 foot run before the pot in a a biamp situation. Max 5db attinuation.

Sorry for the hijack.

 

[Blumlein 88]

And the lower the volume is turned down the worse it performs.
If one is going to really turn it down super low, then a preamp is a safer option.

Actually not so. It is worst at -6 db with a potentiometer. Lower or higher is better. With switched resistors it may be the same or similar at all levels. If constructed as an L pad what say would be true.

 

[Miguelón]

Actually not so. It is worst at -6 db with a potentiometer. Lower or higher is better. With switched resistors it may be the same or similar at all levels. If constructed as an L pad what say would be true.

I have the impression of any passive gear I put between the DAC and the Genelecs makes the sound “blurred”, excuse me by this Guttemberg-like adjective but I don’t know what I’m hearing.

The 8030C gain knob (0 to 12 dB attenuator), the volume pot of my DAC (even at max volume, it sounds better when bypassing the signal to the “fixed” pathway), the monitor controller…

Maybe actual DACs have more and more voltage output to avoid interposing elements?

(In the case of Genelecs G Three, the brand should lower the sensitivity because if not one has to reduce so much the dBFS on the source)

 

[Blumlein 88]

I have the impression of any passive gear I put between the DAC and the Genelecs makes the sound “blurred”, excuse me by this Guttemberg-like adjective but I don’t know what I’m hearing.

The 8030C gain knob (0 to 12 dB attenuator), the volume pot of my DAC (even at max volume, it sounds better when bypassing the signal to the “fixed” pathway), the monitor controller…

Maybe actual DACs have more and more voltage output to avoid interposing elements?

(In the case of Genelecs G Three, the brand should lower the sensitivity because if not one has to reduce so much the dBFS on the source)

You know the question I am going to ask. Are you doing these comparisons with levels matched? If anything is inserted, and reduces volume you probably will hear it as blurred unless you compensate to match levels somewhere else.

The passive volume controls are fairly simple. If you keep the connection to the speaker short it won't effect frequency response. It won't add distortion you could hear, it won't limit dynamics in short it will do nothing you can hear.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

I have the impression of any passive gear I put between the DAC and the Genelecs makes the sound “blurred”, excuse me by this Guttemberg-like adjective but I don’t know what I’m hearing

If I was in your position and heard a "blurring", I'd use some measurement equipment to identify what I was hearing.

 

[Sokel]

If I was in your position and heard a "blurring", I'd use some measurement equipment to identify what I was hearing.

Yep.
I followed the thread for a while and it seems that asks for very specific conditions.
Only measurements can tell and it's not hard at all, at least right before the speakers, any decent interface can do it and tell the difference, in real time too at this case.

 

[Miguelón]

You know the question I am going to ask. Are you doing these comparisons with levels matched? If anything is inserted, and reduces volume you probably will hear it as blurred unless you compensate to match levels somewhere else.

The passive volume controls are fairly simple. If you keep the connection to the speaker short it won't effect frequency response. It won't add distortion you could hear, it won't limit dynamics in short it will do nothing you can hear.

Alert, subjetivist affirmation against objective experience, I won't follow that path

Please, forgive my question, it doesn't matter.

 

[Miguelón]

Only measurements can tell and it's not hard at all, at least right before the speakers, any decent interface can do it and tell the difference, in real time too at this case.

For sure, but the thing is not so important, as was mentioned before a passive volume control is transparent in most of situations.

But I prefer simplicity and the less elements between my DAC and the amp, if I can do all digital to me is nicer.