It will happen with high sensitivity headphones/iems. iems are usually way more sensitive than full size headphones.By chanel imblanace do you mean one ear cup on the headphone is louder then the other one? I'm told this is only a problem with iems not high ohmage headphones
By chanel imblanace do you mean one ear cup on the headphone is louder then the other one? I'm told this is only a problem with iems not high ohmage headphones
Not IEMs, Over-ear headphones. Focal Elexes, various Hifiman, Drop/Sennheiser 6XX. Channel imbalance can be a problem in any situation if it is creating audible amplitude differences/variance between the two stereo channels.
A good solution for sure, yes.Just out of curiosity if you were to leave the analog volume control on the amp set to the max listen level for your headphones to say 12-1 o’clock then just use your DAC to adjust volume up or down would this be an acceptable workaround? Excuse me as I am new to some of this technology?
You link to a private conversationThis is a statement from SMSL-Mandy.
About the potentiometer of SP200
If you feel that there is a balanced problem with the SP200, contact the seller. We can replace this product with a new SP200 to ensure that there is no problem with the balance, but this balance is a problem that all potentiometers will face. But different individuals, there are differences. This is normal. It is not the potentiometer used by the SP200. It is not because it uses the B-type potentiometer. In fact, the overall balance and performance of this potentiometer is better than the ALPS RK09!
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ations/about-the-potentiometer-of-sp200.3598/
Thank you for your advice.You link to a private conversationscreenshot?
It is not the potentiometer used by the SP200. It is not because it uses the B-type potentiometer.
Well, it doesn't solve what is an issue with a defective volume potentiometer or attenuator. Start with an otherwise in-spec control, then muck around with the rest of it.A good solution for sure, yes.
I've confirmed that it is play in the potentiometer shaft. For a long time now, and most certainly today with the level of engineering and QC practice and effectiveness is better than ever across the board, I haven't had a potentiometer show this kind of lateral movement. Even the humbler cost parts today, including potentiometers and attenuators are pretty good - they track well, are quiet, have close mechanical and electrical tolerances, and have quality rotational operation feel. I've been a bit surprised at the very solid performance of the less pricey stuff that's available today. It certainly wasn't always like this. There's a mechanical out-of-spec issue with the potentiometer on my SP200.
This potentiometer feels smooth and doesn't make noise through its rotation. Imaging and soundstage are excellent at normal listening volume rotation positions, so tracking at these positions must be working okay enough that center images are centered where they should be - in the center - and that means everything else should be located properly around this. The little SMSL SP200 sounds stellar. Just stellar. I am very pleased with the sonics. VERY. The SP200 build quality is other wise excellent. But I would much prefer that the potentiometer work and feel just like those on every other piece of gear I have, and pretty much have ever owned.
Glad to see that SMSL is ready to stand behind the product. I wanted to confirm what was going on before reaching out. I bought from Apos Audio. The purchase experience with them was outstanding. I sent them a note about the potentiometer on my SP200 today.
Linear vs. logarithmic tapers... …log are also called audio taper. Is a linear taper volume control ever used in a piece of audio gear like this?
They're usually used with a law-faking resistor or in active controls like the Baxandall one. Examples from TI and Rod Elliott.Linear vs. logarithmic tapers... …log are also called audio taper. Is a linear taper volume control ever used in a piece of audio gear like this?
That's entirely opposite to my experience (from days gone by when I used to build stuff) although it does depend on whether you are talking about imbalance near the top of the pot or the bottom.From what I read; channel imbalance is worse with a linear pot
What should I be looking for on my unit? I’m not sure I am experiencing the same issues? Sorry again as I am new to the forum and this unit.
In a logarithmic pot there's little change in the high attenuation region, at least less than in a linear pot.where there's a lot of change for each degree of rotation
If nothing is showing up as obviously odd to you, likely you're okay. If you want to explore a bit, gently, firmly hold the volume knob with a couple/few fingers. Gently push and pull the knob back and forth perpendicular to the potentiometer's shaft axis. Move it in all directions/angles from that rotational center. Does the knob move within the faceplate cutout, getting closer and further from the cutout edges? Can you feel, even hear (faint sound of bits touching, lubricant being displaced), any movement here?
Also, holding on to the knob, gently push and pull, in and out, along the/coaxial to rotational axis. Can you feel/hear any movement in and out?
All by itself, some movement may not be an issue; it may not have a great effect on channel tracking. It's hard for most of us to measure directly channel balance unless you have the gear to measure it. That's why we like this site. There will be some production fit tolerance variance. I've been pleased at how good low priced stuff can be, and how really good the good stuff is; some of the better kit even having some adjustment for shaft interference. But, I've had good performance with many brands of inexpensive potentiometers. Things fit together well, the tactile experience is good,
and channel balance seems to be on.
Potentiometers and attenuators can muck up sonics and also just be nicer or less pleasant to use (provided you care about those things). They can be rough-feeling to rotate, be noisy when rotated, just even add noise to the signal, and if the tracking is off enough, soundstage and imaging can be off.
Providing everything else is in order, if sonic soundstage and imaging information shifts and changes - isn't stable in its apparent acoustic position - through the rotation of the potentiometer, l suggest that's an issue. Close channel tracking/balance provides the correct amplitude to the correct channels so that soundstage and imaging can unfold sonically optimally. If recordings where those elements that are in the center of the stage sound like they are happening in the very center of the sound field of either headphones or speakers, that's good and things should all be working properly to have this happen. Other elements of the sound field should be then also placed as well as your ears and your gear can discern it.