it means bringing signal cables up to the desk and back to the amp

there are relay or VCA remote boxes that will do the same

I think you need a couple more facilities
but
in principal the above things will work

a couple od DIY projects from me
http://www.diyfactory.com/projects/dawmonswitch/dawmonswitch_1.htm
http://www.diyfactory.com/projects/dawmonswitch/dawmonswitch_2.htm

wow your stuff seems really interesting...unfortunately i dont really know ANYTHING about anyhting when it comes to making those types of things...

i'm better off paying for someone else product lol...believe it or not...

how is the presonus center station? is ita ctually goign to be transparent they way they claim it to be?

you get what you pay for

simple means it is possible to get good quality for the money

more features and the more trickery, means the cost must go up

Do you need finger tip control ?

well, no not really. If handling hte volume levels from inside the PT mix window is an acceptable option then thats what I would rather do....

but if thats not an option I want it as simple as possible. All i need is a completky transparent knob that I can use to control the volume of the speakers...

At least with my setup using a LynxOne sound card, it has been said NOT to use the Lynx software mixer to control volume in or out, if at all possible. Basically, extra noise" (Artifacts. NOT transparent.)...

I have seen several passive controls, to go between the soundcard line-out and the amp or speakers, low as 99 dollars(Maybe less now) should work fine. It is just a volume control...

Where IS your amp? If in the rack next to you, couldn't you use IT'S volume control?

A mixer would work(I use a Mackie, but would not consider it , nor most anything else "completely transparent"), good for headphones and "other" I/O as well. Handy.

Finally, you mention the words "outu money" and "Allen & Heath" in the same post. Kind've a contradiction in terms... Allen & Heath is nice but NOT for those of us who are "outu money"...

TG

lol true. I did contradict myself...I guess i'm just that confused.

As far as I know the old Bryston 4B doesnt have volume controls...does it?

Also, what I should have said is: I would rather go for something cheap because I'm out of cash...but if allen & heath is a really good option then credit here I come! is Allen & Heath "really transparent"?

I did see those little volume control dealies...i'll probably pick one up...at least in the mean time....will let you know how it goes.

Unless of course someone can tell me the 4b has some form of volume control ( I dont have it yet - i bought it, but its on its way).

lastounce wrote: All i need is a completky transparent knob that I can use to control the volume of the speakers...

err
there is an obvious comment here ... but ?

transparent

:roll:

I like the idea of preset volume levels to which you can get used to working to.
See my web page and also check
Gold Point Switches
and
DACT

which you already know off

It is very easy to make a simple passive stereo volume box.
This may be a solution until you really work out what sort of features you want and how much you want to spend.

There is two threads at the LAB about the same subject and My DIY Factory has a couple of project options in development.

This is a typical problem for DAW people.

If you aren't looking at spending much money, I heartily recommend the NHT PVC - it's a passive volume control (hence: PVC) It runs about $100 and is well worth it.

Check out nhthifi.com

thanks all! great info. i didnt knowabout the NHT but it sounds good (adn has good reviews!) so I will try that for now...at least until I get a mixer...or a control surface...or who knows!

thanks!

lastounce wrote: Last question I promise...I'm just in the process of upgrading so i've posted a lot...and i send my love to all of you who have kindly put up with my posts... javascript:emoticon('8-)')

My last question - how to control the volume into the bryston amp. My set-up is: Digi002R -> ADAT out into RME adI 8 PRO DS -> into ?? unit (or nothing?) -> into Bryston 4B -> into Dynaudio BM15 passives.

When I built my system, I put a Soundcraft M4 mixer there, which is useful for other things as well.

that is a mixer I had not looked into...and I dont know much about it.

how is the signal quality on that? would you call it "transparent"?

also, how are the pre's? what would you compare them to?

I have the M12 and have found it useful on many projects.

Overall, it is more transparent than say a good tube pre, but there is a warming factor with this mixer.

The summing is above average and the pres in general are VERY usable. (These all sound like moderate compliments, but in truth, considering the price of these boards, it's an amazing compliment.)

I personally would still prefer a Volume Control over a mixer for this use though. It's very limiting if you need your mixer but can't use it b/c it's also your loudspeaker controller...

J

Cucco wrote: If you aren't looking at spending much money, I heartily recommend the NHT PVC - it's a passive volume control (hence: PVC) It runs about $100 and is well worth it.

Check out nhthifi.com

+/- 0.5 dB interchannel balance accuracy? not very good
hard to say about the taper

You can roll your own with a killer Shallco switch and great resistors for less that will beat the NHT, hands-down. Get a 32 (not 24) position switch.

this sort of stuff lends it's self to this job
http://electronics.dantimax.dk/Kits/index.html
I have a couple of Mikkel's latest boards and he is letting me make a few suggestions

I hope it will end with a system that makes a lot of sense to DAW people and might be able to expand to surround monitoring
... it will end up at the DIY Factory in the future.

outside of that

http://www.studio-tech.com/

http://www.colemanaudio.com/

http://www.tfpro.com/products/info/27.php

http://www.presonus.com/centralstation.html

http://

what does the interchannel balance accuracy mean?

If the channels are out of balance, it can lead to image shifting L to R.