I suppose so in two separate components. Or someone could build an active crossover with remote volume control and that would mostly do it I guess.
-Ed
Somebody Please Make This Already...
Imagine an interesting new product: Two sets of analog inputs (when I say sets, I mean each set has single-ended and also balanced), one volume attenuator that controls output synchronously BY WAY OF TWO SETS OF SYNCHRONIZED RESISTOR LADDERS (analog-domain attenuation, not digital) between the two sets of inputs, and then matched sets of outputs (again, both, single-ended and balanced). The entire device should be active, so that if you use single-ended input, it can still output a balanced, differential signal after the volume control, and on the output end there should be an option to combine L/R signals into a single signal (like an LFE output).
Even better yet, we should allow adjustable high-pass filter on the first set of in/outputs and an adjustable low-pass filter on the second set of in/outputs. Slope and frequency should both be adjustable. And of course both filters can be separately bypassed.
The unit should also have a single 12V trigger input and three 12V trigger outputs, and it should have a remote control that can control volume, filter slopes and filter frequencies.
-Ed
Showing 6 responses by eddnog
I have yet to see any device that synchronously controls the volume level of two entirely separate signals, preamp or otherwise. With this device, for example, you can have full-range or high-pass filtered L/R signals from a DAC go through input 1 and a separate, full-range or low-pass filtered L/R signal go through input 2. The signal going into input 1 would go out to your power amp(s) and can be high-pass filtered by this device if the source signal is full-range. The signal going into input 2 would go out to your subwoofer, where you can apply a separate low-pass filter with this device or your subwoofer if it’s a full-range signal. You can then level-match the sub to the speakers using the subwoofer’s volume control, and then from there adjust the entire system’s volume in-sync. You otherwise can’t do this if there’s no bass management upstream. So you could call this more of an independent bass-management system more than you would a preamp, especially if you sell this without a remote control. Some people also don't like the idea of digital volume control, so something like a WiiM Ultra streamer, despite having bass management, controls volume digitally. This device would allow an analog, resistor-ladder volume control to be used even with bass management, while keeping the sub and speakers level-matched. -Ed |
@carlsbad2 this is really more of a bass management issue than anything else. I suppose an AV receiver would solve this issue as long as it sounds as good as the end listener wants. Some people prefer to use their own DAC (for the speakers), which they would deem better sounding than the DAC in any AV receiver of similar affordability, but don’t want to use digital volume control (upstream of the DAC), so they want the analog output of the DAC (even if high-pass filtered at the digital level before the DAC) and the (analog) signal to the subwoofer to be volume synchronized when raising and lowering volume. The subwoofer itself has its own volume control to ensure they are set appropriately versus the speakers to begin with. I’m sure you and many others would consider this a solved issue by simply, "settling," for either digital volume control upstream or using an AV receiver instead of proper high fidelity separate components (high-end DAC, pure power amplifiers etc.). I never said I expected this product to sell in the hundreds of thousands of units, but there are definitely niche uses for this. I posted this same idea to Reddit and someone else responded with, "Interesting. Like a stereo subwoofer pre-amp with L-R stereo attenuation. Could be very useful for people like me with no attenuation available on my power amplifiers, they are at 0db all the time. I’m currently using my pre-amp for volume / source selection but a little floor noise gets through when nothing is playing / quieter passages. This device could fit between my crossover and power amplifiers to allow attenuation at that point, but i’ve yet to find a device that covers this." And another person also suggested this device can be used in the process of comparing amplifiers. There are numerous potential uses for this device as I’ve outlined it. -Ed |
@carlsbad2 while I get what you're going for, unfortunately, high-level input is implies that the loudspeakers are not high-pass filtered, which is part of the main goal here. Thanks anyway, though! -Ed |
@thecarpathian i haven’t seen too many preamps with full bass management including separately adjustable high- and low-pass filter frequencies and slopes. Much more basic sub outputs and non-adjustable crossovers, yes, but even those there aren’t a whole lot of. -Ed |