2. misc-audio
  3. 137413-116832

What is this odd little box I've been storing for years?

I received this switch/pot a few years ago with a used preamp and have never been able to identify it. When I asked the seller he said he didn't know either, he just thought it was part of the preamp (it's not). I wish I could post a picture here - but it's about a 3.5"black cube, with an older brown AC cord, an on/off rocker switch, fuse holder and small attenuator pot on the front. I though it might be a wireless remote switch for a turntable, but can't find any similar images online. Any ventured guesses would greatly helpful
Glenn 
gwbeers

Showing 3 responses by almarg

almarg's avatar
almarg
9,670 posts
 
I think SOTA called that an "electronic flywheel."  But surely it must have an output connector somewhere on it, as well as the AC cord?

Regards,
-- Al 
almarg's avatar
almarg
9,670 posts
 
The shaft of the pot only turns 180 degrees. Inside there’s a transformer (EWC31004GO5), the base of the cylindrical fuse holder, the rear of the pot is a rheostat with a black resistor inline to the transformer....

The only thing I can think of at this point is that it might be a piece of test equipment, perhaps for the purpose of applying a variable load to the output of AC power supplies of some sort. The fact that the device does not provide an output would seem to rule out any other possibility I can think of.

Regards,
-- Al
almarg's avatar
almarg
9,670 posts
 
Might it be a timer of some sort? Perhaps when the knob is turned up to some setting and the device is turned on a motor drive causes the "attenuator pot" to work its way down to its minimum position, at which time a sound is emitted.

Are there any slots or other openings through which a sound could be emitted? Also, would it be practical to open the device and look inside?

Regards,
-- Al 
More to discover