Russian switches are nice too, cheap
(ebay # 282566010360 for example)

Those are nice too. The one I linked to is even heavier duty and smoother if memory serves.

These make the Centralabs feel almost cheap by comparison.

found all values 

built a pad, used 220 ohms and 100 instead of 240 and 120, s/b about the same,

cuts signal from 1 volt to about 0.1 volts into a 600 ohm load,

so that looks like a minus 20 dB pad,

try a 100 mv signal input without the pad and see what happens,

60 dB gain without in/out pads means 1 volt in = 1000 volts out! is my math right?

if so, no wonder you have massive distortion.

35 dB gain with in/out pads means 1 volt in still gives 50 volts out,

no pads and 100 mv signal in still gives 100 volts out,


20 mv in at 60 dB gain will give 20 volts out,  (semi reasonable)

so this circuit has a ton of gain ,  if using input pad but no output pad, 60 dB minus 20 dB (pad) = 40 dB.

a 100 mv signal plus 40 dB amp = 10 volts,   so that machine wants an instrument level input even with the 20 dB pad.


why? maybe so they could plug a turntable into it at the radio station. 

here is the operating manual>

http://www.realoldiesradio.com/docs/StaLevel/Sta-Level_Manual.pdf



gain for pad or no pad on first page>

cool and a half!  time to open up your own studio,

where did you get the soldering iron tip cleaner?