Sound volume of active monitors

[Infernal_Death]

Hi all

Ok this could be a bit offtopic but i guess this is the best place as it could also lead to something to diy :green:
Since some weeks i am the (quite proud) owner of a pair of Adam P33A active studio monitors. They are really amazing, so much better than my previous speakers. But one thing is bothering me a bit.
They are freaking loud. They have a backpanel where i can adjust the sensivity from -10 to +10db. After turning both speakers down to -10db they are still loud as hell. I need to turn down my signals in cubase to around -25db to listen to my material (before i had them on 0db and it was no way as loud as it's now even with -25db). Still i am wondering if it's normal that active loudspeakers in this range are that loud. ?
Now just for the records i am a guitar player in a metal band so i wouldn't say that i am too sensitive about loud music :green:
I really can't imagine people having bigger monitors. Is there a trick i don't know ? Is it common with such monitors to use attenuators in front of them? I am feeding them directly from my audio interface.
Really if the double bass hits in, my whole desk is shaking :shock:

Any tips on this ? I have to say i never was in a big studio where they work with really big monitors. I mean it's easy with passive monitors because you can adjust the level on the poweramp but with active monitors like the P33A you really can't adjust much.

Flo

 

[TomWaterman]

Hi Flo!

I think you will need to get an attenuator in front of them - nice little DIY project there.

Some active monitors have full control over their amps, but most have trims like you have. You most definitely need to have a level control between your DAC and the ADAMs.

Are you running them balanced in or unbal?

BTW what heppened to your Sontec EQ with Melcors???

Cheers Tom

 

[Ethan]

Yeah, I just built a rotary switch attenuator into a 1U for just this purpose between my Digi 192 I/O to my monitors. It's gotta be four pole for balanced though :shock: which is somewhat tought to find.

 

[NewYorkDave]

Triode Electronics sells a 4-pole, 23-position MBB rotary for a pretty decent price (and it's on sale right now, too, for $10 off the regular price).

http://store.yahoo.com/triodeel/4pol24posals.html

 

[Mark Burnley]

Hi Flo,

It's assumed that the active monitors will be used with some sort of "Control Room" section- obviously most desks have control over monitor switching/monitor dim/monitor level etc. But working from a DAW there are probably no "hardware" level controls. Use a good quality pot, or attenuator- or even knock together a nice DIY Master/Control Room box with switching for 2-track returns, monitor dim, level control etc....

Lets hope the neighbours are cool... :wink:

Mark

 

[Kev]

YES !!
this has been on my list of things to do since before Tech Talk and way back when I frequented the DUC.

I have made a few units for clients and they are all different. That's the trouble. Finding common ground to warrant putting in the effort to a project.

I am still convinced it need to be modular and rack mounted with a remote control. Why bring those leads up to the work desk ??
Some want it to expand to surround monitoring ... ouch.
Some want it all passive !!!
Some are OK with VCA's

Most want a talk back section even if they don't know it yet.
I have the talk back section already completed and web ready.

A remote controlled PIC relay box set up as a passive attenuator looks like a winner.

more later.

 

[Category 5]

I just ordered a Presonus Central Station for this purpose...all that and AKM DA converter feeding Burr Brown Op-Amps too.

Of course, the talkback section is f*cked. It automatically dims the program material without allowing you to change that. I use talkback to cue the artist sometimes, and even to cue harmony notes, so having the program dim in these situations is less than ideal. I guess I'll have to pop the top and see what can be tinkered with!

Shane

 

[lanxe]

i have been searching for a monitor controller to diy....but have had little luck. i have seen (and collected info) a few ideas, but havent had much luck past those ideas.

does anybody have any schematics, plans, ideas or want to share in detail their controller box construction?

thanks guys,

Ryan

 

[Kev]

[quote author="Category 5"] It automatically dims the program material without allowing you to change that. [/quote]

Dim is cool but it must have a user level adjust.
I like 3 to 6 dB depending on artist and type of session.
Some like a full cut ??

 

[Infernal_Death]

First thanks for all the answers. Seems like i need control room section.

Kev your project sounds very cool. A rack mounted unit with a remote control seems to be the way to go. The Presonus Central station is too much money for me and i also want to diy one :green:
I guess surround sound would be overkill but what do i know ?

Anyway this is really interesting :thumb:

TomWaterman, the Sontec EQ is on the shelf right now. After building the unit i did some basic testing (which i posted) and it became clear to me that the unit still needs much work. I guess it really needs shielding bad. It was quite noisy and also oscillated.
Right now i don't have the time and also i think right now it's a bit over my head. I still need to learn more. In addition it's not that i need this EQ right now. Those are the reasons why it's on hold. I definitely will return to this but not anytime soon and i hope that when i return to this project some other members (Jaakko for example) will have finished it.

Flo

 

[Emperor-TK]

NHT sells a very reasonably priced passive attenuator ($99 USD).

http://www.nhtpro.com/2004/products/product_detail.asp?ProductLineID=1&ProductID=6

-Chris

 

[strangeandbouncy]

Dear InfernalDeath,

I hate to be TACKY, but Samson do a half-rack control-room-centr-section for peanuts. - v v simple - vv cheep. not exactly esoteric, but v v practical. When i tried it, it sounded fine for £100(ish)! Buy one of these, and persue something more cool/ diy/ homemade/ class A/ passive/whatever, at your leisure. you will end up with something tailor-made, which is BOUND to sound better 'cos you made it yourself. in the meantime, you can route any source/ not destroy your monitors etc.

Blah Blah Blah . . .

Bis Dann!


Andy P

 

[NewYorkDave]

RE: The NHT gadget, a hundred bucks for a volume control in a box?

Sheesh...

And there's another guy out there who sells a box of resistors (a "passive summing unit") for something like $800.

Looks like there's a lot of money to be made off DAW users...

 

[mcs]

[quote author="Kev"]A remote controlled PIC relay box set up as a passive attenuator looks like a winner.[/quote]
Have you seen all the posts I have made on this subject?

You can see my completed "product" here: http://electronics.dantimax.dk/Kits/11021337032.html

That one has IR remote - you can get wired remote if that's what you want. I'm working on a PGA2310-based version also to make Rochey happy :grin:

I have posted the schematic of the relay board here more than once... Making a balanced version is no problem either.

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[strangeandbouncy]

NewYorkDave,


I agree that £100 is a lot for a "volume knob". I was merely offering a practical solution that allows immediate results. Any "proper" resolution requires time! As I said, it would allow the chance to develop exactly what you want whilst continuing WORKING. A fact that is more important in most cases . . . .



Andy P

 

[NewYorkDave]

Andy, I wasn't talking about your suggestion. I was talking about the NHT attenuator, mentioned earlier in the thread, which is literally a volume control and some jacks in a box.

I guess a hundred bucks for a pot-in-a-box might be worthwhile to someone who doesn't like to solder, but that's not the kind of crowd we are, right? :wink:

 

[strangeandbouncy]

TEE HEE!

oops, I was just trying to be practical. IMO far too many people stop themselves from actually "making" music 'cos they don't have a . . . . .whatever. it's a personal stalking horse of mine!


All the best,


Andy P

 

[Kev]

[quote author="mcs"]Have you seen all the posts I have made on this subject?[/quote]
yes
and the stepped relay thread (I think it was called that)

PIC's and programming aren't everyone's cup of tea.
How to keep all happy is the problem.
Balanced, Unbalanced, -10, +4 ... add the DIM/Cut/Mono/Left/Right etc ... needs a little programming.
Easy for you.

It's all a very good idea though.
A modular product waiting to happen.

 

[mcs]

[quote author="Kev"]It's all a very good idea though.
A modular product waiting to happen.[/quote]
Just tell me what "modules" you want and I'll do the programming... :grin:

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[Emperor-TK]

RE: The NHT gadget, a hundred bucks for a volume control in a box?

I figure that $100 is not too bad. Wouldn't it cost about $50 to build one of these, by the time you get the 4 pole switch and load it with precision resistors, get a case and four jacks? A $50 markup isn't too bad IMHO if you want a quick fix. I agree 100% on the $800 summing box though. :grin:

-Chris