What type of volume control do you use?

**Kamehany** · 02-12-2005, 08:19 PM

I'm curious if anyone has ever run across speakers with their own L-Pad or volume control unit attached to the speaker.

**johntofva** · 02-22-2005, 10:06 PM

I guess I am cheap. I flip the switch to low and unplug one of the speakers.

John

**slotter** · 02-22-2005, 10:10 PM

That can damage the amplifier (unplugging the speakers). :-(

**d mowery** · 02-22-2005, 10:28 PM

Got one that had all three attached to the speakers , Now they lie on the work bench , took the buggers off ,needed more sound from the Fever Queen

**johntofva** · 02-22-2005, 10:42 PM

You can damage the amp by unplugging a speaker? Hmmmm......how?
Don't want to damage anything.

Thanks,

John

**Tulsa** · 02-22-2005, 11:59 PM

You can damage the amp by unplugging a speaker? Hmmmm......how?

By unplugging them! :wink:

**johntofva** · 02-23-2005, 03:18 AM

"By unplugging them! "

LOL Should have seen that coming! No really, it is like a stereo amp right.
My Yamaha has 12 speaker connections. I am only using 4 of them; so am I damaging my Yamaha by not using all 12 connections. I am just trying to understand the science of it. Speakers pull power right, so should it really harm it if it isn't plugged in. If this is a bad thing, I don't want to do it. SO PLEASE EXPLAIN, so I don't destroy something I enjoy.

Thanks,

John

**cwstnsko** · 02-23-2005, 03:31 AM

There is much speculation on here that the amp is designed to work with a certain impedance, and that changing the impedance (disconnecting speaker) might cause the amp problems.

As I come to understand the on-board volume controls more, I worry about this less and less. The Pioneer machine just adds resistors in series with the speaker to reduce volume

**Tulsa** · 02-23-2005, 07:03 AM

I don't think that anyone has ever peeled back the onion on this topic enough to say yea or nay on it. Never really bought into it myself though.

Better safe than sorry and still enjoy the machine as it was intended. Add the volume controls and hear all your speakers. Just unplugging one will reduce the overall volume, but you'll still have at least gone mono if not eliminated your mid-range or bass speaker. Volume controls are cheap and easy to do.

**gwarzin** · 02-23-2005, 08:56 AM

The vast majority of audio amplifiers (everyone I've ever seen) are stable with no load and will not have problems. However, it is POSSIBLE to have an amplifier that is NOT stable unless it has a specific load attached.

You are unlikely to run across an amplifier like this in any home audio equipment. Since the manufacture never knows what type of speakers you will be using, they make it as stable as possible under all loads.

However, I have no clue how the amps in pachislos are designed. If you were trying to make an amplifier as cheaply as possible, and figured you had total control over the speakers there is a remote chance you could end up with a design that would be unstable into a no load condition.

I'd say this is not likely.

My Dragon Dice arrived with the speakers disconnected because the original owner didn't know about things like L-pads. It ran that way for a couple of years before I received it. No sign of any damage.

**slotter** · 02-23-2005, 10:16 AM

My original posting about damaging above was based on past discussions, not on any personal experience. I think gwarzin nicely summarized what may or may not happen if they are unplugged. It probably won't hurt anything.

**luckydog** · 02-23-2005, 11:13 PM

radio shack has a package of miniature potentiometers and trimmers. part no. 271-1605 a dozen mixed for about 3.00

would something like this work on the speakers. they are very small like syscoms.

on my magic monkey i traced the wires down to the amplifer and installed both volume controls just before the amp.

it was much easier than trying to put them by the speakers. :lol: