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AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> Autoformer Volume Control- Weak Link Elimination
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Message started by Ninja00151 on 10/11/16 at 05:32:38

Title: Autoformer Volume Control- Weak Link Elimination
Post by Ninja00151 on 10/11/16 at 05:32:38

Hello all! I'm a new member to this form and a new member to the Decware family. I have a SE84 UFO on order after drooling over them for over half a decade. I'm extremely excited!

Anyway, I'm personally a believer in that individual components (Capacitors, Inductors, Resistors) impart their sound in sum to any amplifier, pre-amp, ect. - some better, some worse. Fortunately most SET enthusiasts have the same realization and agree.

If you've ever DIY'ed or looked into amplifier design, it doesn't take too long to realize that potentiometers (most gain/volume controls) are in large, very weak links in the audio chain. Many have channel imbalance problems, and impart their own problems as they work by a resistive nature.

Many people try improving the weak link with another form of resistive control- the stepped attenuator. Again, these have their own issues and many end up buying many expensive resistors to try and minimize damage to the input signal.

Resistive volume controls attenuate the signal by turning excess input signal into heat! Here lies the problem- we are quite literally taking the electrical audio signal at it's most pristine and whole state, and applying a device to throw away information!

Surely their has to be a better way to control volume/ gain than throwing away information! Yesterday I came upon Autoformer Volume Control, which from my understanding does not throw away any information as a resistive device does; it varies inductance which essentially makes it easier or harder for the signal to flow through! Finally- no information lost!

Seeing Steve's newfound interest in designing and implementing the worlds greatest transformers on a SET amplifier- I'm sure design and implementation will be no issues.

TL;DR Version: Potentiometers and Stepped attenuators are resistive elements and throw away information- probably hurting audio quality in a large way- especially low level detail, because these are almost always used on the input signal before amplification. Autoformer Volume Control eliminates the need to "throw away" information.

I add that I have a wild prediction that using inductors on the input signal
possibly has the benefit of "smoothing" input from digital sources or digitally mastered vinyl. Much like the Decware Pill's but by the principal of energy storage with inductance, instead of capicantance. This lets us kill two birds with one stone! ;)

Title: Re: Autoformer Volume Control- Weak Link Elimination
Post by maddog07 on 10/11/16 at 16:55:43

roger this thought. I've had the same idea, and have been studying, researching autoformer volume controls lately. the Django TVC has caught my attention.
It would not surprise me to see something like this spring forth from the mind of Zenmaster Steve.

the Decware balanced to single-ended converter uses transformers to do the conversion and does control volumne/gain....

https://www.decware.com/newsite/ZBIT.html

I think it could essentially be used kind of like an autoformer volume control if you have a balanced source and a single-ended input only on your amplifier..... not 100% sure about the circuitry of the ZBIT though. Perhaps this thread will catch Steve's eye and he'll comment.

Title: Re: Autoformer Volume Control- Weak Link Elimination
Post by hdrider on 10/11/16 at 21:12:10

Ninja- welcome to the forum. Great to see/read another deep thinker on this site, there are some very experienced and bright people here. Let us know how your trip down the rabbit hole of Zen progresses. I am sure you comments on the volume control are valid (based on the basics I know about electronics) and would love to see the Zen Master chime in on this. Happy listening, Chris.