multiple audio levels needed @ room speakers

[Racehorse]

strange request, most likely
BUT
I have hooked up 8 tv sets to my two dual 622s ... no need for help on any of those
EXCEPT
the one tv that I have dedicated for sat radio.... it functions fine as a tv but I'm only interested in the radio sat signal on it going into an amplifier

I'm sending the audio from that tv into an audio link that I have gpomg into six rooms via their own speakers ..... nothing to do with the sat system .. this is just audio from the amp being fed the signal by the single tv to the various rooms.

here is my problem ..

the different rooms need different levels of audio .. there is no way I can set an acceptable audio level at the amplifier into which the sat audio radio signal feeds ....
any advice on a volume control for each of the rooms?

I went to radio shack and purchased an audio control ... either it is a piece of junk or it is going to pose more of a problem than I envisioned ....

scratchy scratchy scratchy is what I get when I attempt to set the vol on the single set of speakers to which I hooked up and it is waaaaaaaay too sensitive to even come close to an easy volume adjustment ...... after much trial and error I can get it done on the one control I purchased, but it makes it too hard to change to another level when needed ...

any thoughts from the thread?

horse

 

[gdarwin]

You need something simular to this Speaker Volume Controls - HomeTech Solutions

 

[harshness]

More specifics of your magical "audio link" are needed.

The pads can create impedance matching problems if you're not careful.

 

[Racehorse]

what type specifics are needed ?

I have a Sansui amp with multiple inputs ... cd/phono/recorder/etc *(one of which I've wired output from a sat system tv with sat radio)
which outputs into six rooms NOW via hardwired remote speakers

 

[Racehorse]

thanks for the quick reply from both of you ... the VC300 is pretty much what I got at RS .... could be the output into the speakers is my problem due to legnth of wiring ... dunno ...
thanks for the help guys

 

[Racehorse]

OK ... the website with the VC300 has (for me) expensive contols ... that could be my problem with the cheapo RS control which was less than 5bucks ...
dang .. hate to spend that much money if I can do it cheaper ... LOL

 

[Racehorse]

I was told on another website that these lilttle el cheapo contols will work for my needs ... whatcha think? .... *(I've already bought them ...ggg) but I can take a hit.... Lot(4) Speaker Volume Control Audio MONO VAR Resistor - (eBay item 200181876619 end time Dec-07-07 13:08:12 PST)

 

[Racehorse]

Lot(4) Speaker Volume Control Audio MONO VAR Resistor - (eBay item 200181876619 end time Dec-07-07 13:08:12 PST)

 

[harshness]

which outputs into six rooms NOW via hardwired remote speakers

Please be specific about how you're connecting the speakers to the amplifier. If you're hooking them all across one set of speaker terminals, you may damage your amplifier. Unless you have a special amp, it probably doesn't like a load lower than 4 ohms. My guess is that you have it looking at 1.33 ohms.

 

[Racehorse]

I'm connecting the tv output into the tv input via RCA female slots --- twin cable r/bl leads --- red into right, bl into left.

The front of the Sansui has a dial selector for any/few/all.... speaker sets A, B, C, and D with theater, surround, hall and stereo selections on another dial ---- ALL the selections are available when speaker sets A or A and B are engaged .... ONLY stereo when all 4 sets are engaged.

At the rear the wire clips are available for each set of speakers ... one PAIR EACH (red/black) for speakers A, B, C, and D.
I've only installed ONE remote speaker volume control (the cheapo from RadioShack) onto speaker set C ..... it worked, but I was not happy with the scratchy and verrrrrry sensitive nature of the control ... btw, it was a slide control and I'm not a big fan of that kind of swithch.
As I posted above, I've ordered the set for four cheapos on eBay .. I'll see how they work.
The instructions for the RS slider had me interrupting only the RED side of the speaker lead wire ... wasn't too happy with that either.
My load *( used my Fluke multimeter) showed 7ohms at the most remote speaker set.
The system is working great ---- I just don't want it as loud in the office as in the kitchen, and a bit louder in the sun room.
I mirrored the two sets making six sets of speakers ..... sets A and B are hooked/mirrored with E and F. ... having no difficulty with lack of power to any speakers, even when all six set are being driven at normal volume.

any other specifics you would like?

 

[whatchel1]

More info

I'm connecting the tv output into the tv input via RCA female slots --- twin cable r/bl leads --- red into right, bl into left.

The front of the Sansui has a dial selector for any/few/all.... speaker sets A, B, C, and D with theater, surround, hall and stereo selections on another dial ---- ALL the selections are available when speaker sets A or A and B are engaged .... ONLY stereo when all 4 sets are engaged.

At the rear the wire clips are available for each set of speakers ... one PAIR EACH (red/black) for speakers A, B, C, and D.
I've only installed ONE remote speaker volume control (the cheapo from RadioShack) onto speaker set C ..... it worked, but I was not happy with the scratchy and verrrrrry sensitive nature of the control ... btw, it was a slide control and I'm not a big fan of that kind of swithch.
As I posted above, I've ordered the set for four cheapos on eBay .. I'll see how they work.
The instructions for the RS slider had me interrupting only the RED side of the speaker lead wire ... wasn't too happy with that either.
My load *( used my Fluke multimeter) showed 7ohms at the most remote speaker set.
The system is working great ---- I just don't want it as loud in the office as in the kitchen, and a bit louder in the sun room.
I mirrored the two sets making six sets of speakers ..... sets A and B are hooked/mirrored with E and F. ... having no difficulty with lack of power to any speakers, even when all six set are being driven at normal volume.

any other specifics you would like?

Need the Model of the Sansui. Are you going to stereo sets of speakers in how many rooms. Are you trying to run several different rooms at different volumes. What I'm afraid of is you have a unit that will handle only down to around 6 ohms per amp output. In which case you are going to be shortening the life of unit if you are driving say 2 sets of 8 ohm speakers in 2 rooms at the same time. since that would be a load of 4 ohms. Also what are the brand & model of the speakers that you are driving w/ the amp. A load as you have said of 7 ohms w/ a multimeter just means that is probably an 8 ohm speaker.

 

[Racehorse]

HEY .... thanks for all the great help ... always been impressed with this board for the vast amount of experience which is so freely given ... I've been a lurker for a goodly while .

Now ... the Sansui model is not available ... I had to strip the case/cover to get it to fit into the homemade cabinet unit which I have located in the pantry ... gggg

I've had a couple of units over the years in this location, all driving three or four sets of speakers..... lately I just decided to go to six sets.

Actually, I'm not really too concerned about the amp unit have a great deal of longevity ... heck, if I blow it up, I blow it up ...... during the twenty plus years I've been doing this (three amps) the most I've paid for a used amp has been fifty bucks....

ok... back to the at hand situation ...

used 14/2 romex for speaker leads in the walls when I built the house (I was my own gen contractor)25+ years ago.... ran the wire myself to eight rooms.

three speaker units are Bose 141, one unit is Bose 241, one is a humungous GREAT Sony and one Kensington. All speakers are fairly aged, but no difficulty .. matter of fact I just purchased a 141 set on ebay last evening ..... yeah, I know, not the best for bass but they WILL fill a room with pretty good sound overall.
The two big units (got them mounted waaaaay high on wall/ceiling in couple of rooms (400 -500 ft sq each) so that is the reason I don't recall their model numbers.

My main problem is that when I set the volume to fairly loud (conversation is limited for example) the volume in the smaller rooms via the Bose units is really waaaaay to loud for comfort. That is why I'm seeking to control their volumes at differing volumes.

to recap ... .I'm not worried about life of amp .... replacement for ME is cheap.... Bose stuff is fairly cheap for ME and I'm not worried about life span there either .. hey, couple of the Bose are getting ancient.

I realize that I'm most likely down around 4 ohms on the mirrored units, but I did have a preamp hooked up for a number of years with some older large Kensingtons and JBLs but as long as I'm content (not right now) with the same volume SIGNAL delivered to the remote areas the system is working for me.... I'd just like to EASILY and CHEAPLY control the volume to four of the six speaker sets .... also .. STEREO is NOT an issue ... heck, if I could help things by going MONO, that would be ok too.

To help my helpers help me I need to state that I wear hearing aids and therefore I'm not picky .. love music but age has taken a toll on my hearing unfortunately .... LOL

thanks again for the assistance from all.

horse

 

[harshness]

You gave me a real scare when you mentioned that you didn't like the idea of wiring the pads in series. Let's take a look at what happens if you try to wire it in parallel:

1. You reduce the impedance even more (DO NOT confuse resistance with the more comprehensive impedance which comes into play with frequencies above the 60Hz that you're familiar with).

2. At some point, if you adjust the pad all the way to the extreme, you're going to reduce your load to zero ohms and your amp will either blow a fuse (if it has one) or more likely fry (if it doesn't have a fuse). You're speakers are also in danger because if you drive to low of an impedance, your amplifier may clip more readily and send DC through them.

Suffice it to say that you're going to need to heed the warnings about wiring in the pads.

Just because you have lots of spare equipment around doesn't mean you should risk a fire.

If your amp is happy with 4 ohms, then putting a pad in series with any or all of the speakers should be fine.

 

[whatchel1]

Too many speakers

All of the speakers you have listed are 8 ohm units. So the MAX that the Sansui would be able to handle ever is 2 per channel. As far as volume controls go you need to get 8 ohm L-pads for them. 1 mono L-pad per speaker or a stereo L-Pad per room if you have 2 in it. Probably can find some on ebay. My guess from the description of the amp you have managed to get an old quad unit. In the very early days of multi-channel sound there were units that were called quadriphonic. Those had 4 discreet amps in them to drive 4 channels one in each corner. So you should be able to power all of your speaker with this amp if I'm correct. So now start looking for L-pads they are made to give less impedance problems. So good luck in getting things wired. By the way you are only supposed to interrupt the red side of the speaker anyway. The ground sides are combined on the ground point of the L-pad.

 

[Racehorse]

bit of a clarification on my part about the red line only interrupt ....
there was NO provision for ground side connection .. THAT was what I didn't care for ...
I actually think the guy at RS sold me some form of a line interrupt slider, not a volume control ... fwiw

and, I do suspect that the old Sansui is a quad .. as I said I had to strip the cabinet portion to make it fit into the case in the pantry ... and, I put two CPU cooler fans blowing across the chassis to aid in any cooling problems >>> NOT that I had on, just in case.
I've found that heat is a major cause of failure on a lot of electronic components.

the amp unit indeed does have old time fuses rather than circuit breaker or reset type power interrupts.

all the ideas and suggestions are very interesting and I appreciate them a whole lot

great board the Sat Guys have here

horse

 

[Racehorse]

one idea I've attempted to mull over in my feeble mind is to come up with .. I've most likely a couple in the storage room ... is to use a couple of preamps for the mirrored A and B sets of speakers.

were I to do that, I'd probably use four sets of Bose 141s.

another thing I have done in my home office room ... not currently hooked into the system under discussion here ... is I use an equalizer to compensate for my hearing loss in the high range.

should I get around to it, after I get this basic house wide system operating the way I wish, I'll most likely hook up an equallizer into it ... take it from me --- heariing aids are nice BUT the sounds it sends into my ear are very mechinical ... NOT like the ways my ears used to function .... LOL

I'm not bitching, I'm very pleased that I can hear as well as I can .... operated a business in a very loud environment for too long a time without protection.... OSHA wouldn't allow it now ... but, that is the way life is ...

thanks again for the replies