[Scott Dorsey]

PStamler wrote:
On Tuesday, June 5, 2018 at 6:48:08 PM UTC-5, wrote:
Scott Dorsey wrote: "And the level control on the amplifier, if it did have one, would be on
the _input_ side before the power amp stage."


Just a basic tech question Scott: When is the knob on
an amp an atttenuator, and when is it a volume control?
What you describe, above, sounds like a proper
attenuator, but I could be wrong. !

Hey Thekma, a volume control *is* an attenuator -- a variable one.

There are two ways you can change level: you can attenuate a signal, or
you can have an amplifier with adjustable gain (putting an attenuator in
the amplifier feedback loop).

For the most part, you'll find the first approach in any place where
there's a risk of overloading anything, or when you need to be able to
turn the level down to zero (like the faders on a console). Amp controls\
are like this.

You'll find the second approach when input overload isn't as big a worry
and where you are very concerned about S/N and want to keep the noise of
the amp stage down as low as possible (like the trims on a console).
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."