Volume

[ciphergoth]

Between the MP3 file and the speakers there are no fewer than seven different volume controls. One is on the MP3 application itself. Two in the Linux kernel, "master" and "PCM". Then it comes out of the sound card and into Kitty's mixer, where it goes past a "gain" dial, a level slider and a crossfader. Finally the amplifier which feeds the speakers has a standard issue dial on the front.

Many of them don't like being right at the top; you have to push them up until it sounds nasty. I get that "all life is misdesigned" feeling.

I have a note in my brain to quote purplerabbits as saying "You wouldn't want an off-centre badger spinning mechanism!". I have no idea why now, but anyway, there's an item off my TODO list.

Comments

[zotz]

The gain and volume controls have to cope with the fact that there are likely to be a variety of input levels. If you allow enough leeway to play a quiet input at reasonable volume, then you allow the amplifiers to be overdriven from a high input level. I don't think there's any way around it.

The multiplicity of gain and volume controls in that particular system, meanwhile, comes from the fact that the signal's running (for convenience) through more components than it strictly needs to. There's no reason (in principle) why the line out from the computer couldn't go straight to a power amp, apart from that you'd do a lot of plugging and unplugging to use another source. That would cut the number to three.

[gnomatron.livejournal.com]

You could use an amp with multiple inputs and a switch, like I do. That'd cut out the mixer, and is well within the capability of most decent amps. Mine is a fairly cheap one from Richer Sounds - ~100 quid - and has 5 inputs, not all of which are useful, but it does the job.

[zotz]

I think (as I recall, anyway) they already are - the mixer's there to provide more flexible volume controls rather than just more inputs.

[keirf.livejournal.com]

My home recording setup has six stages where you can (often inadvertantly) mute the system: mike switch, mixer switchboard in and out, PC soundcard, and two in Cubase. It's very annoying.

[selectnone.livejournal.com]

You could also add the volume at which the MP3s are encoded, and whether you have your fingers in yours ears in the next room... or not

[ciphergoth.livejournal.com]

Given that I've tweaked the first with mp3gain, it's a legitimate addition to the list...

[purplerabbits.livejournal.com]

Well, you wouldn't, would you? I mean there'd be angry badgers being flung off at all angles...

[ex-meta.livejournal.com]

I've noticed that about PC sound cards too. The ThinkPad volume control will go up to a level where the sound is horribly distorted. What were they thinking?

(Probably "PC users don't care about quality, let alone sound quality".)

[vampwillow]

When I used to teach Sound Engineering (for Live Music, Theatre, Recording and Radio!) I used to recommend that people started at around the 70% mark on each fader. Strictly speaking all faders at full should be fine so long as the original signal doesn't over-mod (which for an MP3 or WAV means getting hard limited at 100%) but each stage can raise the level again so can over-mod the imput of the next stage. Thus best value - given that faders are logaritmic not linear - is around 1/sqr(2) ie. 70.7%, as this should give an output level roughly that of the input and hence not add distortion other than that introduced by the electronic components within that mixer/amp stage.
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