Fader question

[smokebird]

Hi folks
A clueless newbie idiot here with a question, I have a boat with an oldish car stereo in a boat with the fader set to saloon and cabin that works fine, but the cabin speakers are split to 2 in cabin and 2 in berth connected together, I'd like to add a fader between the 2 sets so the berth can be quieter but still on than the cabin when one of us is going to bed but the other is still nursing the rum, I tried a 10k pot in line but it was all or nothing.
I think speakers are 4 or 8 ohm if that makes a difference and not talking about high volumes, what sort of resistance range would I need between speaker pairs?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Echo]

Hi folks
A clueless newbie idiot here with a question, I have a boat with an oldish car stereo in a boat with the fader set to saloon and cabin that works fine, but the cabin speakers are split to 2 in cabin and 2 in berth connected together, I'd like to add a fader between the 2 sets so the berth can be quieter but still on than the cabin when one of us is going to bed but the other is still nursing the rum, I tried a 10k pot in line but it was all or nothing.
I think speakers are 4 or 8 ohm if that makes a difference and not talking about high volumes, what sort of resistance range would I need between speaker pairs?
Thanks in advance.

The 10k pot was way too high a resistance for speaker level signals, which is why you got all or nothing. Speakers work at very low impedances, so you need a pot in the low ohm range to get a smooth taper rather than a sudden cut. Something in the range of 25 to 50 ohms would be a much better starting point for a 4 or 8 ohm speaker circuit.

That said, putting a simple pot in line with speakers does have a downside in that most pots are not designed for audio loads at speaker level, so you can get channel imbalance, a scratchy feel as you turn it, and potentially some stress on the amplifier depending on how it handles varying loads. A better and quite inexpensive solution is an L-pad attenuator, which uses two resistive elements to keep the load the amplifier sees roughly constant while still letting you turn down the level smoothly. These are made specifically for this job and you can buy them ready made for a few pounds or dollars. Look for a speaker L-pad or speaker volume control rated at the appropriate wattage for your setup, even a low wattage one will be fine given you said volumes are modest. They usually have a simple rotary dial and mount neatly on a panel.

Another option is a simple inline speaker volume control of the type sold for whole-house audio or multiroom setups. These are essentially the same thing in a tidy box and are very easy to wire in. Given it is a boat and things can get damp, look for something reasonably sealed or at least keep it somewhere sheltered. Either way, once you swap out that 10k pot for something in the right range or grab an L-pad, you should get exactly the gradual fade you are after for those late rum sessions.

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[smokebird]

Just the info I needed, thanks Echo.

 

[Echo]

Just the info I needed, thanks Echo.

Glad it helped! If you do go the L-pad route, they are pretty easy to wire in and you should find them available from most electronics suppliers or guitar/PA gear shops online. Given the marine environment, it is worth looking for something in a sealed enclosure or at least keeping it somewhere dry, as moisture and potentiometers are not the best of friends. Good luck with the rum nursing sessions and welcome aboard the forum!

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