Passive monitor controller alternative (just volume adjustment)

[mireiner]

Hi,

for my small home studio with Windows 11 PC and RME Firewire UCX audio interface I just ordered my first active studio monitors (Neumann KH 120 II).

Now I'm searching for a solution to control the volume of the active speakers. (Don't need other functionalities like switching to another pair of monitors, mute, dim ...). In my old setup I just used the volume knob of my HIFI amplifier which was connected to passive speakers.

I was thinking about a simple monitor controller like the "Mackie Big Knob Passive" or similar devices: https://www.thomann.de/de/mackie_big_knob_passive.htm

But the needed space for the monitor controller on my desk as well as the additional cables, which might cause minimal losses in signal quality, the same applies even more to the potentiometer (sooner or later possible dropouts, shifts in stereo position, etc.), make me doubt whether this is the ideal solution?

For example, why not simply control the volume using the media keys on my computer keyboard?

Can somebody recommend a better solution? For example, will something like this work to control the output volume of my RME Fireface UCX?
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Nobsound-Con ... 5TKRS?th=1

Regards,
Bernd

[BertKoor]

Alternatives to Mackie Big Knob? SM-Pro had the Nano Patch, but I think that company ceased to exist.

On my FocusRite audio interface I have a monitoring volume knob. I see the RME Fireface UCX II has a knob. Can that be used to do just this?

Most producers also have a small mixer with master volume fader. You could perhaps even make the midi messages of your midi keyboard control DAW volume.

MultiMedia volume controllers like what you linked to may work if you use Windows Audio (WDM, MME, WASAPI etc)

DAWs however completely bypass the Windows Audio system if they use an ASIO driver. So the multimedia buttons on your keyboard as well have no influence over the volume.

Side information: cable length and adapters don't do anything significant to audio quality. I've once tried to measure any difference between one cable of 1m and two 6m cables combined with various adapters, and found no difference at all.

[mireiner]

DAWs however completely bypass the Windows Audio system if they use an ASIO driver. So the multimedia buttons on your keyboard as well have no influence over the volume.

Oh yes - I use ASIO drivers and your right the media keys on my pc keyboard doesn't work for applications which use ASIO like my DAW etc...

Side information: cable length and adapters don't do anything significant to audio quality. I've once tried to measure any difference between one cable of 1m and two 6m cables combined with various adapters, and found no difference at all.

That might be correct, but if you read user comments of various basic monitor controllers at Thomann, many complain about the quality of the inbuilt potentiometers, which sooner or later might cause dropouts, scratches, or impact the stereo position at some potentiometer positions.
That doesn't sound very reliable. I would like to avoid these problems.

I see the RME Fireface UCX II has a knob. Can that be used to do just this?

Yes it does work, but not for daily use, because it's a multi function knob that switches always back to its main function that controls headphone output, if I remember correctly. There is an expensive RME controller for that purpose:
https://www.rme-audio.de/de_arc-usb.html
But if I switch to another audio interface brand someday, this controller will be useless. And it's said because of its digital nature it reduces the audio quality if you use it as monitor volume control (bit depth, dynamic reduction...):
https://gearspace.com/board/music-compu ... t-get.html

[mireiner]

If Ginger Audio GroundControl Room software might work to control ASIO output?
https://gingeraudio.com/groundcontrol-room/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDCfWfpjnlw

Mac only

[uOpt]

I have a mixer between my computer(s) and the monitors.

But that might run into space issues if you only have one desktop.

[mireiner]

If you carefully read all reviews of monitor controllers at Thomann than there's only one without main complaints and that is the Heritage Audio Baby which costs 198 € !!
https://www.thomann.de/en/heritage_audio_baby_ram.htm

[jupiter8]

https://www.rme-audio.de/arc-usb.html

[xalama qo]

There's the very basic Behringer MONITOR1 at about 2/3rds the price of the small Mackie. It just has mono and mute buttons.
Very compact.
Might be a more "disposable" option if it starts giving you problems, or maybe you'd be more willing to let someone look at upgrading the pot too? Not a bad looking little box if you don't hate Behringer
Sorry couldn't access the thomann site for a link from my location.

[xalama qo]

https://www.behringer.com/product.html?modelCode=P0C9G

[BertKoor]

https://www.behringer.com/product.html?modelCode=P0C9G

If you carefully read the review at Thomann there's one person dissing all passive attenuators so if you go by that then that leaves hardly any choice than to abandon the idea completely.

[xalama qo]

I can't get onto the Thomann site from my location for some reason today.
But do you mean abandon the Behringer idea, or the Mackies and every other passive volume controller out there?
Seems like a drastic move based on one person's opinion. Why does he trash the passive attenuator as a concept?

[BertKoor]

Looks and feels solid, but the sound disappoints
★★☆☆☆ Kasper Drazewski 04.06.2021

I wanted to use the Monitor1 volume control as a safety between my Audient ID44 interface and IK MTM monitors, using Mogami 2534 cables. Its simplicity was quite promising and I tried it for almost a month until I finally gave up.

The good: It's a well built, pleasant looking device with a good feel to the enclosure, buttons and the volume knob. It does not come with any bells and whistles and makes a good down-to-earth impression.

The bad: Passive attenuators should be used at or near full volume, otherwise they will impact the sound signature. However, this one is quite disappointing in the entire volume range.
First, you lose quite a lot of sound resolution with this device. It has poor channel separation and the soundstage becomes small and flat, particularly at low volumes.
Second, as is common for passive attenuators, the tonal balance changes with the position of the volume knob. However, here I found no position that would sound good: as you turn the volume up, you get from quite dark to bright-ish but with an unpleasant sharpness in the highs. It can sound fine with some recordings, but the minute you bypass it in your audio chain, you will see how much it has taken away.

Ultimately it was replaced with an SPL Volume2 and although by no means transparent, it preserves most of the imaging and its colouring, although noticeable, is much less invasive.

If as much items were sold of that Heritage Audio Baby RAM as this one, you'd eventually get a review posted just like this...

[mireiner]

https://www.behringer.com/product.html?modelCode=P0C9G

Totally overlooked this one. Judging from the reviews, it seems to be reliable

[mireiner]

https://www.rme-audio.de/arc-usb.html

Because I found no other affordable reliable solution, I have now ordered the RME ARC USB

One of the big practical advantages is that the device works with just a single USB cable, which makes the placement on my desk a lot easier.

In comparison, a passive analog monitor controller is connected to at least 4 thick audio cables, which will look far less elegant on a desk.

I was irritated when I read using this device for volume attenuation of studio monitors can lead to bit reduction: https://gearspace.com/board/music-compu ... t-get.html

So if I understand this forum post correctly and other articles I read about volume control, is volume attenuation technically not an easy task and both analog and digital solutions have their pros and cons one should be aware of.

[BertKoor]

https://www.behringer.com/product.html?modelCode=P0C9G

Totally overlooked this one. Judging from the reviews, it seems to be reliable

And here I thought you had read the two-star only review I quoted of it, and thus it was included in the "none without reported issues" list...

Regarding the ARC controller:

And it's said because of its digital nature it reduces the audio quality if you use it as monitor volume control (bit depth, dynamic reduction...)

Yeah... bit depth and dynamic range.

Lets do some simple calculations...

As I understand,
your interface has DA converters with a dynamical range of 114dB.

It is recommended for prolongued listening to have the volume set to 85 dB SPL. With ca 20 dB headroom needed to account for peak versus average RMS level, you then have peaks at ca 105 dB.

Now suppose you'd occasionally want/like to listen at "club" levels of 100 dB SPL which is 15 dB higher. So peaks might be at 120 dB. So the noise floor of your converters is then at 6 dB SPL.

Perhaps your monitors produce more noise by themselves, perhaps not. Perhaps sound from outside your studio masks it, perhaps not. You might notice, you might not. It's twice as loud as complete silence.

For perspective: vinyl and analog tape had a dynamical range of 70 or 80 dB. Played at club levels, the background noise would be at 60 dB SPL.