Popular Post JohnSwenson Posted April 10, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted April 10, 2020 Hi Chris, I spent MANY years trying to find a volume control I really liked, pots, discrete resistors, active, passive but none of them seemed to get it just right, until I tried autoformer attenuators by Dave Slagle from Intact Audio. The ARE just the transformers, you have to add a box and connectors, but for me that is easy. Using the autoformer passives is VERY different than resistor based passive controls, you don't need the super short cables etc. In my main system my passive "preamp" cost about $500, the SlagleFormers, an aluminum box, some really good connectors and a switch for the two inputs. To me in my system this sounds better than anything else I have ever heard, no matter what the cost. Bent Audio used to sell a passive preamp using these autoformers that have balanced ins and outs, but now it is just on the used market. that Townsend one mentioned earlier looks like a promising one, but I have not heard it. It looks like it is well done. If I was in the market for buying a commercial one I might go for that one. I would highly recommend looking into autoformer based volume controls, to me they beat out anything else. John S. The Computer Audiophile, 4est and sphinxsix 2 1 Link to comment
Popular Post JohnSwenson Posted April 10, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted April 10, 2020 2 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said: Thanks John. Is the autoformer similar at all to what The Bespoke Audio Company is doing with its transformer design? https://www.thebespokeaudiocompany.com/our-product They don't say they use autoformers so I presume they are transformers. In general autoformers have wider frequency range and flatter frequency response, but are lot galvanically isolated. True transformers are galvanically isolated. As with anything a really good transforer can have better response than a so so autoformer, but a really good autoformer will propbably outperform a really good transformer. The autoformers are usually smaller and less expensive than a true transformer. John S. 4est and The Computer Audiophile 2 Link to comment
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