Active Speakers Hook Up question

[stereoman]

Hello guys,

this is going a bit strange and funny because I am not able to find a quick answer to this question. Have been trying to google it up today and to no avail. On YT the presenting videos also are very poor explained. So...

How are Active Speakers ( both for recording studios and Hi Fi ) volume controlled ? I mean on many high end monitor speakers' rear baffles there are no volume controls at all. On some cheaper ones there is a knob for volume. For example, how do you operate Focal Solo 6 Be as far as volume is concerned ? I mean are active speakers on full volume when switched on and then the input is always controlled by volume mixer between them and the source ? What about Hi Fi active speakers ? Sorry, in these studio things I'm no profi so thanks in advance.

 

[Vladimir]

Preamps, audio interfaces, DACs, studio mixers, or passive volume attenuation (Emotiva Control Freak, JBL Nano Patch Plus).

 

[luckylion100]

of volume control in my sysyem. The speakers themselves accessable via their remote, Minidsp via app/remote/ laptop if connected and via Oppo HA-1 as preamp which is my preferred choice with physical volume dial. Setting up was a pain, lots of tweaking required to get right levels.

 

[stereoman]

Thanks all for the answers. Still pls explain. The ones without no volume knobs etc. there are on full power/volume right after being swtiched on , right ? Only the input to them starts from being quiet. So speakers that are 200W are at their peaks straight after they are switched on ? Do I get it correctly ?

 

[Vladimir]

Everyone likes to think of turning the volume knob like adding gas with a foot peddal. Actually it works like a valve. When you turn volume potentiometer up you are lowering resistance - opening the valve.

 

[stereoman]

Everyone likes to think of turning the volume knob like adding gas with a foot peddal. Actually it works like a valve. When you turn volume potentiometer up you are lowering resistance - opening the valve.

Ok. Got it.

 

[steve_1979]

Yes the amplifiers in most active speakers are always at 100% volume and need an external pre-amp of some kind to stop the sound from blasting out at full power. The exceptions are the ones that have a volume knob or remote controlled volume built in which are really still the same but they just have a pre-amp built in rather than using an external one. The power amp section is still always at 100% output.

It's actually the same with a passive speaker amplifiers too. The power amp section is always amplifiying everything to 100% max volume, it's only the pre-amp section that holds it back from playing too loud.

 

[stereoman]

Yes the amplifiers in most active speakers are always at 100% volume and need an external pre-amp of some kind to stop the sound from blasting out at full power. The exceptions are the ones that have a volume knob or remote controlled volume built in which are really still the same but they just have a pre-amp built in rather than using an external one. The power amp section is still always at 100% output.

It's actually the same with a passive speaker amplifiers too. The power amp section is always amplifiying everything to 100% max volume, it's only the pre-amp section that holds it back from playing too loud.

Thanks Steve for the good explanation.This is exactly what I was thinking about but was not sure, now I totally get it. Great

 

[Vladimir]

Yes the amplifiers in most active speakers are always at 100% volume and need an external pre-amp of some kind to stop the sound from blasting out at full power. The exceptions are the ones that have a volume knob or remote controlled volume built in which are really still the same but they just have a pre-amp built in rather than using an external one. The power amp section is still always at 100% output.

It's actually the same with a passive speaker amplifiers too. The power amp section is always amplifiying everything to 100% max volume, it's only the pre-amp section that holds it back from playing too loud.

Since variable gain stages are rare even the preamp is blasting at 100%. Potentiometers provide the passive control for this purpose.