Volume control for floor monitor

Misty Mountain · #1 02-23-2013, 08:34 AM

I know I can build one, but does anyone know of a cheap outboard volume control that could be used to turn down a floor wedge? We only have two monitor sends from our board, so the singer/guitarist and drummer share a send, and the drummer wants less volume than the guitarist. Volume controls used to be pretty much standard, but I've noticed that most wedges now seem to forego them.

JazznFunk · #2 02-23-2013, 08:37 AM

Just do what I did and buy a powered speaker (12" or 15" - JBL/Behringer, etc) and take a send from the board with the mix you like. Then you have volume, bass and treble at your disposal for your wedge. I take mine on every gig, just in case.

Misty Mountain · #3 02-23-2013, 08:47 AM

Our drummer just purchased the two floor wedges, so a powered speaker isn't in the cards right now.

D1on · #4 02-23-2013, 08:57 AM

Upgrade your board/ tell the guitarist to turn down/ get ear plugs for the drummer.

Floyd Eye · #5 02-24-2013, 07:42 AM

Wow. A drummer wanting less volume? Usually people have problems with getting the drummer's monitors loud enough.

I used to share a mon channel with my guitarist/singer. He needed it so loud that it sheared my face off. I put my monitor further away and faced it in a different direction. I think you only have a few choices. Upgrade the console and add an amp, get a powered wedge or place the drummer's monitor somewhere further away from him. Or get the guitarist/singer an IEM.

Misty Mountain · #6 02-24-2013, 08:50 AM

I'd love to get another board, but with the very recent purchase of a bass, a new pre, and another power amp, I'm tapped out on gear purchases at the moment. Given the size of most places we play, placing the monitor further away is unlikely. I's love to go IEM, but the bands' finances are not there, and I'm not buying them for the other members! Yes, I know that a drummer wanting less volume is unusual, but my drummer actually understands dynamics and nuance, and is mostly wanting lead vocals in his wedge. I guess I'll just have to put an outboard potentiometer before his wedge to give him some control.

modulusman · #7 02-24-2013, 09:03 AM

As mentioned earlier have the drummer aim his wedge away from his ears. Either that or have the "hey look at me" guitar player buy his own powered monitor. The reason monitors don't have volume controls is because modern mixers have more monitor sends than they use to.

ggunn · #8 02-24-2013, 10:34 AM

If the connections are 1/4", you can get a power soak and put it in line with the monitor you want to have at a lower volume.

**eddododo** · #9 02-24-2013, 12:47 PM

read this

L-pads are about ten bucks

Keithwah · #10 02-24-2013, 03:45 PM

L-Pads will burn out soon enough. A power soak is more expensive than a used peavey CS-800 power amp or similar. If the drummer ants his monitor quieter, or the singer/guitarist wants to hear himself louder, one of those two will need to spend a $100-150 to buy a used amp to solve the issue.

Floyd Eye · #11 02-24-2013, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keithwah

L-Pads will burn out soon enough. A power soak is more expensive than a used peavey CS-800 power amp or similar. If the drummer ants his monitor quieter, or the singer/guitarist wants to hear himself louder, one of those two will need to spend a $100-150 to buy a used amp to solve the issue.

Without enough auxes on the board the amp is moot.

ggunn · #12 02-24-2013, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

Without enough auxes on the board the amp is moot.

Not really. If they are OK with the same mix you can send the same signal to two power amps.

The earlier poster may be right about L-pads burning out. They are generally built for home stereo applications where the power amps are usually a lot smaller.

I've seen used power soaks in pawn shops for $50.

Floyd Eye · #13 02-24-2013, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggunn

Not really. If they are OK with the same mix you can send the same signal to two power amps.

True enough.

45acp · #14 02-25-2013, 02:02 PM

We've been running an L-pad wired inline with the singer's moniter for almost 2 years and it's still going strong. I pulled it out of a big set of 80's model radio shack speakers. We play what i would call "average volume" on stage for a typical rock bar band. Ungodly loud if you like jazz... pretty quiet if you're a metal head.

Misty Mountain · #15 02-28-2013, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 45acp

We've been running an L-pad wired inline with the singer's moniter for almost 2 years and it's still going strong.

This is the route I'll take. Those two monitors are not run at very high volumes, only 250W of power to begin with, so I bet a L-pad with 1/4" in/out will work fine. And if it fails during a gig, he can just unplug it and do without the volume control.

**eddododo** · #16 02-28-2013, 10:03 PM

not to mention it easier to spend 30 bucks on 3 of them rather than get another powered monitor for such a simple reason

45acp · #17 03-01-2013, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misty Mountain

This is the route I'll take. Those two monitors are not run at very high volumes, only 250W of power to begin with, so I bet a L-pad with 1/4" in/out will work fine. And if it fails during a gig, he can just unplug it and do without the volume control.

Awesome idea on the 1/4" in and out. That would be a 5 second repair during a show if it failed.

Misty Mountain · #18 03-01-2013, 08:22 AM

Yeah, I'll just mount one in a little box that has enough room for the 1/4" in/out, attach a little velcro to the box, and stick it to his carpet covered monitor. All in about $30.

Steve Dallman · #19 03-01-2013, 11:31 AM

100 watt L pads are often used in monitors. I see old PV monitors every week that still have working L pads. Some go back to the late 70's and 80's.

Tuned · #20 03-06-2013, 06:55 AM

I generally just toss my hoodie on the wedge