Volume control knob --- cp or beside speakers?

[lisowskikevin]

Hey everyone, I just purchased a Griffin Powermate to be used as my volume control knob. My question is.....does anyone have any suggestions re whether I should install in on the control panel or beside the speakers of the arcade machine.

Or anywhere else for that matter.

Thanks for any advice!

[yotsuya]

Hidden behind the coin door.

[thomas_surles]

I put mine in between the speakers under my marquee.

[Fast351]

Hidden behind the coin door.

This!

[AzureKnight]

Does your CP overhang the sides of your cabinet?  I put mine coming out the side of the cabinet but hidden behind the CP.  You don't see it from the front or left side at all, but it is within very easy reach when needed.  I've only really had the thing running for a few weeks but I do find I change the volume a lot from game to game.

[BadMouth]

Hidden behind the coin door.

This!

I disagree.  There's too much variation game to game.  I adjust the volume constantly.

I'd recommend on top the cab or under the CP.
Somewhere it can't be seen, but is within reach for quick adjustments.
Might not look bad on the panel that the speakers are mounted in, depending on your cab.

[yotsuya]

Hidden behind the coin door.

This!

I disagree.  There's too much variation game to game.  I adjust the volume constantly.

I'd recommend on top the cab or under the CP.
Somewhere it can't be seen, but is within reach for quick adjustments.
Might not look bad on the panel that the speakers are mounted in, depending on your cab.

I have it behind the coin door so other people don't mess with it. 

[BadMouth]

I have it behind the coin door so other people don't mess with it. 

 

[yotsuya]

I have it behind the coin door so other people don't mess with it. 

 

I put an external volume control on my jukebox as a nod to my wife, who wanted to be able to turn it down, but what happens is people also want to try and play "Let's Blow Out The Speakers" as well. 

[johnrt]

I use The Force to control the volume.


If that doesn't work, I also have a volume knob inside the cab. (I don't have coin doors, so I just open the front- or back door).

[lisowskikevin]

Does your CP overhang the sides of your cabinet?  I put mine coming out the side of the cabinet but hidden behind the CP.  You don't see it from the front or left side at all, but it is within very easy reach when needed.  I've only really had the thing running for a few weeks but I do find I change the volume a lot from game to game.

Ya mine overhangs so I could definitely do it, I actually like the sea the more I think about it.

Thank you to everyone for their valued opinion. I am definitely going to avoid the temptation to put it on the control panel...it would be dumb to put it there in hindsight. YOU GUYS ROCK!

[DeLuSioNal29]

Pics of your cabinet may help too.  :-)

[pbj]

I find the variation in volume to be authentic but I know this forum is flush with those that never stepped foot in an arcade.

[ChanceKJ]

What's an "arcade"?

Here's what I did with my PowerMate, it's on the fron of my control panel, out in the open and I don't think its "dumb". 

[keilmillerjr]

If you set your computer volume to max and then adjust your amplifier to the loudest you want your cab, having an os volume adjustment for the end user is no big dea and is not dumb.

[yotsuya]

So the moral of the story is that everyone does it differently, so do whatever you want. 

[pbj]

So the moral of the story is that everyone does it differently, so do whatever you want. 

Go take your moral relativism elsewhere.

[yotsuya]

So the moral of the story is that everyone does it differently, so do whatever you want. 

Go take your moral relativism elsewhere.

Your momma wears combat boots.

[UFO]

Hidden behind the coin door.

+1 ... that's what I have done...

[lisowskikevin]

What's an "arcade"?

Here's what I did with my PowerMate, it's on the fron of my control panel, out in the open and I don't think its "dumb". 

haha sorry Dumb may not be the right word. Your setup is very clean looking. Nicely done.

[bulbousbeard]

I disagree.  There's too much variation game to game.  I adjust the volume constantly.

MAME has a volume arg that makes adjusting volume for MAME games pointless.

Set your volume to be correct for the most quiet game.

For the louder games, just setup your frontend to run with something like "mame.exe sf2 -volume -12," which will run it with -12dB attenuation. Problem solved. Every game is normalized, and you never have to adjust the volume.

Problems might come up with butt sucking programs that don't let you adjust the volume, but I think almost all of them do. Most native PC games have a volume setting, and most standalone emulators do, too. It can be set up perfectly.

[bulbousbeard]

I find the variation in volume to be authentic but I know this forum is flush with those that never stepped foot in an arcade.

And smelly, rude ---uvulas--- breathing down your throat while you play would be authentic, too, but it'd also be about as appealing as not having normalized sound volume. What's great about our options today is that we can get exactly what we've always wanted: all of the quality gaming with none of the STINK.

[DaOld Man]

I have used a hacked pair of computer speakers, using the amp's pot in it for the volume control.
I have unsoldered the pot and placed it away from the amp, but its best if you can leave it soldered to the amp.
I have mounted the knob on the control panel once. Didnt care much for that, cant remember why.
All the others have been mounted between the two speakers below the marquee.
The knob on computer speakers is small and not that noticeable, but I can see when the knob on a powermate might stick out like a sore thumb.

[michelevit]

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Multi-Touch-Touchpad/dp/B005DKZTMG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1422043060&sr=8-3&keywords=wireless+keyboard+and+mouse

this is the best option...

[AndyWarne]

Note that if you are using an I-PAC board you can program any controls for volume up/down.

So you can also use the shifted controls to avoid the need for any dedicated control, for example Start1/Player 2 UP for volume up and Start1/Player 2 DOWN for volume down.

[EMDB]

Note that if you are using an I-PAC board you can program any controls for volume up/down.

So you can also use the shifted controls to avoid the need for any dedicated control, for example Start1/Player 2 UP for volume up and Start1/Player 2 DOWN for volume down.

I use Shifted Joystick 1 up / down to control the volume...

[jasonbar]

Don't put it next to the coin door, filling the hole left by an old bill acceptor... Unless you want your 2-year-old to mess with it...