Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: emb on July 06, 2011, 12:42:25 pm

Title: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: emb on July 06, 2011, 12:42:25 pm
I plan on adding a volume control knob for a pair of PC speakers to my cabinet.

Does anyone know where I can find a volume control knob (adapter) that takes in a 3.5mm jack and sends out a 3.5 mm jack?

I could solder one up but figured why waste the effort if there is one already out on the market.
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: syph007 on July 06, 2011, 12:45:03 pm
replied in your delere me thread, before i noticed it was in wrong forum.

Reposted here

This post helped me make one.  I just bought the pot and a 3.5 extension, and located the pot in the middle, then found a shiny knob.

http://scarvell.net/wiki/index.php?title=VOLUME_CONTROL_MOUNTING_AND_WIRING (http://scarvell.net/wiki/index.php?title=VOLUME_CONTROL_MOUNTING_AND_WIRING)
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: emb on July 06, 2011, 12:52:19 pm
replied in your delere me thread, before i noticed it was in wrong forum.

Reposted here

This post helped me make one.  I just bought the pot and a 3.5 extension, and located the pot in the middle, then found a shiny knob.

http://scarvell.net/wiki/index.php?title=VOLUME_CONTROL_MOUNTING_AND_WIRING (http://scarvell.net/wiki/index.php?title=VOLUME_CONTROL_MOUNTING_AND_WIRING)

Thanks for that link, although I am looking for a pre-built solution. If there isn't one, I can solder one up.
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: Vigo on July 06, 2011, 01:25:09 pm
Would something like this work?

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102975&CAWELAID=107594003 (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102975&CAWELAID=107594003)

I know it's not a knob, but I didn't know if that was important
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: emb on July 06, 2011, 01:30:22 pm
Would something like this work?

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102975&CAWELAID=107594003 (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102975&CAWELAID=107594003)

I know it's not a knob, but I didn't know if that was important

This is "very close" to what I am looking for, except with a knob for the reason since it will be mounted on the control panel.
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: Vigo on July 06, 2011, 01:33:42 pm
A bit spendier, and you would have to get adaptors from 6.3 down to 3.5, but here is one with a genuine knob. Unfortunately, the knob is right on the jack instead of on the line. It might make mounting a bit difficult.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/VCable250-10?utm_source=CSE&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=none&utm_term=VCable250-10-V-Cable_250k_10&SID=0&zmam=89202644&zmas=1&zmac=1&zmap=VCable250-10 (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/VCable250-10?utm_source=CSE&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=none&utm_term=VCable250-10-V-Cable_250k_10&SID=0&zmam=89202644&zmas=1&zmac=1&zmap=VCable250-10)


Edit: Actually now thinking about it, a guitar cable would only be mono. Nevermind. :-\
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: scofthe7seas on July 06, 2011, 01:44:00 pm
I wonder if you can take off that knob and put another longer stemmed one on.
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: syph007 on July 06, 2011, 01:52:31 pm
replied in your delere me thread, before i noticed it was in wrong forum.

Reposted here

This post helped me make one.  I just bought the pot and a 3.5 extension, and located the pot in the middle, then found a shiny knob.

http://scarvell.net/wiki/index.php?title=VOLUME_CONTROL_MOUNTING_AND_WIRING (http://scarvell.net/wiki/index.php?title=VOLUME_CONTROL_MOUNTING_AND_WIRING)

Thanks for that link, although I am looking for a pre-built solution. If there isn't one, I can solder one up.

I tried to find one just as you are describing and never could so I had to make one.  You really want a panel mount pot anyway, and I doubt that exists prefabbed, or at least I wasn't able to find.  It was very easy to make even for me :D
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: emb on July 06, 2011, 01:57:31 pm
replied in your delere me thread, before i noticed it was in wrong forum.

Reposted here

This post helped me make one.  I just bought the pot and a 3.5 extension, and located the pot in the middle, then found a shiny knob.

http://scarvell.net/wiki/index.php?title=VOLUME_CONTROL_MOUNTING_AND_WIRING (http://scarvell.net/wiki/index.php?title=VOLUME_CONTROL_MOUNTING_AND_WIRING)

Thanks for that link, although I am looking for a pre-built solution. If there isn't one, I can solder one up.

I tried to find one just as you are describing and never could so I had to make one.  You really want a panel mount pot anyway, and I doubt that exists prefabbed, or at least I wasn't able to find.  It was very easy to make even for me :D
I am an electrical computer engineer and have pots lying all over the place from back in college. I don't mind soldering one up, I just figured it would save me a little time to order one.
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: emb on July 06, 2011, 01:58:07 pm
Yea, I think I will just solder one up. Thanks for everyones help.
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: scofthe7seas on July 06, 2011, 02:00:18 pm
I was just thinking about this, your PC speakers should already have a volume knob on them. All you have to do is basicallyclip the thing off, and put a set of wires on there as extentions. then you can replace the current (presumably) smaller knob with a bigger one from Radio Shaq.
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: syph007 on July 06, 2011, 02:39:34 pm
replied in your delere me thread, before i noticed it was in wrong forum.

Reposted here

This post helped me make one.  I just bought the pot and a 3.5 extension, and located the pot in the middle, then found a shiny knob.

http://scarvell.net/wiki/index.php?title=VOLUME_CONTROL_MOUNTING_AND_WIRING (http://scarvell.net/wiki/index.php?title=VOLUME_CONTROL_MOUNTING_AND_WIRING)

Thanks for that link, although I am looking for a pre-built solution. If there isn't one, I can solder one up.

I tried to find one just as you are describing and never could so I had to make one.  You really want a panel mount pot anyway, and I doubt that exists prefabbed, or at least I wasn't able to find.  It was very easy to make even for me :D
I am an electrical computer engineer and have pots lying all over the place from back in college. I don't mind soldering one up, I just figured it would save me a little time to order one.

I had a bunch too, but didn't have a dual gang ones.  The electrical supply place near me, even had a good selection of knobs.  :D

(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=95768.0;attach=147351;image)
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: Cynicaster on July 07, 2011, 11:12:40 am
The PC speakers I'm using on my cabinet have a volume control right on the front of the right speaker.  I decided a simple volume control solution would be to just use that.  My speaker grilles are mounted with magnets, so it's simple to pull it off, adjust the dial, and replace. 

Kind of a crude approach, but honestly, it made no sense to me to have any kind of control visible on the outside of the cabinet for something that is used so rarely. 
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: emb on July 07, 2011, 01:30:36 pm
Well, it looks like I don't have any dual ganged pots in my arsenal.

Does anyone who has used dual-gang pots for their speakers have any recommendations on which one to buy? I'm looking to having the shaft go through 3/4 inch thick wood.
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: emb on July 07, 2011, 06:36:15 pm
I think this one will work:

http://m.radioshack.com/radioshack/product/detail.do?itemId=2062359&categoryId=&path=
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: syph007 on July 07, 2011, 09:16:38 pm
As long as that's a logarithmic.not linear, you're good to go.  Im sure you can find one online at digikey or other.
Title: Re: Volume control knob for PC Speakers
Post by: Nacimroc on July 09, 2011, 09:24:57 pm
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rca-Bass-Control-Controller-Amplifier-Amp-Gain-/200621453963?pt=UK_Audio_TV_Electronics_In_Car_Entertainment_GPS_Car_Amplifiers_PP&hash=item2eb5f8728b (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rca-Bass-Control-Controller-Amplifier-Amp-Gain-/200621453963?pt=UK_Audio_TV_Electronics_In_Car_Entertainment_GPS_Car_Amplifiers_PP&hash=item2eb5f8728b)

This might work?

I used a 100k dual pot with a long bar but its not up on ebay anymore as a dual, only a single!