Stereo Question - Volume Control?

(mikea) · (mikea) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 09-25-2007, 8:45 PM

This past summer I added tower speakers to my boat. I have been running the tower speakers off the rear channels and the cabin speakers from the front channels. After a while it gets to be a pain to adjust the cabin Vs' the tower speakers.
I would love to be able to add 2 volume controls to my boat. Something where I could set the headunit for the maximum levels (for any given day)and then adjust from there for volume at any given time.
Details:
(4) 4" speaker off front channels on head unit.
Head unit has 3 pre amp outputs
amp #1
front 2 channels - (4) 6" cabin speakers
rear 2 channels - (2) tower speakers
amp #2
Sub.

I would just like something very simple, so it wont matter who is at the helm, there are only 2 knobs to mess with (boat and tower)for volume, no fading / changing menus on the HU, etc.

It seems as though it should be really easy, but I am having trouble.
any help would be appreciated, thanks

mike

(stevev210) · (stevev210) **Join Date: Feb 2005** 09-25-2007, 9:14 PM

Go on ebay and buy your self a clarion EQS746 7 band eq for 39.95 it will accept sub, front and rear inputs. You will have sub volume control and a fader knob so you can fade it to the tower or in the boat. It also has an auxilary output for ipod. If you have a four channel amp I would bridge the cabins on one side and bridge the sub on the other and run two sets of rca jacks to the eq, one to the front and the others to the sub then use your two channel amp for the tower and plug those into the rear input on the eq, now you have total simple control.

(razzman) · (razzman) **Join Date: Dec 2006** 09-25-2007, 9:17 PM

Use PAC LC-1 control knobs they work great and just plub inline with your amp inputs. You can get them almost at any car audio or eBay.

http://www.pac-audio.com/products/productsCatagory.asp?mmSearch=Amplifier%20Level%20 Controllers

(buzz_grande) · (buzz_grande) **Join Date: Mar 2004** 09-26-2007, 7:35 AM

Like this? About as easy as it gets. Love my set-up. One for sub, interior, and tower.

Upload

(crghou) · (crghou) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 09-26-2007, 7:55 AM

buzz what do you have?

(buzz_grande) · (buzz_grande) **Join Date: Mar 2004** 09-26-2007, 10:36 AM

As far as what? The volume controls are PAC LC-1's. As far as stereo...Sony head unit, (2) Zappco amps, Eclipse sub, MB Quart interior speakers, and Skylon Rubicon 450's on the tower.

(crghou) · (crghou) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 09-26-2007, 10:38 AM

i was talking about volume control.

thanks
chris

(mikea) · (mikea) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 09-27-2007, 2:48 PM

thanks for the info.
I purchased 3 PAC LC-1 from ebay. (less than $10 each)

(johnsvt) · (johnsvt) **Join Date: Dec 2006** 09-27-2007, 2:54 PM

Get an audio control line driver...either the three.1 or four.1 instant control of volume and some tone control for different music taste.

(wake_pop) · (wake_pop) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 09-28-2007, 1:40 PM

Ditto on the PAC's. I added i for the tower speaks and 1 for the sub volumne right into the stereo remote. Very slick setup. Upload

(04outback) · (04outback) **Join Date: Jul 2007** 09-28-2007, 4:44 PM

I am assuming since you have a remote that your stereo and amps are in opposite side console. Did you run RCA cables from the PAC controller to the other side? I am guessing you have to have a pair for each controller?

(mikea) · (mikea) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 10-01-2007, 7:44 PM

thanks for all the help!
I purchased the PAC controlers and I am working on installing them.
I was shopping for RCA cables and would like to hear what people think about standard, premium, pro cables?
The RCA cables I have now are WAY too long (25', IIRC, and I only need about 12')

I am going to run a 6' patch from the head unit to the PAC-1, then a 12' run to the amps.

Are the better cables worth the $?
should I ditch 25' cables and buy new 12' cables (does this matter?)

ref.
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=263-372
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=263-208

(crghou) · (crghou) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 10-02-2007, 8:30 AM

where did you find those for 10 on ebay? I only see them for like 10 and then you have to pay like 15 to ship it.

(mikea) · (mikea) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 10-04-2007, 9:10 PM

Chris,
I purchased 3 PAC-LC1 for $54 shipped.

I found the answer to my cable questions on
http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/507265.html?1191437836

thanks WW

(06outbackv) · (06outbackv) **Join Date: Dec 2006** 10-05-2007, 3:28 PM

How do you hook in the PAC-LC1 to a 4 channel amp to control the tower speaker volume since the amp uses 2 sets of RCA's and the PAC-LC1 is make for only one set of RCA's?

(05mobiuslsv) · (05mobiuslsv) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 10-05-2007, 4:22 PM

A 4 channel amp only needs one set of rca's and will work fine. I should say most 4 channel amps. If not just get some Y splitters from radio shack and split the signal at the amp from the pac LC1.

(nasty530) · (nasty530) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 10-05-2007, 4:46 PM

Can you take a Y adapter and turn the front and rear outputs on the deck into a single set of RCA's?

(05mobiuslsv) · (05mobiuslsv) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 10-05-2007, 5:02 PM

Not really sure if that would work. It would definetely screw up your fading capability. Why would you want to do that?

(nasty530) · (nasty530) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 10-05-2007, 5:10 PM

So that my tower speakers where playing all of the music as "stereo" sound is not really possible.

(05mobiuslsv) · (05mobiuslsv) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 10-05-2007, 5:45 PM

^^^^^What?

(nasty530) · (nasty530) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 10-05-2007, 6:23 PM

some songes play different sounds and music to the front and rear, ie "stereo". With tower speakers you want them to play everything, not just what music is sent to the front or rear channel. Thus I would like to combine both the front and rear music via a Y cable...