Help on building an active bass signal attenuator

[ilcaccillo]

If you use a similar design to that Phoenix posted, you could add a little gain to the second stage so that you can both cut and boost the signal. This would make the effect more versatile at the expense of a couple of resistors and a capacitor.

Thanks Samhay,
yes it could also boost, no problem in that, and you're right it's more flexible.
I just need attenuation at the moment but I might need a booster in the future or in another situation.

[ilcaccillo]

Alright, here's what i would do.

First thing i would try is to take a simpliest buffer from Amz website and add a volume control after it, play around with caps, perhaps even try a cap across the volume pot, and see if it does the job without messing around with the tone too much, if it works, great. As a bonus, instead of using a standard 3pdt wiring, i would wire up a switch for a volume pot, so that other instruments could also benefit from the buffer.

If the result is not satisfying enough, and you want to go a little more crazy, you can build a preamp, something along the lines of "Activator 2" with a volume pot after it. You could also add a buffer, if you want, add a separate switch for it (just in case), and switch preamp on/off for volume cut, while, again, leaving the buffer for other instruments. Or instead, simply add a switch for a volume, just like in the first example, but instead of a buffer, other instruments would benefit from the preamp.

But the reality of it is that simple volume pot with a cap across (treble bleed mod), should do the trick just fine (just saying).

Thanks Danich,
yes wiring the switch instead of true bypass to just add the volume pot in and out it's a great idea. That way the buffer could be always on.

I've tried already with a passive box, first the EHX signal pad, it lost treble when the volume was turned down, I discovered it diddn't have a trble bleed.
Then a built a treble bleed version as I used a loop pedal to put it in and out of the circuit, and I preffered the sound without it.

I would like to try an active/bufferd solution now to see how it sound and if it works for me

thanks

[ilcaccillo]

But the reality of it is that simple volume pot with a cap across (treble bleed mod), should do the trick just fine (just saying).

Although a treble bleed cap does avoid treble loss, it involves a change of tone - however slight. I'm guessing the OP is trying to avoid that - which is why he's asking specifically about an active attenuator, and has already rejected a previous suggestion to go passive.

Yes, that was the reason.
I already tried that before. I didn't like the change in tone/sound, even if there was no perceived treble loss.

I would like to try something different know

thanks

[marcelomd]

Hi,

I can't remember the circuit right now, but there is a buffer/booster configuration using opamps that is capable of cut and boost. Like the one that is used at the end of the Boss equalizers. You might look into it.

Edit: Found it.

This is the relevant part:

[ilcaccillo]

Hi,

I can't remember the circuit right now, but there is a buffer/booster configuration using opamps that is capable of cut and boost. Like the one that is used at the end of the Boss equalizers. You might look into it.

Cheers, seems simple enough

Thank you so much for all the ideas,
time to build now