Volume limiting.

[griffin10010]

Any way I can limit the volume to the TV to avoid constantly altering the volume. Amp is a Quad Vena. Would it be possible to add a small preamp to interface the lead to the tv Optical or 3.5mm. I don't really want to change the amp. Many thanks.

 

[earlofsodbury]

If your telly is anything like our telly it doesn't have a passthru option for external volume control - which means the maximum volume output through whatever devices you use as your primary volume control is actually whatever you have your telly's volume set to; that's where I'd make the change, and not by adding yet another volume control in the chain.

Unfortunately you cannot do much to avoid the intensely annoying fact that commercial channels boost the volume massively on adverts versus main programme material.

 

[a.palfreyman]

My biggest bugbear is 'incidental' music which drowns out the dialogue. Happens a lot.

 

[John]

You could use attenuators on the RCA cables from the tv to the amp line input.

https://www.amazon.com/rca-attenuator/s?k=rca+attenuator

 

[griffin10010]

TV sound is completely over ridden and amp is connected to the TV via optical, no phono on the TV, If I change the amp I was thinking of the Yamaha 803, any thoughts or alternatives please.

 

[john.luckins]

I use the headphone output of my Sony TV to feed my amp which works well. Maybe yours has one too and like mine is remote controlled and stays set when power is recycled?

John

 

[griffin10010]

No headphone output!

 

[miktec]

TV sound is completely over ridden and amp is connected to the TV via optical, no phono on the TV, If I change the amp I was thinking of the Yamaha 803, any thoughts or alternatives please.

Effectively you would need either another DAC with a volume control to convert the optical signal to analogue to send to the Vena
OR
A digital mixer from the likes of RME, Focusrite, Behringer, etc. so you could attenuate the TV optical output digitally without D/A conversion and send it (still as a digital signal) to the Vena

I can't really see how swapping the Vena for another amp would really solve anything - just kick the can down the road a bit ....

(unless the amp in question has some form of variable digital input attenuation built in - strikes me as a rarity but you never know)

 

[john.luckins]

Something like this maybe?

https://www.thomann.de/gb/the_t.mix...MIkpvn0KSL8wIVzO7tCh3EmQLsEAQYAiABEgL5zfD_BwE

 

[griffin10010]

Could I use a RCA volume controller then a RCA to digital converter

 

[griffin10010]

I think a digital mixer is out and I cant follow what the thomann does, thanks.

 

[miktec]

Could I use a RCA volume controller then a RCA to digital converter

Not based on what you describe. The TV optical output is digital - an analogue volume controller will have absolutely no effect (even if you did convert the optical plug to RCA)

Like I said, if you convert the TV optical out to analogue via another DAC, then yes you can use an 'RCA volume controller' to attenuate to an analogue input on the Vena.
The DAC doesn't have to be pricey - you can get them for very little money (I have a couple in the drawer that cost me about £35 each - one from Lindy and the other from Fiio)

 

[John]

TV sound is completely over ridden and amp is connected to the TV via optical, no phono on the TV, If I change the amp I was thinking of the Yamaha 803, any thoughts or alternatives please.

I use a Sonos Amp and streaming and tv match volume wise, the line input allows you to match volume with the other sources. It also has HDMI Arc input which works out great.

 

[bugbear]

Effectively you would need either another DAC with a volume control to convert the optical signal to analogue to send to the Vena
OR
A digital mixer from the likes of RME, Focusrite, Behringer, etc. so you could attenuate the TV optical output digitally without D/A conversion and send it (still as a digital signal) to the Vena

I can't really see how swapping the Vena for another amp would really solve anything - just kick the can down the road a bit ....

(unless the amp in question has some form of variable digital input attenuation built in - strikes me as a rarity but you never know)

My Sony TV has variable sound attentuation on its inputs (multiple HDMI, Scart, etc).

Which doesn't help the OP, I merely raise it as a point of interest.

BugBear

 

[miktec]

I use a Sonos Amp and streaming and tv match volume wise, the line input allows you to match volume with the other sources. It also has HDMI Arc input which works out great.

Sounds like just the ticket

(if that was the OPs problem...)

 

[griffin10010]

Thanks for replies, trying to digest.

 

[miktec]

My Sony TV has variable sound attentuation on its inputs (multiple HDMI, Scart, etc).

Which doesn't help the OP, I merely raise it as a point of interest.

BugBear

Sounds like a logical step. I'm pretty sure there will some AV amps with that kind of feature - although I have no personal experience ...

 

[griffin10010]

I am not trying to match sound level. I am trying to stop the sudden levels when speech changes to action.

 

[deebster]

Have you had a look at the user manual for your TV, just in case it has a volume control on the output? Or post the model number and one of us can have a look.

I have an Audiolab Q-DAC that has USB, optical and coaxial inputs along with optical and coaxial outputs, with a volume output control, so (as miketec said) I think that or a similar DAC could do it for you.

*edit: posted before I saw your post.

 

[miktec]

I am not trying to match sound level. I am trying to stop the sudden levels when speech changes to action.

That would require either a very rapid response with the remote ... or some variant of an 'automatic' reactive limiting device of the sort used in some AV recorders. A very different ball game.
There are studio limiters available - but very pricey usually and almost certainly overkill.