Compare Attenuator Types

Compare Standard and Custom Stepped Attenuators

Features of Goldpoint V24 and V47 Stepped Attenuators:

	Exceptional sonic clarity.
	Smooth, "precise feeling" turning torque.
	Precision resistors - 0.5% tolerance, 25ppm.
	High quality, Swiss made switch components.
	Mono, Stereo, Quad, and 6-channel versions available.
	Hookup is simple: 3 wires per channel connect to solder eyelets.
	Lifetime: 25,000 or more rotations (most other brands are only 10,000 rotations).
	Make-before-break, thick hard-gold plated contacts on precision engineered printed circuit boards resulting in minimum contact bounce - and therefore no clicks or pops when switching.

Goldpoint stepped attenuators sound better than potentiometers, (even very expensive ones). This has been the consensus of audiophiles for many years. But unlike common potentiometers (or other stepped attenuator brands), our stepped attenuators provide very clear sound and precise signal level matching.

All Goldpoint stepped attenuators have make-before-break switch contacts, so do not create "clicks" or "pops" during use. The switch contacts are hard-gold plated and are a "low switch bounce" design. They make great potentiometer upgrades, are easy to install, and will last a lifetime under normal use. (Note: As is correct for selector switches, Goldpoint selector switches have break-before-make switch contacts.)

Goldpoint V24 and V47 stepped attenuators come with high quality surface mounted resistors already installed. These pre-installed resistors are 0.5% Nichrome THIN film and are transparent sounding.

Goldpoint V24C and V47C stepped attenuators are BLANK (= no resistors installed), so our customers can make their own stepped attenuators, such as Custom values or tapers. The V24C models can accommodate 1/4 watt or 1/2 watt value through-hole resistors, whereas the V47C model only supports 1/4 watt resistors.

Additionally, resistor lists for common value stepped attenuators can he seen here.

For stepped attenuator dimensions, click on the pictures below or here.

Stereo V24
0.5% thin film SMD resistors
(already installed)

V24

These are the best sounding, precise 24-position volume controls available. They come with pre-installed high quality SMD resistors. (Low noise, laser trimmed, 0.5% nichrome resistors). The sound quality is transparent, which is what you actually want in a volume control. The readily available (audio taper) values we offer are:
5K, 10K, 20K, 25K, 50K, 100K, and 250K.

get the BIG picture

(We also offer a precision volume control replacement for the McIntosh C20.)

The surface mounted resistors used on the standard Goldpoint V24s are 0.5% Nichrome THIN film with a thermal noise specification (TCR) of 25 PPM. These are the best sounding resistors I have ever used (or ever heard). They have an essentially transparent sonic signature. This makes them better than Vishay S102 or even Caddock MK32 resistor types, because they do not add or subtract any sound qualities to your musical signals - just precisely accurate level control.

Because of their precision, the standard V24s are great for recording studio and other Balanced Input applications. This precision means excellent channel-to-channel signal level matching. Audiophile applications with regular (single-ended) stereo format can usually skip the use of balance controls all together. Pro Audio Balanced Line format will have very closely matched +/- elements and excellent channel-to-channel level matching.

Stereo V24C-1/2 Custom
blank - no resistors installed

V24C

Make any value or any taper stepped attenuator you want to anytime you want to. Make your own resistor lists, use one of our pre-determined audio taper lists, or make a linear taper stepped attenuator.
also see:

1) Resistor Lists and How To Make Linear Tapers

2) Attenuator Types: Series, Ladder, and Shunt

V24C	V24C-1/2

1.4" high x 1.5" wide	1.26" high x 1.65" wide

Both designs allow installation of 1/4W or 1/2W size resistors.
example of stereo low-profile version part number: V24C-1/2-2

V24C and V47C (Custom) stepped attenuators are blank stepped attenuator switches. They require you to purchase and install your own resistors. All of our other stepped attenuators come with resistors pre-installed.

Even though you can save money using the customizable versions, we normally recommend you use our off-the-shelf standard V24s or V47s (unless you really do need a customized value or taper.) The V24s and V47s are pre-built and use 0.5% precision, low-noise, Nichrome (sonically superior) resistors.

	V47 Although 24 positions is plenty for most applications, a 47 position unit can be considered "deluxe". The turning torque is smoother and the steps are smaller than on the V24s.
	On the V47s, every position has a decibel step size of 1.5dB. (For the 10K value (only) we also offer a special taper of 1dB per step. Be sure to ask for this if it is what you want.)

The new Goldpoint V47 SMD stepped attenuators are available in 10K, 25K, 50K, 100K, and 250K.

Physical size: 1.4" tall x 1.5" wide. Also see stepped attenuator lengths.

As on our V24s, the surface mounted resistors used on the Goldpoint V47s are 0.5% Nichrome THIN film with a thermal noise specification (TCR) of 25 PPM, which have an essentially transparent sonic signature.

V47C

These are 47 position blank stepped attenuator switches, and are designed for 1/4 watt through-hole resistors - which you must install yourself. They are 1.35" wide x 1.3" tall

Please note that although you can ultimately save some money by installing your own resistors on our blank 47-position switches, it is a lot of work - and requires not only steady hands and a sharp soldering iron tip, but also a magnification station or magnification lamp of some kind. Therefore, you may be better off simply purchasing our pre-made V47 units (which come with all the SMD resistors pre-installed - and tested).
See our 47-Position Resistor Lists here: http://www.goldpt.com/r_series.html

-A few notes on stepped attenuators.

Stepped attenuators offer distinct sonic advantages over common potentiometers. This is due to their use of discrete resistors and the purest method of signal attenuation: resistor voltage dividers. Discrete resistors typically have better low noise characteristics than the carbon or cermet resistor elements used in potentiometers.

The total measured resistance for each position of a stepped attenuator remains constant throughout years of use. This is because the wearing (rubbing) parts in stepped attenuators are low resistance switch contacts, not resistive elements with wipers sliding on them as in potentiometers. Potentiometers can add clicks, pops, and static sounds due to wear.

Stereo potentiometers used as volume controls often produce different volume levels for each channel, and the amount of mismatch can vary as the potentiometer is turned up or down. The channel-to-channel tracking specification for stereo potentiometers, even very expensive ones, is typically 5% to 20%. With stepped attenuators you can easily achieve stereo signal levels matched to within one percent (1%).

With stepped attenuators, the signal level has been pre-determined for each step, so front panel calibration markings can represent actual signal levels.

Front panel knob showing calibration steps.

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