Volume level

[JC]

OK, next I would want to verify a couple of things.  This will be a little redundant, so please bear with me:

1)  Measure resistance from ground to the center pin of the input jack.  Of course, you will have to find the input that is selected by the switch, but presumably the ones that currently aren't selected will read infinity.  When you've found the proper jack, rotate the volume control while observing the reading.

2)  Measure resistance from ground to pin 2 and pin 7 on the 9-pin socket.  Again, rotate the volume control while observing the reading.

[Paul Joppa]

Yes, it does sound like the pot is normal. I suspect the operation is also normal.

Nobody actually makes a logarithmic pot - they are a series of linear segments. The inexpensive ones are just two segments - the first half of the rotation is something like 10K-15K linear, from 7:00 to 12:00. The rest of the rotation is a linear 85K segment. So the slope in dB suddenly gets steeper as you pass 12:00, falling to a shallow slope as you approach 5:00. The first hals works the same way, so the last part of the first half (say, 9:30 to 12:00) is a shallow slope, no more than 6dB, while the first part of the second half (12:00 to 2:30) is steeper, maybe 13dB total.

More expensive pots might have three segments, and a few pots made for recording consoles can have even more - but they are quite expensive, comparable to switched attenuators.

[JC]

So, then the question reverts to why he doesn't seem to be getting the volume he expects at any setting, correct?

I had been hoping to verify the circuit up to the inputs of the first stage;  after that, I'm pretty much in the dark.

[Filthymidget]

My pot is performing the way Joppa describes.  My resistance readings are doing exactly as described.

 I read how others don't find the need to go past 9 o'clock to achieve a good listening level and my friend with the Foreplay stops his at 9 o'clock too with plenty of volume.  I need to have my buddy come over and listen to see what he thinks.  This is my first tube project and i love the sound quality.  I have been listening to these as loud as possible during break in of my new speakers so that might have something to do with it.  Thank you all for the help and suggestions!

[Paul Joppa]

...
 I read how others don't find the need to go past 9 o'clock to achieve a good listening level ...

Yes, that's a sign that the system has way too much gain. 9:00 is at least 20dB down from the maximum, so when that happens you are wasting 3/4 of the available gain. This is extremely common, and a result of the lack of standards. It's a pet peeve of mine, but there's not a lot I can do besides bringing it up as often as I dare to!

[Grainger49]

I'm with PJ, if you only use the pot to 9:00 that isn't optimal.  

But to Filthymidget, yes you should with your speakers get loud, louder than you should want to listen to.  I would expect the problem is that your source is not feeding the Stereomour enough voltage.  You checked that with the CD player, maybe.  Just to be sure you might try another source.  

Does the SB have a volume control in it?  How far up is that set?

[Filthymidget]

I always have the SB at 100% volume control.  I control the volume at the Stereomour.  I'll try another device and see what kind of results I get.  Thanks again. 

[2wo]

I have a modified SB and the output is kind of low. try a CD player directly in...John