I'm wondering if blend aka balance potentiometers can be wired to output two signals rather than take two inputs and blend between them. In my mind, I'd think it wouldn't matter, but nobody has responded or known the answer at talkbass.

An example that I'm thinking about is to have a blend pot connected to the output of a volume pot so that I can send a certain amount of volume, depending on the blend pot, to two different places.

 

I'm wondering if blend aka balance potentiometers can be wired to output two signals rather than take two inputs and blend between them. In my mind, I'd think it wouldn't matter, but nobody has responded or known the answer at talkbass.

An example that I'm thinking about is to have a blend pot connected to the output of a volume pot so that I can send a certain amount of volume, depending on the blend pot, to two different places.

I don't think you can do that with passive components. I'm sure you can do it with active devices, Maybe you could try putting together a drawing of what you have in mind. Words are simply not up to the task of describing what is in your mind. A picture on the other hand says it all.

 

I don't think you can do that with passive components. I'm sure you can do it with active devices, Maybe you could try putting together a drawing of what you have in mind. Words are simply not up to the task of describing what is in your mind. A picture on the other hand says it all.

Hope this image is good enough, and I added a image of the blend pot so I don't have to label everything. Volume lug 1 goes to ground, lug 2 is the volume input, and lug 3 is the output for both volumes, which is usual. What I'd use it for is sending the two outputs to separate preamps, or an active dual channel buffer so both channels would have matching impedance.

Oh, and it's ungrounded on purpose. If anyone would like more information or drawings, I'm happy to add more.

 

I'm confused
You talk about splitting one source into two but you show two sources.

The bottom configuration of the pot will short the source to ground at one pot extreme, which you don't want.

 

I'm wondering if blend aka balance potentiometers can be wired to output two signals rather than take two inputs and blend between them. In my mind, I'd think it wouldn't matter, but nobody has responded or known the answer at talkbass.

An example that I'm thinking about is to have a blend pot connected to the output of a volume pot so that I can send a certain amount of volume, depending on the blend pot, to two different places.

Yes:



Regards,
Keith

 

Yes:

View attachment 213461

Regards,
Keith

Isn't that 1 pot and two fixed resistors? the TS said he wanted 2 pots, or maybe I missed something.

 

Are you using a 2-gang pot for the input/output?

 

Isn't that 1 pot and two fixed resistors? the TS said he wanted 2 pots, or maybe I missed something.

His question is rather vague and contradictory. My diagram was in answer to his last statement: "An example that I'm thinking about is to have a blend pot connected to the output of a volume pot so that I can send a certain amount of volume, depending on the blend pot, to two different places. "
Keith

 

If he in fact is using a 2-gang pot, as his diagram suggests simply correcting his wiring mistake will do it if he makes them opposing action.

 

I should know better than to get involved with people who post pictures and cannot construct a proper schematic diagram to express their ideas.

 

Unfortunately, not everyone that comes here knows how to draw a schematic... I hope he learns to.

 

He really doesn't need a "balance" control. All he really needs is a second volume control connected across the original one. Then he will have full control over each output.:
Keith

 

Yes:

Post #12 circuit.
Note that if that circuit input is from the volume pot, than the resistance load of that circuit to ground will affect the volume, and must be taken into account.

 

I'm confused
You talk about splitting one source into two but you show two sources.

The bottom configuration of the pot will short the source to ground at one pot extreme, which you don't want.

I meant from the one pickup, though it shows two parallel sources once it reaches the blend pot section.

You mean the ungrounded part or the volumes? If the volumes I'm curious to know why.

Are you using a 2-gang pot for the input/output?

It would be a four gang pot, two for the volumes and two for blend, but... I didn't think the volume idea through. I do have a use for this that would require the blend pot but only one volume. This is where I should have explained things better. That being said this has all been useful as what I really needed to know, other than how it works practically, is the ideas behind it, and how it works electrically.

His question is rather vague and contradictory. My diagram was in answer to his last statement: "An example that I'm thinking about is to have a blend pot connected to the output of a volume pot so that I can send a certain amount of volume, depending on the blend pot, to two different places. "
Keith

It is. Sorry about that. I was thinking of a few separate use cases, and it just muddled things up.

If he in fact is using a 2-gang pot, as his diagram suggests simply correcting his wiring mistake will do it if he makes them opposing action.
View attachment 213484

Can you explain why this works, I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around it. I've never seen something like this. I'm having trouble understanding what happens as each pot turns.

I should know better than to get involved with people who post pictures and cannot construct a proper schematic diagram to express their ideas.

I'm sorry. I come here when I come upon a problem that is beyond the scope of electronics sections of guitar forums. I really appreciate the help, and I would like to learn how to read and draw schematics. I have a book that I bought on it, but it's of little use as it doesn't explain what the parts the schematic represents actually does.

Unfortunately, not everyone that comes here knows how to draw a schematic... I hope he learns to.

I'll work on it. I'm open to suggestions or tips to approach this.

He really doesn't need a "balance" control. All he really needs is a second volume control connected across the original one. Then he will have full control over each output.:
Keith
View attachment 213488

Haha, you hit it on the head. I don't know how they should be attached though. I can't read schematics :/ Would it just be a parallel connection from the pickup to both regular volume pot inputs?

There is another application for the sketch I drew, and now I know it will work. This other use is for two separate inputs or sources (not just one source to two parallel) that will need balanced, but it'll only have one volume. I guess that's just normal wiring.

The answers I got let's me know that I could connect a pickup to one volume pot, and then wire that volume pot's output into a blend pot to output two signals. But does it make the most sense, or is it better to do it the other way? Blend --> Volume or Volume --> Blend?

 

I'm having trouble understanding what happens as each pot turns.

With each wiper connected to opposing ends as the common shaft turns one pot increases resistance as the other decreases resistance. Typical 2 channel stereo balance. Wasn't exactly sure what you wanted but said balance in the title and showed 2 inputs w/ 2 outputs.

 

With each wiper connected to opposing ends as the common shaft turns one pot increases resistance as the other decreases resistance. Typical 2 channel stereo balance. Wasn't exactly sure what you wanted but said balance in the title and showed 2 inputs w/ 2 outputs.

Oh, I see. It's that the inputs and outputs are isolated to their own signal path.

 

Haha, you hit it on the head. I don't know how they should be attached though. I can't read schematics :/ Would it just be a parallel connection from the pickup to both regular volume pot inputs?

Yes. If it's a mono signal, connect as in the picture. If the inputs and outputs are stereo signals connect both the front potentiometer sections as shown in the picture and then repeat for the rear sections.
Keith

FRONT VIEW

 

Unless readers are familiar with guitar wiring, the whole point of this thread is a bit nonsensical.
In guitar wiring one uses a blend pot to combine the output of two pickups. The diagram in post three shows the typical wiring. The pickup signals go to the centre wiper of each pot. The two pots are "mirrors of each other. For pot 1, the resistance between the lower terminal and the wiper increases up to 50% of travel when it gets to the pots full resisitance value. From 50% to 100% the resistance does not change. The other pot works the the way with its resistance.
But if you reverse the input and output, that is the signals go to the ends of the pots (lower terminal in one case and upper terminal for the other pot, then wipers will provide a sort of anti output level two two output signals.
The key is that a blend pot is a special pot where the two ganged halves work in opposite directions (if that makes sense)
Bourns makes one and thats the only supplier I know.
Ive made something similar by hacking a single gang and a tandem gang pot.

 

Unless readers are familiar with guitar wiring, the whole point of this thread is a bit nonsensical.
In guitar wiring one uses a blend pot to combine the output of two pickups. The diagram in post three shows the typical wiring. The pickup signals go to the centre wiper of each pot. The two pots are "mirrors of each other. For pot 1, the resistance between the lower terminal and the wiper increases up to 50% of travel when it gets to the pots full resisitance value. From 50% to 100% the resistance does not change. The other pot works the the way with its resistance.
But if you reverse the input and output, that is the signals go to the ends of the pots (lower terminal in one case and upper terminal for the other pot, then wipers will provide a sort of anti output level two two output signals.
The key is that a blend pot is a special pot where the two ganged halves work in opposite directions (if that makes sense)
Bourns makes one and thats the only supplier I know.
Ive made something similar by hacking a single gang and a tandem gang pot.

Yep, thanks. In a vol/vol configuration, I should be able to use post 17, I just hadn't thought through whether I should take the one pickup source, connect two wires to it and then connect one of each to the volume input lugs or connect the pickups output to one of the pots input lugs and then connect a wire from there to the other volume pots pickup lugs.

 

I don't know the first thing about guitar wiring, but I know about pro audio. On a "stereo pan pot" (panoramic potentiometer) that has one source going to two sinks, the "midpoint" for each channel needs to be exactly 3 decibels (equal total power) down from the all-to-one-side "one channel only" output, so the perceived loudness is the same regardless of position. And in fact it doesn't make any difference whether it's a single input or a single output you're talking about, you design so the combination of channels "sums to the same total power" regardless of pot position. To some it doesn't "look like" that's the case for the single input case, because at first it seems like the outputs are "phase correlated", but remember you'll be listening to the "mix" on two different speakers on different sides of the room, and through two different speakers the phase is no longer correlated! So you can do it well with a two gang linear pot but you'll need shunt resistors "over the top of" each pot to make the sum work out right (I've forgotten the fraction of the value of the pot we used to use, this was decades ago, I think it might be around 40%). Not the same thing at all as "blending" correlated signals!