Does this device exist? (monitor audio levels and adjust an amplifier real time)

Thread Starter

Tom Pendergast

Joined Sep 27, 2014
13
I think you are missing a human response issue here. People will try to talk above the music level and when the music stops for a moment the talking volume will not instantly change. If you sample in the short dead time between songs you will get an artificially high level. Remember, the music level drives how loud people talk. This factor make for an unstable control loop.
Maybe I'm not doing a good job of explaining this? Say your volume level spans 1 to 10. This device will not move the level between 1 and 9, it will trim the part between 5 and 7. Think of it as turning it *down* when the bar isn't noisy.
 

Lestraveled

Joined May 19, 2014
1,946
The human will side with the geezer because the geezer is sitting there 6 days a week nursing 2 beers and thinking they're in their living room. The casual customer who comes in once a month and wants to play some music doesn't have a chance. That's exactly why the human element has to be taken out of it.
Really??!! I made my living playing bass in a nightclub band for a few years in the 70s. A good bartender knows who pays for the bar and which customer to cater to. A "geezer" that drinks two drinks and tips 50 cents will have a low priority with the bartender.

I don't think you need an automatic volume control, I think you need a better bartender.
 

BR-549

Joined Sep 22, 2013
4,928
Hey Tom......do you know anybody that works for the ford dealership there?
Years ago I took care of all the warranty work for the car dealerships in my town. I could get schematics and parts list from sam's photofacts. However, it looks like sam's is out of business. I would think that a ford radio schematic would show the way they are doing this. I searched on google, but no luck. Track down a tech. Even if they can't give you a print.....he can explain exactly how they are doing this. The dealer should give you contact info on repair facility.
 

Alec_t

Joined Sep 17, 2013
14,280
I wish you two luck in finding an establishment that mimics your living room, some place where you can sit at the bar and watch Wheel of Fortune in peace and quiet.
Luckily we have a good choice of establishments this side of the pond for dining quietly ;). And what's Wheel of Fortune? :)
 

Thread Starter

Tom Pendergast

Joined Sep 27, 2014
13
Luckily we have a good choice of establishments this side of the pond for dining quietly ;). And what's Wheel of Fortune? :)
Dining is one thing, this place is more of a private pub, a "social club" open to members only. Do you have "Fraternal Order of Eagles" over there? In any case, "Wheel of Fortune is a popular syndicated TV show typically aired in early evenings, right after the nightly news. It's popular with geezers who sit in a club but behave like everyone else is a guest in their living room.
 

Thread Starter

Tom Pendergast

Joined Sep 27, 2014
13
Really??!! I made my living playing bass in a nightclub band for a few years in the 70s. A good bartender knows who pays for the bar and which customer to cater to. A "geezer" that drinks two drinks and tips 50 cents will have a low priority with the bartender.

I don't think you need an automatic volume control, I think you need a better bartender.
Without getting too specific: It's a Social Club. You get into LOTS of intertwined nonsense with customer/members, bartenders, and club officers. Bottom line is that no club officer is going to do much in the way of fixing this. They tell the barmaids "don't do that", the girl says "OK", and two days later it happens again. So, yeah, "better bartender", hmm... If you're familiar with The Serenity Prayer you can do the math.

Or, in terms of a popular cartoon scenario: I can't control the homeowner and the cat, but I CAN build a better mousetrap.
 

Thread Starter

Tom Pendergast

Joined Sep 27, 2014
13
Hey Tom......do you know anybody that works for the ford dealership there?
Years ago I took care of all the warranty work for the car dealerships in my town. I could get schematics and parts list from sam's photofacts. However, it looks like sam's is out of business. I would think that a ford radio schematic would show the way they are doing this. I searched on google, but no luck. Track down a tech. Even if they can't give you a print.....he can explain exactly how they are doing this. The dealer should give you contact info on repair facility.
I dunno if I have the time, patience or knowledge to go that far back and design/build it. I truly appreciate the guidance but I think I'm gonna pass. Thanks.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
I wish you two luck in finding an establishment that mimics your living room, some place where you can sit at the bar and watch Wheel of Fortune in peace and quiet.
I too, have a choice of establishments where I can sit quietly with my brew, and watch Wheel of Fortune. Jeopardy!, too.

(I know of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles; they have them here.)
 

rogs

Joined Aug 28, 2009
279
As most posters will have now realised, dealing with this problem successfully is not a trivial task...

Perhaps time to take another look at the professional solution, along the lines of the unit suggested in post #7?...(http://www.toaelectronics.com/products/dp-l2.html )

The cost of building a one off 'hobby' electronic solution to this problem - that works well - would probably cost more than buying one of the TOA units......
 

Thread Starter

Tom Pendergast

Joined Sep 27, 2014
13
As most posters will have now realised, dealing with this problem successfully is not a trivial task...

Perhaps time to take another look at the professional solution, along the lines of the unit suggested in post #7?...(http://www.toaelectronics.com/products/dp-l2.html )

The cost of building a one off 'hobby' electronic solution to this problem - that works well - would probably cost more than buying one of the TOA units......
That unit seems to be the answer, but I'm still shopping around for a lower priced solution. I've stumbled onto a product line that appears to do what I want, but so far navigating their web info has proven a bit frustrating. If you're up for a trip through the maze ...

http://www.rane.com/hal/MobileHelp/..._Block_Topics/BlockReference_Dynamics_ANC.htm
http://www.rane.com/procat.html
 
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