Berlin-based instrument manufacturer KOMA Elektronik has now released a new cable solution for modular synthesists: the Attenuator Cable.
The Attenuator Cable is a cable with one jack input socket on one side, an output socket on the other side and a slider in the middle that gives the user the opportunity to attenuate both CV and audio signals traveling between modules. One connects a 3.5mm patch cable to the input socket of the Attenuator Cable and connect the output jack plug to any input. Use the slider in the middle of the cable to attenuate and adjust the signal, as Christian says in the video, “easy peasy!”
KOMA Elektronik explains further:
“At KOMA we always understood the importance of attenuation, this is why we implemented control voltage attenuators in all of our modular designs; it’s useful to keep everything running the way it is supposed to and to match voltages for different modular platforms. The Attenuator Cable gives you dedicated control for every signal coming from or going to modules without input attenuators, which there are a lot of! Since it is not a module, but a cable, you don’t waste any space in your case and you can use as many cables as you like in one setup. The cable design has been optimized to function with any CV or audio signal and with all known and widely available 3.5mm jack cables.”
Pricing and Availability. The Attenuator Cable MSRP is 9 € per cable (Incl. EU VAT) and 39 € for a pack of five cables. It is available for preorders from KOMA Elektronik’s website and from KOMA dealers worldwide. KOMA Elektronik offers free shipping for all pre-orders of 5 cables or more from their website.
this makes me want a modular set up even more… i love these little innovations that can go far, save money. ill have to start building one a piece at a time now…
heh… “modular”… “save money”… rarely are these words uttered together
I enjoyed his accent.
yes, we are german. we do not have this ubiquitous american accent.
Small quibble: Is this attenuator linearly or exponentially curved? CV and audio are not typically scaled the same way. I would think this cable attenuator works well for one or the other, but not both. The price is decent for what it does and I think it is a pretty cool idea.
For what it is worth, by watching the video it seems as if these are linear devices, best for CV.
Oh yeah, and the link to the KOMA site is broken, it is pointing to KOMA being on Synthtopia.com.
I must have been in a KOMA earlier. Fixed!
Yeah I would assume linear. Hopefully! I’d prefer to use such cables on CV signals and leave the audio attenuation for mixers/filters/etc.
I’ve been waiting for this for ages: Attenuation really should be a function of the connection, rather than the module. Modules without attenuation on every input are a pain, and those with attenuation on every input are paying a real-estate penalty. I tend to reach for the ones that do (like AMSynths filters) and slightly bias against using ones that have multiple-inputs but attenuation on only one (say, Doepfer filters). Intellijel got very close with cables that had a mult in the middle, but not attenuation. I hope they sell a million. Good work, Koma!
I’d expect this to be a bit more robust if it was a single adaptor, with no cable runs at all. Just a solid adaptor, 1/8″ mono input jack, 1/8″ mono output plug, with a slider on the side, and maybe a happy LED a la jacklights. Adding wires to the mix is scope for fraying, bad connections, etc.
With pots and other inputjacks so close to eachother like on eurorack the thing you are describing might be very nice on paper, but hard to fit (and to control) in a crowded setup, this cable gives you the control away from the panel, thats cool!
good work koma!
Quite right, having a solid adaptor hanging out of a jack like a big heavy cantilever isn’t such a good idea … !
??? this is just a Passive Attenuator in a cable
for $13 per cable !!
Thonk VERTER eurorack is a Attenuverter
is only $20 and has 3 inputs
That’s the point, it’s a cable not a module.
are you hourly ..?? the point is……… it is a cable that cost $13
go to the $1 store buy a cable by some tape
then go to radio shack and buy a Potentiometer
you may spend $6 or $7 total
You could buy a block of aluminum, some sand and a few rare earth minerals and hand craft your very own iPad, too. 🙂
It’s madness to waste $7 to cut apart a cable, solder in a potentiometer and wrap it in a hideous lump of electrical tape.
then buy a Gold-Plated Volume Control Cable for $5 from radio shack
it can control 2 channels
Really? Cheapest attenuator I’ve ever found is AT-AT-AT kit, which is 25 GBP, unassembled, before shipping. Never seen it in stock yet. Admittedly, that is certainly cheaper per port of attenuation, you’re right.
rack space is more precious, this product will do well I think..
Superb.
a friend of mine is using a $5 cable from Radio Shack to do the same thing:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102975
EXACTLY !
Radio Shack? Not all of us live in the USA
and besides… stereo jacks don’t always play nice with eurorack mono ins/outs. they also claim to have optimized the design for use with audio and/or cv, but i’m not sure what that means in practice (maybe something to do with dc coupling)
still, it’s probably marked up pretty high as it is now, but good on them, i hope they get many orders.
Synth patch cables and the KOMA attenuator are TR – only two connectors on the plug. The Radio Shack headphone adapter is stereo with 3 connector TRS plugs.
You don’t want to use stereo cables to patch your modular. 😉
so then buy a mono microphone volume control — still only $5
For half of us, that’s $5 plus $500 for a plane ticket and a cab ride to the “nearest” Radio Shack.
But, yeah, we get your point — mass market retailers can import and distribute cheap Chinese stuff better than the little guys. At the end of the day, I’d prefer that Wouter & Christian’s company was massively successful and Radio Shack was just a fading memory.
frodo>>For half of us, that’s $5 plus $500 for a plane ticket and a cab ride to the “nearest” Radio Shack.
—————————that is the most ridiculous thing i have heard
so you don’t have ANY other types of stores near you that sell cables ..????
ever heard of amazon .?
how will you buy this KOMA Attenuator Cable ??
The Radio Shat device will be curved for AUDIO, meaning that you would NOT get a smooth transition from lowest value to highest if attempting to attenuate CV – it will surely be an exponential control.
Slightly cheaper, sure; from what I l know of the dubious QUALITY Radio Shat pumps out…I’ve never seen any of Koma’s work first person, but it wouldn’t be hard for them to beat RS’s quality.