LDR Active Preamp - does it exist?


I am using passive LDR (Light Dependent Resistor) volume control LightSpeed Attenuator. As much as clarity and all the good stuff about this little preamp, I wish I can have some gain for my low sensitivity amplifiers. Is there any existing active preamp using LDR volume control?
nguyen787

Showing 1 response by dgarretson

Pretty much any balanced or single-ended tube preamp with a volume control of up to 100K impedance can be retrofitted to a DIY LDR shunt volume control. I made the modification to an AtmaSphere MP-1 balanced preamp and am pleased with the improvement.

I believe the only commercial preamps with LDR controls were the top Melos models of the late '90s and current darTZeel.

Commercial use in an active preamp is problematic insofar as even closely-matched LDRs don't track each other very closely above 15K. L/R channel balance shifts with changes in volume. This doesn't bother me, but may test the patience of a couch potato.