Adding a potentiometer to audio setup

[Starway]

Hi guys,

I have a battery powered Bluetooth reciever in my car that connects to my in car amp. I dont use the headunit for sound therefore I currently have no volume controls. The only volume control I have is from my phone which can be annoying. I would like to be able to control the volume with a potentiometer could anyway explain this in the simplest way?  Thanks 

 

[Geoff1946]

That's rather a vague system description.

Am I right in thinking you are playing music from your phone via Bluetooth to a Bluetooth receiver unit which is then physically connected to an amplifier?

If so it may be possible  to introduce a volume control is between the Bluetooth receiver and the amplifier. Do you have the specification of that interface?

Is it stereo or mono?  Signal level?  Impedance?  Two wire, or one and a ground ?  Connector type?

Give us something to work on and we'll try to help.

 

[Starway]

I’m sorry,  here are all the specs I can find, 

Output: Female R/L audio and 3.5mm audio

Frequency Response: 20Hz-22kHz

Output Power: 25mW, SNR: 100dB RL=16Ω

Battery Capacity: 3.7V/200mAh

it’s a ugreen Bluetooth audio adapter.

your understanding of the situation is perfect that’s my exact setup.

Another question I would also like to ask is about using 2 separate connections on the 1 potentiometer. I also have a subwoofer in the boot that gets fed with an rca so essentially at the moment I have 2 amps being fed by an rca splitter going into the ugreen Bluetooth adapter. Would this complicate issues or would the potentiometer come before the splitters so essentially it wouldn’t matter ? 

As as the ugreen adapter actually has 2 outputs I could use the 3.5mm as well instead of using a splitter as the subwoofer has its own gain potentiometer near the dash that comes with the sub, but I just thought that gain and volume initial input are completely different things as the gain is essentially boosting whatever it’s being fed isn’t it ? Anyway let’s stay on topic sorry, ( so many questions in my head )

‘’Thanks again Geoff 

 

[Geoff1946]

You can buy an inline volume control that will just plug in. They are normally used for earphones or headphones but the audio signal will be the same. I attach a screenshot of a typical e-bay device; there are lots available. 

One potential pitfall!  There are different 3.5mm jacks, having three, or four contacts. I THINK you will want a tree contact type but it's hard to be sure. 

Also, some controls have a male input plug and a female output, others male both ends.  

 

[Starway]

That’s actually a simple but great idea that I might use, I was just considering the benefit of learning how to add a potentiometer in case it became a useful skill to learn in later life. But it seems that this solution is pretty good actually. The other question then is what about when I’m powering 2 amps from this signal > ? 

 

[Geoff1946]

If you want to make your own up you need one of these, (pic) but will have to mount it in a box and find appropriate cable and connectors. 

If you do each section controls one channel, the ground goes to the upper tag as it's pictured, signal input to the bottom tag, and the output from the centre.