How to reduce the volume on my radio

[matthew davies]

Hi i am new to this forum and thanks in advance

I am a domestic electrician myself, know a little about electronics but not a great deal.

I have recently bought a radio from lidl (it was cheap and looked the part! )
However it seems to be the loudest thing on the planet. Even on volume 1, it's too loud to have as background music in the kitchen. Id like to keep the radio but want to decrease the volume. Is there something I can get which wires into the speaker wires inside to reduce the volume of it? I'd have thought there would be but as I say I've not done alot with electronics.

Thanks

 

[Les Jones]

Hi Matthew,
You could just put a resistor in series with the speaker but this would probably effect the frequency response. Using two resistors to form a potential divider would be better. The speaker will probably be 3 ohm impedance so making the resistor in parallel with the speaker 3 ohms or less and making the resistor between the amplifier output and the speaker greater than 3 ohms would be a better solution. The speaker needs to see a low source impedance to avoid altering the frequency responce too much. I would just try a series resistor first as it may not produce much change in the sound quality. The radio will probably not be anything that could be considered Hi Fi.

Les.

 

[matthew davies]

Thanks Les.

It's just a cheap digital radio speaker built in I bought it as it screws under the kitchen unit looks tidy and out the way. So if I go to maples and get say a 2 ohm resistor or 1 ohm? And cut the speaker wire ( at a guess it'll have a red and a black wire going to it) so I cut the red wire and put it in line? Am I right in interpreting it like that? Cheers

 

[RadioRon]

If you want to lower the sound level a lot we have to think about the fact that the ear's sensitivity is logarithmic. So, for example, if you want to drop the volume a lot, perhaps a 15 dB reduction is appropriate. Assuming the internal speaker is rated at 3 ohms, and assuming you put a 3 ohm resistor in parallel as recommended, then an appropriate series resistor would be 6.8 ohms. This would drop the voltage to the speaker by a factor of .18, which is about -15 dB. If you don't bother with the 3 ohm resistor in parallel with the speaker, than the series resistor should be increased to 15 or 18 ohms to get the same reduction in volume of 15 dB.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

You probably need a MUCH higher value than you imagine.

About a year before our daughter was born my wife's niece had a baby girl (which came in handy for passing baby things down), and for her first birthday or so we bought her a toy phone - pressing buttons 1 to 9 played different notes, and pressing 0 played a tune. They cursed us something rotten, as it was REALLY loud

Anyway, along comes our daughter, first birthday they bought her EXACTLY the same phone

Needless to say I took it to pieces and fitted a resistor in series with the speaker, I can't remember the value (it's 24 years ago) but I remember I put one in FAR larger than I imagined was required (perhaps 470 ohms?), and it was still annoying loud.

So a range of resistors to try might be an idea?.

 

[matthew davies]

many thanks for the reply. im going to maplins later so ill get a range of rezisitors and seewhat I can do. thanks for the help much apprecizted.

 

[@Patter-potter]

Hi Matthew, I have the same problem with our radio at work. Volume 1 is just too loud. What was your solution in the end?

 

[cowboybob]

Welcome to ETO, @Patter-potter!

Unlikely that MD will respond (note "Joined" date and that only 3 messages total history, all for this thread).

Since you do not indicate what radio you have (which is somewhat irrelevant), best to just follow the suggestions already posted.

 

[audioguru]

A resistor in series with a speaker allows the speaker to resonate which produces a "boomy" sound something like a bongo drum.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

A resistor in series with a speaker allows the speaker to resonate which produces a "boomy" sound something like a bongo drum.

And will made sod all difference to a cheap radio speaker.

 

[ci139]

(c) negative feedback to internal audio chip . . . . might be not doable (if for instance the phase shift in between physical I/O of chip is too lengty)
(b) the speakers - no matter they are the same ohmic impedance - have different sensitivities -- e.g. the permanent magnet may differ -- thus the same input power produces lesser output audio power on less sensitive speakers (you need someone who knows this stuff to pick the "right" speakers for you)
(a) if your radio has a LINE OUT or PHONES OUT - the best thing to do is to buy an appropriate audio amp which enables to adjust the volume (some PC set)

. . . buy a new radio (or listen online)