Turning the volume down on a 1986 Makin

[Holditch]

As the title suggests, does anyone know if the volume level can be turned down on a Makin analogue organ circa 1986. I have been asked by a friend if this is an internal adjustment? He has not specified a model number just an approximate year of manufacture

If any one can help or give pointers that would be great!

[Barry Williams]

It is probably best turned down to nil!

These machines can be adjusted.  Try Peter Flatau of Abinger Organs or, if he cannot help, Ron Coates.  If all else fails, try Hugh Banton.

Barry Williams

[dragonser]

It is probably best turned down to nil!

Barry Williams

Hi, that comment did make me laugh ! But that isn't meant to be a negative comment about Makin organs. I haven't seem a Makin organ so I can't comment on how to adjust the Volume or their quality.
is it the whole volume level that you want to change or the volume of say just the swell manual ?

I think that it also depends where the speakers for the Organ are placed.
in the early 1990's I saw one setup [ not in a Church ] where the speakers were very close to the Organ and this meant that when the Organ was loud enough for the people singing it was painfully loud for the organist.......
after moving the speakers things were much better !

regards Peter B

[Holditch]

The organ has been removed from a local church and is going into someones flat, so the general level is being asked to be turned down. I suppose they could stick to string and soft diapason stops for the time being, or stick a large 8 ohm resistor in series with the loudspeaker!

cheers
Marc

[David Pinnegar]

Hi!

If not a master external control there should be internal potentiometers inside which should be fairly obvious. Output amplifiers can usually be spotted very easily by the presence of heatsinks on output transistors or power amp ICs although certainly Johannus based power amp boards work in Class B very efficiently without the output transistors needing gross heatsinks.

Volume controls will certainly be near the power amps.

Best wishes

David P

[Colin Pykett]

Er, excuse me for mentioning the blindingly obvious, but have you tried Makin themselves?

Colin Pykett

[Holditch]

I think my friend wanted an instant answer, but considering they are local to us then, yes that would be the obvious answer!

cheers
Marc

[Barrie Davis]

Hi

I would try Hugh Banton as his knowledge of Makin analogues is great.

Barrie

[dragonser]

Hi,
but you do need to be careful as on some types of power amp the control on the actual power board will be a bias adjustment.
if this is adjusted wrongly then this can cause the amp to be damaged. [ and maybe go bang ].
it would certainly be worth trying to get hold of the info from Makin.


regards Peter B

Hi!

If not a master external control there should be internal potentiometers inside which should be fairly obvious. Output amplifiers can usually be spotted very easily by the presence of heatsinks on output transistors or power amp ICs although certainly Johannus based power amp boards work in Class B very efficiently without the output transistors needing gross heatsinks.

Volume controls will certainly be near the power amps.

Best wishes

David P

[David Pinnegar]

Hi,
but you do need to be careful as on some types of power amp the control on the actual power board will be a bias adjustment.

:-)

Um - yes - I thought about this but the difference between a preset and something to adjust might be indicated obviously by a knob and that's certainly the case on later Johannus boards

Anyway, well pointed out and certainly worth taking note of for the unwary . . .

Best wishes

David P