ACCESSORY
Inline Headphone Attenuator (Volume Pad)
Specifications
| Category | Adapter |
|---|---|
| Brand | Studio Reference |
| Material | Brass shell, low-noise thin-film resistor network |
| Sizes | -10dB, -20dB, -30dB |
| Use case | Reduce gain on high-sensitivity IEMs paired with desktop headphone amps. |
| Price (USD) | $29 |
Overview
Inline fixed-attenuation resistor pad for high-sensitivity IEMs paired with amplifiers that have too much gain at their lowest volume setting. Standard variants: −10 dB, −20 dB, −30 dB. Pi-network resistor topology preserves the source’s output impedance.
Solves a specific problem: very sensitive IEMs (~120 dB/V) on desktop amps designed for 300Ω headphones, where channel mismatch and noise dominate the bottom quarter of the volume range. The attenuator pushes the useful range into the middle of the volume pot.
Compatible with single-ended 3.5 mm and 6.35 mm jacks. For a balanced equivalent the attenuator must be matched across all four legs of the differential signal — see the modular plug section.