Proper Gain Structure

This is my second one and I'm using it in between my rack gear and my powered speakers (sort of a live rig in my studio). All the levels prior to the Level Pilot are "bouncing" to just the right gain points. I can then adjust the volume of my speakers with this single knob (speakers are turned all the way up). I can truly say that this results in a much better sound than adjusting the volume on some mid point in the signal chain. Also, it is great protection for my speakers. When the Level Pilot is all the way down, no program, pops, "mistakes" etc. make it through to the speakers!

Awesome

Excellant product. Works great

Always the best!

It's just great, nothing else to say here, it works!

like it very much

very useful ,i love it!!!!!!

The Best Preamp is No Preamp

On a whim I decided to give this a try, knowing that a system without extra gear in the chain can sound pretty good. What I got was a very solid little product, with ultra smooth and precise tracking. Its the perfect size and it has a nice non slip coating on the bottom that prevents any slipping on the table. Sound wise it sounds better than every $1K preamp I have tried in my system. These include some pretty well known Audiophile brands. You get nothing but clear sound, nothing added, nothing taken away....the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Like the saying goes. The Best Preamp is no Preamp...The Level Pilot proves it.

My best purchase of 2009

It does exactly what it says it does. It's big but unobtrusive, passive (no power needed), uncolored and dead quiet.

EVERY DAW owner needs one of these!

I am using a MOTU Traveler and this thing made it sound amazing! Huge change in the sound quality.

I know, I know it seems strange to add something to the signal chain and have an increase in sound quality, but here's why: Almost all DAW interfaces change volume in the digital domain. This means that anything less than 100% means you are actually loosing bit depth and the sound is suffering.

I have a B&W Nautilus monitoring system with a B&K Amp that doesn't have a volume control. The difference in quality between the MOTU unit controlling the volume in the digital domain to turning the Traveler all the way up and letting the Level Pilot do the attenuating is amazing. Bass, depth, clarity, soundstaging, everthing is better. I can even hear the difference in my cheapo speakers that I use to check mixes.

Construction of this is great. Function is tremendous and it feels and looks cool. It's quite heavy and doesn't slide at all on the desk.

Well done, TC Electronic.

And those of you with DAW interfaces which control volume in the digital domain, you need to hear the damage that does to your monitoring sound!

Great "little" product

If you use a D/A converter without built-in volume control, then, this is for you.
I use a RME ADI-2 AD/DA convertor going out to a Coleman Audio LS3 speaker selector. The RME has a stepped 3 position volume control at -10, +4 and +19 dB.
So it's always a battle trying to get the perfect listening level, but this TC Electronic Level Pilot has solved "ALL" of my volume control issues.

It's a little bigger than the size of a golf ball so it doesn't take up much space, and solidly built.
The touch reminds me of an Apogee Duet, it's has a nice weighted feel as you turn the knob, it's a Passive design so there's no alteration of your sound, cables and connectors are sturdy and are well labeled (Line In/Out - left/right) etc.

If you own an Apogee Rosetta, Lynx Aurora, RME ADI ......... This is just what the Doctor ordered !!!

Wonderful while it lasts

Been using this for just over 2 years (with maybe 6 months spread out where it was not being used full time) with an RME Fireface 400 and Dynaudio BM6's. Sounds flawlessly clean, I love the feel and weight of it. It's not shiny like in the pictures, but looks good all the same and is a perfect size. Small warning in case static build-up is an issue for you, it is a metal knob.

The trade-off for the great sound is that the analogue component will wear out over time. About 10 months into using it I started to hear dirty crackles in the left channel when I adjusted the levels. As time went on this got worse, but once set, there was no noise. At about 14 months the static had crept into both channels. Now at about 24 months in, the high frequencies in the left channel are cutting out during sustained play. Confirmed this via Google searches, as the reviewer above mentions too.

Have been trying to decide whether to replace this knob that I've liked so much, or get something else since I know it will wear out eventually (probably an annual purchase it seems.) Finally decided to get another for now, there just isn't anything passive like this at the price point, and the active controllers that are so appealing in their functionality do not sound so wonderfully transparent.

Works well, will probably need cables

There is one cable from the volume control itself, which splits into 4 XLR connectors near the end. On mine, the distance from the split to the XLR connectors is about 10 inches. For some reason when I was researching I couldn't find that distance specified anywhere. I could see that I would need cables to reach my audio interface, which is on the keyboard stand, but I had to use a spare mic cable to connect the left speaker. And my speakers are only the width of a large computer keyboard apart.

Once hooked up it's very nice - the feel is good, the sound quality is good, and it's way easier than grabbing the right knob out of 12 identical knobs when I want to change volume.

Great for 8-9 months

This is a great short term solution. I fell in love with this volume knob. Now 8-9 months later, it is making a lot of static noise as I adjust the volume. Do a google search on this and you will see that several people are reporting static after about 8-9 months of use with these. It's a shame, because everything else about this is absolutely awesome!

I use my TC Level Pilot every day all day long. So for those who aren't using them for a full time job, it might last a little over a year.