Different potentiometer recommendations please.

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FullRangeMan

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Re: Different potentiometer recommendations please.
« Reply #20 on: 4 Jan 2017, 10:17 am »
Alright so here it is straight from S-5 Electronics:

Cole,
   It is linear, it is a standard stereo pot layout.
If you plan on moving the pot away from the pcb - use shielded wires or twist them to reduce the possibility of picking up oscillation or noise.

Larry
S-5 Electronics

Might be a dumb question but, what is a "standard" stereo pot layout? Is this basically what those alps pots would be? Never know if I don't ask.
what is a "standard" stereo pot layout?
It refer to the amp wiring solder layout in the volume pot.

srb

Re: Different potentiometer recommendations please.
« Reply #21 on: 4 Jan 2017, 02:54 pm »
Linear taper pots have their place in audio for linear functions - crossover frequency, variable phase, bias, circuit voltage adjustments (trim pots), etc.

Many guitar volume pots are linear as they're often used as "trim" pots in front of an amplifier volume control and often run at 100%, but it's somewhat rarer to see a linear pot volume control on a stereo preamplifier or integrated amplifier.

On the other hand, with the current trend of (often too) high total gain from preamplifier + power amplifier stages many people end up with such limited usable volume control range that perhaps a linear taper pot can help with this?

Steve

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dukecv

Re: Different potentiometer recommendations please.
« Reply #23 on: 14 Jan 2017, 04:16 am »
New pot wired up currently. Just got an alps blue off parts express for 14 dollars. Personal preference in dollars:improvement ratio. Sound is even in both speakers, as I had hoped. Somehow I developed a hum now. I'm pretty sure it wasn't there before but who knows. Sound is a little cleaner, but most of all, even between the two speakers and much more useable now.

craig sawyers

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Re: Different potentiometer recommendations please.
« Reply #24 on: 14 Jan 2017, 11:54 am »
The resistor between wiper and ground of a linear pot to make it more logarithmic is called "law faking". In general a resistor from wiper to ground of about a tenth the value of the pot seems to work well.

The only gotcha is that the resistance looking in changes from the pot resistance (say 100k) at minimum volume to about a tenth that at maximum volume (say 10k), and values in between at intermediate volume settings.

I.Greyhound Fan

Re: Different potentiometer recommendations please.
« Reply #25 on: 14 Jan 2017, 11:45 pm »
New pot wired up currently. Just got an alps blue off parts express for 14 dollars. Personal preference in dollars:improvement ratio. Sound is even in both speakers, as I had hoped. Somehow I developed a hum now. I'm pretty sure it wasn't there before but who knows. Sound is a little cleaner, but most of all, even between the two speakers and much more useable now.

Did you twist the wires to the volume pot?  If not, try twisting them and see if the hum resolves.  You could also try some copper tape around the wires.  The pot may also be bad.  I had a bad Blue Alps that hummed.  Is the hum coming from both channels, if not it could be a bad tube. Rule out other causes like ground loops before blaming the pot.  If you have a 3 pin cheater plug adapter, don't hook up the ground wire and see if the hum resolves.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Polarized-Grounding-Adapter-Plug-Gray-58900/203744887?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cTHD%7cG%7c0%7cG-BASE-PLA-D27E-Electrical%7c&gclid=CjwKEAiAtefDBRDTnbDnvM735xISJABlvGOvq_wl9XVyuqN7RJnwv8-AbGJXjq5otwPYxotcf3CSgxoCgNXw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Otherwise, how does the preamp sound?

dukecv

Re: Different potentiometer recommendations please.
« Reply #26 on: 5 Feb 2017, 10:38 pm »
So just an update on the alps pot. I moved the amp downstairs with my Omegas and I really enjoy this combination a lot. I'm just using some 12ga zip cord with cheap banana plugs, and my schiit modi. Some would probably think this amp is a waste with such great speakers, but I'm always open to someone giving me a better amp. Ha. Now just in search of a budget enclosure so put this amp in.....

adydula

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Re: Different potentiometer recommendations please.
« Reply #27 on: 13 Jan 2019, 05:08 pm »
There are many posts about fake ALPS pots out there....most are with the solder lugs....the real ones have tabs as far as I know..

I recently bought a 100K audio taper from Parts Express for $14 and installed as volume pot in my Bottlehead Crack HP amp to resolve the original pots
mistracking on low settings.

Pot looks great to me and I bout a 99 cent RK27 PCB off Ebay that allows you to mount the pot and solder in and outs easily.

Tracking on the low end is as perfect as it gets for my ears...definitley better than the original.

Alex

OzarkTom

Re: Different potentiometer recommendations please.
« Reply #28 on: 13 Jan 2019, 08:57 pm »
Try one of these Alex. I am now a firm believer of the SQ of the Dact Type vs. the Alps. The alps is off balanced at very low levels. $11.40  plus shipping.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SMD-Dact-type-Stepped-attenuator-Passive-Preamplifier/192132688811?hash=item2cbc002bab:g:FI8AAOxySE9Q50ON:rk:7:pf:0