Possible group buy - 25k rev log CLAROSTAT pots

[tk@halmi]

[quote author="elco"]Is it possible to use a 10k rlog pot in the API circuit? http://www.electrovalue.co.uk/pdf/pot.pdf They have them here for £0.92 a piece.

Come to think of it, my Brent Averill 312's have 10k lin in them. Hmm..

Cheers,

elco[/quote]

Absolutely, yes, you can use a 10k rlog pot. You will get a 6dB reduction in the gain range. So you may start around 36dB instead of 30dB when your gain knob is fully turned to the left. Might have to use the pad more often, but that is about it.

Getting cheap parts cheap is good DIY. However, this possible group buy is about getting something nice that works well and something that lasts for a long time.

Cheers,
Tamas

 

[orson whitfield]

I will build two API's so I need however many pots I need for the two. I'm in.

 

[laitue5]

ok, i'm ready to buy 10

 

[Flatpicker]

[quote author="elco"]Is it possible to use a 10k rlog pot in the API circuit? http://www.electrovalue.co.uk/pdf/pot.pdf They have them here for £0.92 a piece...[/quote]John Hardy used to sell them for, seems like ~$10 - $11 ea. Don't know if he still does, though.

 

[CJ]

While were at it, anyone interested in a 2.5 k reverse ? aka Pultec MEQ
cj

 

[Scenaria]

yes

 

[tony dB]

me too

 

[Flatpicker]

[quote author="Flatpicker"]John Hardy used to sell them for, seems like ~$10 - $11 ea. Don't know if he still does, though.[/quote]I'm wrong. JH sells a dual 10k/500 or 1k/1k Reverse Audio Pot for $20.

 

[Plexibreath]

I'm thinking of going back to the 12 position stepped attenuator set at 3db steps. I know Grayhill makes the right angle ones, but their website doesn't list them, anyone know?
Kelley

 

[tk@halmi]

Most likely I will risk ordering 100 pieces of this sometime in July.
I will post it in the Black Market section when they arrive. I will take PayPal and Money Order.

Tamas

 

[adrianh]

Dave and Neal;
Throwing stones in my glass house.

Do you have any idea what quality pots or strepped switches cost?
$11 for the pot is a fair price I dare you to do better.
If you are lucky to find a vendor still making it and you tell them you need a few they will hang up the phone on you.

The Grayhill type stepped switched cost $36 ballpark. You need
make before break (special order) so when you switch gain the
gain resistors circuit are not (broken) and the unit goes to full gain and starts to oscillate as the switch goes from position to position. Your monitor tweeters wll thank you and stay in their cabinets

The Alpha's and not even in the same league as the clarostat pots.
Next time listen to a cheap pot and an expensive pot there is a difference.
In my circuits I do not plan to scrimp on audio quality if I can help it.

Off my soap box.

Yes I would get some of the pots. I am unsure of quanity now.

 

[Flatpicker]

[quote author="Plexibreath"]I'm thinking of going back to the 12 position stepped attenuator set at 3db steps. I know Grayhill makes the right angle ones...[/quote]Like Adrian said, the Grayhill "shorting" types are expensive. I have only found two inexpensive alternatives: CTS swithes from Digi-Key (CT2124-ND 11 position, pc mount, $8.23; CT2122-ND 11 position, solder mount, $7.59) or the Lorins from Mouser ($2.57).

 

[soundguy]

what do those CTS switches feel like? Im used to the grayhill switches and those lorlins, while a great value, really have a cheap and not very positive action.

Ive used the nonshorting grayhills on all my shit and just deal with the blast of oscillation... A good group order would be a mass of two deck shorting grayhills, but that woudl still be expensive even if we got lots of them. those switches are compltetely awesome though.

dave

 

[neilium]

Adrianh,

I was merely offering suggestions. No casting of stones involved.

I've listened to lots of pots in lots of places. I prefer stepped attenuators whenever possible. I don't mind the added labor. Grayhills are nice, but CTS switches are ok, too.

If I can't use a stepped attenuator, then I am pretty much at the mercy of the manufacturers and have to work with what I can find in the Mouser/Newark/DigiKey catalog. That's when those fake law resistors come in handy.

-neil

 

[jrmintz]

what do those CTS switches feel like?

I'm sitting here switching one, and it feels good to me. I have some Grayhills in another piece of gear and they feel pretty much the same to me. They're both positive and tight, not cheesy like the Lorlins.

 

[tommytones]

I second that. I have some cts switches here and they're far from the lorlins. Feel quite good...solid.

 

[Flatpicker]

The only thing about the CTS at Digi-Key is that the ?shorting? ones are only 11 position. They make 12 position ones, but I can?t find anyone that carries them. I may call them and see what the minimum order for a batch is. Might be good group order.

 

[NewYorkDave]

Everyone disses the Alphas because they're cheap. True enough, but I have some guitar amps that I built with Alphas that are still working fine after over ten years exposed to loads of cigarette smoke (mostly mine), damp basements, etc. All carbon-track pots get noisy eventually; that's why they sell DeOxit :wink:

The Alphas have a nice "damped" feel that I actually prefer over some more expensive pots. For about a buck apiece, I've never been unhappy with them.

I can see the point of using expensive pots on a premium piece of gear, but most of what I build is little ghetto experimental stuff, and some of my projects use a lot of pots (ten or more). So yes, for most of the stuff I do, I don't want to spend $11 for a pot. If I was building a preamp that only needed two pots, the price wouldn't bother me as much.

 

[Guest]

Not to take away from Tamas' effort, but getting Alphas would be way cheaper. Only 75 cents apiece. There is a catch however... Min. order 1000 pcs.

Here's what I got back from my man Steve Daniels at www.smallbearelec.com

Getting these made for commercial customers is very much part of what I usually do. Alpha will make pretty much anything you want. Minimum order 1,000 pieces, delivery 12 weeks, price about $ .75 each for the usual 16mm or 24mm single-gang types on my stock list.

Cheers,

elco

 

[fallout]

The Grayhill 56 Series 12 position rotary switches 'shorting type', arent that expensive.. I was quoted$ 10.50 a piece,.. No minimum quantity, from Allied Elec.. 6 Week Lead time though! :evil:

-Jay