Potentiometers with detents

[RuudNL]

I am looking for a couple of 10 K.ohm linear potentiometers (16 mm) with 21 detents.
Front mounted with connections for PCB mounting. (Like in the attachment.)
Any suggestions?

 

[gyraf]

21 is rare. You can get 41-version from Monacor

/Jakob E.

 

[mjrippe]

I will skip my rant about detented pots and just say that omeg.co.uk make a 31 detent, perhaps they do a 21?

 

[RuudNL]

Interesting. I will check this!

To be honest: I am not a real fan of stepped pots (I always end with a setting between two 'clicks'  ),
but somebody wants me to design a piece of equipment with repeatable settings.
And switches take too much space and are expensive...

 

[jensenmann]

The german distributor alphastat.de offers different detented pots. They do custom orders, too.
OTOH, have you seen these: https://www.ebay.de/itm/DAC-T-Type-SMD-Stepped-Attenuator-21-step-volume-control-50k-Potentiometer-HIFI/133569197983?hash=item1f1958379f:g:fDYAAOSw96Fc0QOZ

 

[mjrippe]

The german distributor alphastat.de offers different detented pots. They do custom orders, too.
OTOH, have you seen these: https://www.ebay.de/itm/DAC-T-Type-SMD-Stepped-Attenuator-21-step-volume-control-50k-Potentiometer-HIFI/133569197983?hash=item1f1958379f:g:fDYAAOSw96Fc0QOZ

I was just coming here to point those out.  I was so busy holding back my ranting that I forgot them in my first reply    A friend used a pair in a project and they work great, plus waaaaay more accurate than detented pots.

 

[RuudNL]

The ebay ones look nice, but: they are dual ('stereo') and 'Audio Log Type'.
I need single ones and Linear...

 

[mjrippe]

Well, here are linear ones:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Linear-B-Type-10K-21-Stepped-Attenuator-Potentiometer-Hi-Fi-Grade/202706147511?hash=item2f323a58b7:g:VbgAAOSwpGFZ4gXf

But they are still dual/stereo, AND the price is higher than the log taper ones.  So, back to Omeg?  Does the client actually require 21 steps or are they seeing that number used somewhere and parroting it? 

 

[RuudNL]

I think the easiest solution is to talk it out of his head... 
(Everybody nowadays seems to want 'stepped controls' so they can reproduce a setting, but in practice they will never use it as such...)

 

[warpie]

(Everybody nowadays seems to want 'stepped controls' so they can reproduce a setting, but in practice they will never use it as such...)

Exactly! Apparently it's the new trend...  :

 

[gyraf]

edit: not relevant

 

[analogguru]

I think the easiest solution is to talk it out of his head... 
(Everybody nowadays seems to want 'stepped controls' so they can reproduce a setting, but in practice they will never use it as such...)

Tell them, that Behringer has stepped controls since more than 25 years and afterwards they will stop to want them. 
BTW, a good source for 41 detent potentiometers...

 

[mjrippe]

*sigh* Here we go. 

The main issue I have with detented pots is that in the client's brain detented pot == multi-position switch with discrete resistors.  We all know that should say =/=. 

Even if they understand that, they will be confused when the same setting on two "identical" units does not give the same results.  We tell them that pots are ~20% tolerance parts at best, but that does no good.  "I set the input on both of my Cronkulators at 7 clicks and one cronks 3.2dB and the other 3.5dB"  (These clients also tend to think that fractions of a dB are very important).

*In my experience* detented pots are simply not worth the frustration.

 

[ruffrecords]

I cannot find it right now but I am sure I have seen an add on detent unit that fits onto regular pots.

Cheers

Ian

 

[RuudNL]

I cannot find it right now but I am sure I have seen an add on detent unit that fits onto regular pots.

That sound very interesting!

 

[Tubetec]

Im not so sure about that , it sounds a bit like ribbed condoms for 'her'  pleasure  ;D
I did repurpose some 100k's off a behringer ,41 detent , its repeatable but like Ruud said but you might not have the level of precision you need .

 

[ruffrecords]

That sound very interesting!

This is not what I was thinking of but it may do the job anyway:

http://www.ehcknobs.com/pdfs/catalog/InstrConsp43.pdf

I found it on this old GS thread:

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/geekslutz-forum/640647-adding-detents-pot-anything-like-exist.html

where Eve Anna Manley also says you can buy their own detented knob from their spares dept.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Script]

repurpose some 100k's off a behringer ,41 detent , its repeatable but like Ruud said but you might not have the level of precision you need .

Plus, even dialling in the same click position CW and CCW on those pots might not necessarily yield the 'exact same' value every time. Maybe wear and ageing or...

However, depending on area of application, all this might not matter to a client, even when knowing about and understanding it.