| Multi-Gang Audio Potentiometer Source [message #328008] |
Wed, 26 March 2008 20:55  |
 garyvee
Messages: 2
Registered: September 2007 |
Welcome |
|
|
I have tried the usual places like DigiKey and Mouser but haven't had much luck finding a source for muti-gang potentiometers. I'm particularly interested in 4-gang pots with close tolerance specifications for balanced stereo applications. I would also prefer rotary pots. Thanks for any help.
Gary V
|
|
|
| Re: Multi-Gang Audio Potentiometer Source [message #328013 is a reply to message #328008 ] |
Wed, 26 March 2008 21:21  |
ssltech
Messages: 1763
Registered: May 2004
Location: Florida (previously UK) |
Platinum Member |
|
|
"Close tolerance" tends to go out the window a little for log and reverse log, but 4-gang pots... Clarostat and Sfernice... but possibly custom order... how deep are your pockets? ALPS might be your only realistic bet.
It might help us out just a little if we had a clue where you are though.
Keith
| MDM (maxdimario) wrote on Fri, 16 November 2007 21:36 |
I have the feeling that I have more experience in my little finger than you do in your whole body about audio electronics..
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Multi-Gang Audio Potentiometer Source [message #328053 is a reply to message #328008 ] |
Wed, 26 March 2008 23:22 |
John Monforte
Messages: 167
Registered: January 2005
Location: Miami FL USA |
Active Member |
|
|
If stepped attenuators work for you, there is an outfit called Danish Audio Connect that will build them to your spec. Tolerances of 1% at all positions.
Beware of attenuating balanced signals with conventional potentiometers, especially audio taper ones. It'll toss your CMRR out the window. Historically that job is done with loaded linear taper networks. Companies like Daven made those, but that was in the 1960's. You could build them yourself with linear pots and resistors, but they are lossy and load things in an unusual way.
I guess what I'm saying is I gotta know your application better.
|
|
|
|
| Re: Multi-Gang Audio Potentiometer Source [message #328117 is a reply to message #328008 ] |
Thu, 27 March 2008 07:30 |
JGreenslade
Messages: 747
Registered: April 2004
Location: UK |
Gold Member |
|
|
You can get one-off Claro, or AB 'modpots' (I believe the modpots are made from NOS parts) at State Electronics, NY - and pay via credit card.
IIRC, they have a setup charge of $65 or so. Modpots go up to 6 gangs...(not cheap!) Claro 388 up to 4, maybe more.
www.potentiometer.com
Justin
Audio is a vocational affliction
"there is no "homeopathic" effect in bits and bytes." - HansP
|
|
|
|
| Re: Multi-Gang Audio Potentiometer Source [message #328141 is a reply to message #328008 ] |
Thu, 27 March 2008 09:09 |
drknob
Messages: 38
Registered: February 2005
Location: Montreal, QC |
Member |
|
|
If you have the cash, the P&G can't be beat. Be aware that even the best potentiometer will have inter-channel tracking errors, usually a few dB.
I recommend Elma stepped attenuators. You can get them pre-loaded with SMT resistors for less than half the price of P&G. I put one in my old Quad33 and it's excellent.
http://www.elma.com/Americas/English/Products/SwitchesKnobsL EDs_4/AudioSwitches_50.aspx
It's not clear to me whether the Elmas are available in multi-deck versions.
Harold Kilianski
CIRMMT, McGill University
|
|
|
| Re: Multi-Gang Audio Potentiometer Source [message #328156 is a reply to message #328141 ] |
Thu, 27 March 2008 09:50 |
JGreenslade
Messages: 747
Registered: April 2004
Location: UK |
Gold Member |
|
|
I have a P+G RF15 in my monitoring preamp. The tracking error averages somewhere around 0.1-0.15dB - and never exceeds 0.2dB @ any position. RF15s typically outperform their quoted tolerance by a margin. The pot I use is 10K btw. The RF15 is the best pot you can buy to my knowledge, and I was truly shocked to see how tight channel-matching is.
Justin
Audio is a vocational affliction
"there is no "homeopathic" effect in bits and bytes." - HansP
|
|
|
| Re: Multi-Gang Audio Potentiometer Source [message #328165 is a reply to message #328156 ] |
Thu, 27 March 2008 10:14 |
drknob
Messages: 38
Registered: February 2005
Location: Montreal, QC |
Member |
|
|
Don't want to nit-pick on the tracking error issue, but the tracking error will vary depending on the angle of rotation. At O'Henry, we installed one RF15 and two RF11 pots in our custom console. After some very heavy use, both RF11s developed tracking issues and had to be replaced. The RF15 lasted longer than I did, but never had inter-channel tracking worse than .5dB in the 'sweet spot'. YMMV.
Harold Kilianski
CIRMMT, McGill University
|
|
|
| Re: Multi-Gang Audio Potentiometer Source [message #328276 is a reply to message #328008 ] |
Thu, 27 March 2008 13:54 |
JGreenslade
Messages: 747
Registered: April 2004
Location: UK |
Gold Member |
|
|
Admittedly, I haven't gone to the effort of connecting the pot to a logging analyser and generating a curve, but on several occasions (I check the matching every few months), I have been unable to get worse than 0.2dB error between gangs in any position. It should be stressed that I checked this by nudging the pot from full L-R and measuring the A/B level every few mm - not scientific, but it'd be a heck of a coincidence if the tracking did vary in a position I hadn’t tried.
I suspect that, as this pot initially came from P+G as a sample, it may have been especially selected... I also have a Bourns model, which I know to vary quite a lot, but this particular *sample* that I requested has even better matching than the P+G (at the moment - it's a new pot - I doubt it'd maintain this level of matching after a few months' worth of use).
My suspicion is that samples may well be cherry-picked by OEMs, in which case my experience with the RF15 could be somewhat rose-tinted.
BTW - I've been to P+G's factory in Wales and it really is one of the most amazing facilities I have ever visited. The level of attention-to-detail is incredible, as is staff morale. I say this as someone who's worked in-and-out of manufacturing for 20 years and visited many plants.
Justin
Audio is a vocational affliction
"there is no "homeopathic" effect in bits and bytes." - HansP
|
|
|
| Re: Multi-Gang Audio Potentiometer Source [message #328986 is a reply to message #328008 ] |
Sat, 29 March 2008 21:19 |
 |
paully
Messages: 21
Registered: March 2007
Location: Northern New Jersey |
Member |
|
|
I know this is no help, but TRW used to make pots with bodies that could be stacked using a splined shaft to connect them. They just snapped together, and you could use as many decks as you needed! Felt like I lost a friend wnen they stopped producing that stuff.
BTW, not long ago I tried State Electronics for a 2-deck piece, and as I remember it like $150 minimum for one-off. Alps seems to have reasonable prices without minimum order.
Best, Paul
WADAYAKNOW.. For the first time in my life, I'm wrong again!
|
|
|
| Re: Multi-Gang Audio Potentiometer Source [message #329158 is a reply to message #328008 ] |
Sun, 30 March 2008 15:33 |
JGreenslade
Messages: 747
Registered: April 2004
Location: UK |
Gold Member |
|
|
Below is copied from an email from State last April. IIRC, it was for a 4-gang pot, 2 x 10k Log + 2 x 50 K Lin
Justin
| Quote: |
Hello Justin, This item would be 3 weeks delivery 10 pc $26.39ea plus $50.00 set-up charge 25pc $24.23ea 50pc $23.19ea
An EFT would be required before an order can be processed and I would need your UPS account for shipping expenses.
Thank you, Dave
David Reed
State Electronics Parts Corp.
36 Route 10
East Hanover, NJ 07936
|
Audio is a vocational affliction
"there is no "homeopathic" effect in bits and bytes." - HansP
|
|
|
Members
Search
FAQ
Register
Login
Home
