Follow up on the sound of Pots.

Posted by tubesforever (M) on October 4, 2005 at 15:41:08

So on my Precision Fidelity C7 preamp, the manufacturer had used a pair of ALPS Black Beauty potentiometers. (Right and Left channels are independently controlled like a lot of high end gear from the 80's.

One of my buddies had let me know that better pots are now available, and recommended I do some research.

Most of the diy crowd recommends the Vishay/Dale stepped volume controls. At 150 dollars or so I wanted to make sure a change was necessary. So I purchased a PEC carbon pot and a "no name" cermet pot.

The cermet pot has delicious sound. It completely removed a layer of grit and grain that was spoiling femal vocalists. I do not exactly know why, but the sound continued to improve during my 4 hours of listening. Why I have no idea. Do resistance items like a cermet pot need break in?

Now I am excited to try the Vishay/Dale volume controls. Does anyone know of an inexpensive source for these?

By the way the cermet pots were 10 bucks each. And the Black Beauty Pots routinely sell for 40-45 bucks each when you can find them. The cermet sound light years better in my circuit.

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Topic - Follow up on the sound of Pots. - tubesforever 15:41:08 10/04/05 (20)

Re: Follow up on the sound of Pots. - Barend Hendriksen 02:02:58 10/07/05 (0)

diy stepped attenuators - docktorbombay 14:52:09 10/05/05 (0)

on the sound of Pots. - Bare 12:28:30 10/05/05 (5)

Re: on the sound of Pots. - Steve Eddy 19:52:30 10/05/05 (4)

yeah .. an inconsistent.... - Bare 12:15:13 10/07/05 (3)

Re: yeah .. an inconsistent.... - Steve Eddy 19:13:28 10/07/05 (2)

Steve do you know how cermet pots are built? - tubesforever 16:19:15 10/08/05 (1)

Re: Steve do you know how cermet pots are built? - Steve Eddy 18:42:16 10/08/05 (0)

No-name cermet pots. - Poindexter 08:25:21 10/05/05 (6)

Re: No-name cermet pots. - tubesforever 09:02:43 10/05/05 (5)

Not exactly no-name. - Steve Eddy 12:02:07 10/05/05 (3)

Wow! - Poindexter 07:34:56 10/09/05 (1)

Re: Wow! - Steve Eddy 09:37:21 10/09/05 (0)

Thanks Steve! and here is some additional information. - tubesforever 12:14:05 10/05/05 (0)

Re: No-name cermet pots. - Poindexter 09:47:10 10/05/05 (0)

Black Alps Pots - Panelhead 03:07:02 10/05/05 (2)

Re: Black Alps Pots - tubesforever 09:06:14 10/05/05 (1)

Check Size - Panelhead 15:40:22 10/05/05 (0)

Re: Follow up on the sound of Pots. - Steve Eddy 16:11:21 10/04/05 (1)

I guess I lose this lottery.... - tubesforever 23:59:13 10/04/05 (0)

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