I have built simple passive volume control for my hk citation ii using for my radio shack 100k stereo pot 3.50 $ or so,it worked surprisingly well and sounded great,last night changed it to alps blue velvet i bought from angela instruments,it sounds ok but is kinda muffled and lifeless,not as open and dynamic as rs pot,any opinions on that subject,alps suppose to sound better
alps blue velvet
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jaymanaa
RIP 1961-2018
The radio shak alps are fabulous, and they are cheap enough to buy plenty, then hand pick the good tracking ones.
ferninando
Lunatic Member
RS/alps pots no longer listed at RS.
jaymanaa
RIP 1961-2018
This is what I'm talking about, if you can make out ALPs in the photo. They also carry this little black plastic pot (by Alpha) that has a great feel to it and push on/off as well.
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ferninando
Lunatic Member
there are some issues with the newest pots.(read the reviews) like all metric, no longer 1/4" or 3/8" so dont fit in all uses. just be forwarned but if they work in your appl thats good. I want to see one before buying.
jaymanaa
RIP 1961-2018
I think they are mostly good for homebrew stuff. They keep them in the little parts drawers at my RS. I think it was Pakprotector that did a thread on them a few years back. The real appeal to me was not so much how they passed a signal, but the fact that they were cheap enough that you could buy plenty and pick out good tracking ones. Most designs I use that have volume control capabilities use the Haller circuit, so the signal doesn't go through the pot on it's way to the amp. In this case, accurate tracking and feel are the most important issues.
michaelhigh
mind's eye music
My Zen Triode Select uses one, and it sounds fine, as does the Decware. I don't see much on here about the Zen Triode Select, I love mine!
ferninando
Lunatic Member
Its just they mite not fit physically in all apps.
If they fit for a replacement then alls well.
If they fit for a replacement then alls well.
Audioexcels
Active Member
So is the Alpha or the Alps the better pot and any thoughts on these vs. electronic/remote control based ones?
I think it would be great to have a little thread of sleeper knobs that do as well or at least close enough to the pricey ones out there. Or if not possible, at least have a thread stating why one can expect better from the more expensive stuff out there.
I think it would be great to have a little thread of sleeper knobs that do as well or at least close enough to the pricey ones out there. Or if not possible, at least have a thread stating why one can expect better from the more expensive stuff out there.
TerryO
Super Member
Yes, it's better than the Blue Velvet, but no longer made.
I guess it depends on the application.
I used the Blue Velvet as a replacement for one of the Radio Shack/Alps pots, in my last 6L6 Magnavox conversion integrated amp. The Blue Velvet (100K) just KILLED the RS pot. Not only did it track better, but the sound was cleaner. Imaging was MUCH improved, probably mostly due to the fact that the two channels tracked so close to each other in level now...
I also recently put the same pot in as an upgrade to my "10-5" amp, I built about 5 years ago. Same result. Better imaging, better balance. It was replacing a standard CTS pot...
Of course, there may be something to be said about the pot being used on the OUTPUT of the line stage tube. I run my input straight into the tube, THEN use the volume control to attenuate the output of the preamp stage, before sending it into the power amp stage. So, the pot is driven from a relatively-low-impedance source (the output impedance of the 12BH7/6CG7/12AU7 tubes I use is somewhere in the 5K range, the way I use them). That could be the difference between my results, and what others have heard, in terms of sonic balance.
BTW: I've recently bought a half dozen of the RS 100K pots- from different RS stores- and unfortunately, I haven't found a SINGLE ONE that TRULY tracks well, all the way down. With most of the amps I build finding their homes with relatively efficient speakers (91dB and higher), this is a real problem. I've about given up using those...
Regards,
Gordon.
I used the Blue Velvet as a replacement for one of the Radio Shack/Alps pots, in my last 6L6 Magnavox conversion integrated amp. The Blue Velvet (100K) just KILLED the RS pot. Not only did it track better, but the sound was cleaner. Imaging was MUCH improved, probably mostly due to the fact that the two channels tracked so close to each other in level now...
I also recently put the same pot in as an upgrade to my "10-5" amp, I built about 5 years ago. Same result. Better imaging, better balance. It was replacing a standard CTS pot...
Of course, there may be something to be said about the pot being used on the OUTPUT of the line stage tube. I run my input straight into the tube, THEN use the volume control to attenuate the output of the preamp stage, before sending it into the power amp stage. So, the pot is driven from a relatively-low-impedance source (the output impedance of the 12BH7/6CG7/12AU7 tubes I use is somewhere in the 5K range, the way I use them). That could be the difference between my results, and what others have heard, in terms of sonic balance.
BTW: I've recently bought a half dozen of the RS 100K pots- from different RS stores- and unfortunately, I haven't found a SINGLE ONE that TRULY tracks well, all the way down. With most of the amps I build finding their homes with relatively efficient speakers (91dB and higher), this is a real problem. I've about given up using those...
Regards,
Gordon.
ferninando
Lunatic Member
Would putting trim pots inline with each pot leg fix the channel imbalance problem.?
Unfortunately, the imbalance isn't consistent, as you go up and down on the volume. Most of them start with one channel "dropped out" at very low volume... and wind up with them relatively balanced, at the very top of the control range. If you optimize it for one volume level setting, then every OTHER level setting is mis-matched...
Regards,
Gordon.
That may well be due to stray capacitance in the pot structure.
That might be the reason why, by me feeding it from a pretty low driving impedance, it caused less "dulling" of the sound, than feeding it from a higher-impedance source. Capacitance has less effect, when driven by lower impedance sources.
IMHO, the dead-nuts-on tracking was worth it. I can make it sound 'balanced'...
Regards,
Gordon.
Yeah, I make sure I order mine from one of the "big boys", who is an actual Alps wholesaler/retailer. They'd get in all sorts of deep doo-doo, if they were caught with counterfeit stuff...
Ebay, etc... uh, I don't think I'll be buying any of 'em there. The lower cost just ain't worth the chance of getting a turd, on something that's as easy to fake as these...
Regards,
Gordon.