Electronics > Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff
Audio potentiometer replacement
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drummerdimitri:
I would like to switch out the potentiometer on my headphone amplifier as it is scratchy and doesn't have good channel balance at low volumes.

Here is the one I currently have installed which is the same as the original one which has been replaced for the same reason  :palm:

https://bit.ly/3dbzldq

I would like to switch to something better quality and maybe even get a stepped attenuator but I am not much of a fan of those as sometimes the lack of steps makes it hard to find just the right volume.

I know ALPS make a 900$ one just for audio but that's more than the cost of the amp (800$). Would like something more robust and high quality.

What do you recommend?
themadhippy:
if you want the best ,penny and giles
https://www.cw-industrialgroup.com/Products/Legacy-Products/Faders/Rotary-Fader-RF15

drummerdimitri:

--- Quote from: themadhippy on May 04, 2020, 09:54:28 pm ---if you want the best ,penny and giles
https://www.cw-industrialgroup.com/Products/Legacy-Products/Faders/Rotary-Fader-RF15

--- End quote ---

Those are like 600$ new  :--

I need something reasonably priced (100$ or less) as the whole unit is 800$ so any more than that is quite a ridiculous amount to spend on a pot for such hardware.
John B:
Bourns makes some conductive plastic pots. I think there's audio spec ones, ie log taper, dual gang. Dual gang ones were more in the $20-30 range. Down to availability and demand I guess.
sam[PS]:
If you have more time than money and/or taste for diy electronic project, you may consider replacing the audio pot by LDR and use a 20cts generic pot as a control to a dimer for the LED's lighting the LDR. This method has made it's proof for audio circuit, it works very well, just it's not a drop in replacement part, you'll need to get your hands in it.

Another well proofed method is to use a quality rotary switch and fixed resistors array. That's probably what's inside the 600$ gizmos that have been shown in previous post. That's also how the early REDD fader found in abbey road where made. That could probably be made for few 10's$. I've made some test that showed that for most mere mortal 16 position is enought, 32 is good and 64 is much more precise than what they could get with an analog pot. 

Just my 2cts...
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