[sdiy] How to choose pots?

[Tom Arnold]

On Sun, May 14, 2006 at 01:17:59AM -0700, Iain Duncan wrote:
> Wondering if anyone has good guidelines on how to choose pots, both
> linear and log, for home projects. I look online and see price ranges
> all over the place, I have no idea how to choose! Naturally I wan't
> stuff that will be controlling music to work properly and last. Any
> opinions on minimum quality?

Personally I use the 16mm Alpha pots.  Why those?  Their small, they're very
inexpensive, and they have a very nice feel.  When I go boardmount I use the
Panasonic pots.  

When I feel like spending more then $1.50/pot, I go with the Bourns or
Spectrol plastic pots.  They're built like tanks and they'll probably
outlive you and I, but you do pay for this.  The Omeg pots are nice, I've
used them on Oakley kits, but they worry me a little esp how they leak
lubricant down the shaft.

> Specifically I am looking for 10k linear control pots for controller
> hardware and interfaces. I am in Canada, so Digikey is good.

Mouser and Jameco sell the Alpha pots as well as Small Bear Electronics, and
in many case SmallBear has better pricing then Mouser or Jameco if you buy
enough parts.  Also he's got some specialty pots like reverse log.

I took pictures of the 16mm alpha pots as well as the panasonic and a Bourns
Series 91.
http://www.sdiy.org/xyzzy/parts/


-- 
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 - Tom Arnold       -  Free Synth DIY webspace http://www.sdiy.org 
 - SynthGeek        -
 - BBD Fanatic      -  "...is it a virus, a drug, or a religion?" 
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