On Tue, 23 May 2006 12:06:42 +0100, "Keith G"
wrote:


"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...
Andy Evans wrote:
As to audio quality, a conductive plastic pot will have zero effect on
audio quality.

Here's another view from Allen Wright (designs amps)
"Vishay cermet are good. One of the biggest con acts has been the
pushing of conductive plastic pots to the audio industry. I don't care
what the brand is - if they make a CP and a cermet (or even a quality
carbon) then my experience is that the cermet KILLS the CP for sonic
quality. The VISHAY cerment (made by their french wing Sfernice))
sounds. like two good fixed resistors, the identical looking CP sounds
like ****! Allen

Oh dear someone else who thinks resistors have a sound.

A pot, whether cermet, conductive plastic, carbon or whatever is a pure
resistance (discounting irrelevant tiny amounts of capacitance and
inductance- wirewound pots excepted) and consequently are linear to the
limits of measurement. Therefore how any pot can be better than another
for sonic qualities is beyond me. Pots vary in the accuracy of their law,
the noise made when being altered, tracking on stereo, how long they last
before track wear is evident etc. Sonic differences are just not there.


Interesting that you are never challenged here, Serge. You wouldn't have to
wander far from this group to find a lot people who quite strongly believe
that all components (resistors, caps, pots &c.) can influence the sound from
audio kit.

Indeed so, but that doesn't mean they know in any way shape or form,
what they're talking about! :-) Vide the notorious Andy Evans...

I have no real knowledge and very little experience, so no strong
views - I always say I think it's possible (even likely) different
components will 'sound different', but is it really *hearable*...???

If it's hearable, then they sound different. IME, they don't. Yes, I
have a £250 pot in my passive controller, but I won't be buying
another one, nor would I recommend it to anyone else! It does *feel*
very smooth in operation, however. :-)
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering