wirewound pots in the audio path

[Toby Paddock]

I only meant it may be an issue if you are 
adjusting it WHILE you're listening to it.
I could hear noise even in the little 
cheese-dog setup I was using.
--Toby

Bill Layer said (and I believe him):

Wirewound pots in the audiopath are fine, just as are wirewound resistors.
Cost aside, wirewounds acually have some major advantages over other styles
of parts. 

1) Ultimate stability compared to other conventional types (carbon film,
carbon comp, metal film etc). A wirewound literally needs to sustain damage
to cause an alteration in value. 

2) High available power ratings. It's hard to find a wirewound under 5
watts. For those of us with tube circuits, this is a plus, as 450Volts
mis-directed can create pretty serious dissipation... nice to have a part
that will tolerate a goof-up. Also, the lower current density means a
quieter part.

3) Low or near zero inductance (in sub-RF) on parts so designed.

4) Very, very low self noise (quantum level). This makes for a quieter
parts, quieter circuits and hence, lower noise and distortion.


That's all.


Bill Layer
Sales Technician
<b.layer at vikingelectronics.com>

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