[sdiy] multi or single turn trimmers?

[Mattias Rickardsson]

On 28/06/07, Tim Parkhurst <tim.parkhurst at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 6/28/07, ceme at cox.net <ceme at cox.net> wrote:
>
> > For a VCO, is it better to use '25-turn' or 'single-turn' trimmers?
> > And in general, is one "better" for certain applications over the other?
>
> Generally you'll want to use multi-turn trimmers for precise
> adjustments like v/octave tracking, or other range / span /
> frequency-related controls. Single turn units are usually okay for
> things like PWM and waveform settings. It doesn't hurt to use
> multi-turn units for everything, but they're usually more expensive.

Yes, cost is an issue.

But multiturn trimmers can also be unpractical in some situations
where you don't need extreme precision and you finetune a parameter
with your ears. For instance, in triangle or sinewave shapers, it's
easy to turn it right if you can quickly compare very different
settings. It's harder if you need to turn a dozen turns - you simply
don't remember exactly what the monotonous sound was like 10 seconds
ago.

(This tip is borrowed from Jörgen Bergfors, and he knows.;)

/mr