replacing a pot in my pre
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Posted on Oct 23, 2009 04:00 am
Dematrix
http://www.reverbnation.com/2ndg
Member Since: Nov 27, 2007
I want to replace a gain pot in my mic pre, anyone got any ideas as to what sort of pot it might be?
i dont really have a clue, i guess i could open the unit and have a look, if there's no info stamped on the pot how could i find out?
this is all provided its easy enough to get out, and back in of course.
cheers.
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TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Oct 23, 2009 04:54 pm I think you'll have to either contact the company and request the info from them, or maybe you can luck out and find a schematic online somewhere. A schematic should show you the restance of the pot, which I believe is the only parameter you need to worry about other than physical size. Of course there's always physical resistance (not electrical resistance, as in Ohms, but physical resistance as in how easily the pot turns...some people like a stiff resistance, some people like an easy-to-turn knob, or you might want it detented so you can tell when its at unity gain, etc.).
Bottom line, I'd say call the company and either order a replacement through them or at least see if they can tell you the specs of a replacement pot.
What brand/make/model of preamp is it? And how are your soldering skills and equipment? If you're confident, then have at it. If you're at all tentative about it, take it to a tech. No sense in ruining a good piece of gear if you make a mistake. Just some food for thought :)
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
Oct 23, 2009 11:10 pm will do cheers Tad.
Oct 23, 2009 11:37 pm Hey Deon, Tad has it right.
There must be around a thousand different types of potentiometers out there, OF THE SAME VALUE!
More then likely, it a 10k pot. But, is it a 3/8" bushing, or 5 mm? Is the shank an 1"5/8's or is it 16mm? Is it solder lead, or PCB mounted?
It gets endless!
The manufacture of your pre knows what they put in there. And they usually have no problem sending you a new one.
Question? Why do you wish to replace it? Is it lose, noisy, crackling?
And as Tad pointed out, if your not familiar with desoldering, and resoldering. You could lift a trace off of the board. Due to overheating the trace.
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
Oct 24, 2009 02:00 am yeah its crackling, and yeah, i know what your getting at with the soldering.
i proly wont do it myslef, i dont think my soldering iron will have the nuts to do it quick enough.
will have to look into it.
Oct 24, 2009 11:52 am If it's just crackling, you can try cleaning it.
Take apart the pre, so that you can see where the leads are that come out of the bottom of the pot.
There is an opening there, and you can spray the contact cleaner directly on the carbon trace.
Move the pot back and forth as you spray. And be very generous with it as well.
Use a contact cleaner with lubricant in the mix. And you should be fine.
Try this first before sending it in to be repaired. It's a heck of a lot cheaper then $40.00 dollar an hour bench charge.
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
Oct 24, 2009 12:28 pm cool will try, cheers Rob
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Oct 24, 2009 04:04 pm Also, to stir the pot (ha, punny); pots can be algorithmic or linear
Linear: the curve from 0 to 10k is straight line; at 50% turn, is 50% resistance.
Or
Algorithmic (sp?): the curbe from 0 to 10k is not straight line; at 30% turn is 50% resistance, at 50% turn is 65% resistance, something like that. I'd bet that a gain pot is linear, but it may not be.
I agree with Rob, better safe than sorry, and probably you can have it cleaned for very cheap (3$ can of spray stuff). I think it's very rare for a pot to wear out. There's not much to go wrong. They can get rusted, corroded and such, but if they're indoors, they can last quite a while.
