PSA about PEC Pots

[HeeBGB]

Hi Guys,

I don't know if this has been posted before!

I just got back from a business trip to Mansfield, TX outside of Dallas. The home of Mouser Electronics. When I visit this customer I always go to Mouser for a Will Call pick-up to save on shipping. I ordered two pots listed as NTE 2 watt mil spec to try out. To my surprise they are PEC pots.

Part Numbers are as follows:

Mouser Part Number

526-501-0009 5k

526-501-0012 25k

526-501-0017 250k

526-501-0018 500k $8.18

526-501-0019 1Meg linear $7.85

Anyone looking for PEC pots should start here unless someone knows of a cheaper supplier!

I only bought the two with the prices listed cause I wasn't sure what they were. They are listed as "NTE replacement Potentiometers"

The PEC pots are all 526-501-xxxx mouser part numbers. I am not sure if they list any log tapers yet.


Thanks

Greg

[Robert]

Thanks for the info. I only knew you could get them at Digikey, $7.15. It was the only thing I ordered from them, everything else I get from Mouser. Its nice to eliminate another vendor from my parts suppliers.

[HeeBGB]

UPDATE: FWIW The only Log taper PEC pot I was able to find at mouser is a 10k.

Part Number is 526-502-0181

[Funkalicousgroove]

anyone try westlabs pots? they're sealed conductive plastic 2W and the audio taper are the correct 30% unlike the 10% of Alpha's. they're a couple bucks more if you'r only buying a few, but I bet they're worth it. http://westlabs.com/Frames.HTML

[loverocker]

anyone try westlabs pots? they're sealed conductive plastic 2W and the audio taper are the correct 30% unlike the 10% of Alpha's. they're a couple bucks more if you'r only buying a few, but I bet they're worth it. http://westlabs.com/Frames.HTML

Er... dude, who wants pots with a 240-degree rotation?

[Funkalicousgroove]

errr dude, that graph is simply to illustrate the difference between linear and logarythmic taper. Clarostat pots have a 312 degree rotation. I talked with that fellow at great length about these pots and will be purchasing them myself, just thought you all might like to know about them rather than use PEC Linear pots.

[LeftyStrat]

I've purchased from Westlabs. Those Clarostat pots are awesome. I recently found some Clarostats that I had purchased many years ago in a box of of junk parts, and used them in a circuit and sort of expected them to be scratchy and need cleaning. Not so, they performed like new.

The only cons are the price, and the fact you can't solder to the back of them. But they are built like a tank.

[Custom 100]

Digi-key has the PEC Log Taper pots.

KA1051S28-ND Pot 1Meg Ohm 2W Log Taper

KA5041S28-ND Pot 500K Ohm 2W Log Taper

They are $10.22USD each

Hope this helps

[Moose]

The only cons are the price, and the fact you can't solder to the back of them. But they are built like a tank.

+1


Clarostats are extremely high quality pots. They are made differently, with a conductive plastic element instead of hot molded carbon, but they're still RV4 and they are dead quiet and last a LONG time.

The one thing some folks like better about PEC is they have a slight but consistent drag when rotating, where clarostats can sometimes turn more freely. I haven't tried PEC to compare, so I can't address this, but I've used a buttload of the clarostat pots and can attest to their build quality.

[gnugear]

I have a general question about pots.

I've heard from a couple of folks (whos ears I trust) that the PEC, and Allen Bradley's sound better than the Alpha pots. By better I mean less card boardy, more open, etc,. That's a tough one to swallow but I'm willing to try it out if it's a legitimate claim. But before I shell out $60 for some pots, I thought I'd ask if you guys have noticed any differences. I know they "feel" better ... but what about tone. After all they are a resistor, right?

[loverocker]

I have a general question about pots.

I've heard from a couple of folks (whos ears I trust) that the PEC, and Allen Bradley's sound better than the Alpha pots. By better I mean less card boardy, more open, etc,. That's a tough one to swallow but I'm willing to try it out if it's a legitimate claim. But before I shell out $60 for some pots, I thought I'd ask if you guys have noticed any differences. I know they "feel" better ... but what about tone. After all they are a resistor, right?

IMHO, it's BS. Promoted by some boutique builders as another bullet point on the "why we're better than Marshall/Fender/etc" spec list. And they do feel great. But there are squillions of classic amps out there with the cheapest pots and they don't sound cardboardy (whatever that means).

Now, I think PEC pots are a great idea for state-of-the-art builds - longevity, reliability, and the mil spec thing may make for better QC. But I just don't believe that the differences are tone-related.

Of course, each one comes with 50c's worth of Bragging Rights.

[Billy Batz]

Hey Chris. I know everyone at metro is using them and George uses them in all his builds but FWIW I think its all about action and vintage look. I asked George about it and he said he thought the Alphas are just as good. Im about to replace my new 67 build with all PECs but only for the stated reason and the tight smooth action lasts a lot longer then alphas or claros. Ive heard people say that plastic claros arent the best sounding in marshall circuits. Callaham uses them for the wreck type amps dont they? Their in my SLO100.

[Billy Batz]

Hi Guys,

I don't know if this has been posted before!

I just got back from a business trip to Mansfield, TX outside of Dallas. The home of Mouser Electronics. When I visit this customer I always go to Mouser for a Will Call pick-up to save on shipping. I ordered two pots listed as NTE 2 watt mil spec to try out. To my surprise they are PEC pots.

Part Numbers are as follows:

Mouser Part Number

526-501-0009 5k

526-501-0012 25k

526-501-0017 250k

526-501-0018 500k $8.18

526-501-0019 1Meg linear $7.85

Anyone looking for PEC pots should start here unless someone knows of a cheaper supplier!

I only bought the two with the prices listed cause I wasn't sure what they were. They are listed as "NTE replacement Potentiometers"

The PEC pots are all 526-501-xxxx mouser part numbers. I am not sure if they list any log tapers yet.


Thanks

Greg

Im not deciphering the Data Sheet that well. Are the shaft lengths on those super long?

[HeeBGB]

Im not deciphering the Data Sheet that well. Are the shaft lengths on those super long?

Well the PEC's shaft is a little longer but it's usable. With Alphas I can actually make the knob hit the faceplate. With the PEC's you will have maybe 1/16th to 1/8th of space depending on the type of knob you are using.

If you're coming to the ampfest this weekend I can show you one installed in my Express clone!

[Snapcase]

Any PEC dealer around Europe?