I got a Bourns 500K Audio mini pot today. I had an Alpha mini (100K linear) in my pot bag. (That sounds druggy, should I have said potentiometer bag?). When I found it I also found a no-name mini that I pulled out of my Frankenjazz to put in push-pull pots. It turned out to be 500K Audio.
Bourns went first. It spec'd at 478K, well within 10%. It had an audio taper just like it was supposed to. No scratchiness when hooked up to an audio source.
When I pulled it apart, it was constructed with the wiper wheel permanently attached to the shaft. No swapping wafers with these guys!
The Alpha spec'd closest to it's rating of any pot I tested (100K, linear).
It looked very similar to the Bourns in both construction and quality of manufacture. Like all the pots I looked at except the CTS the wiper is permanently attached to the shaft in such a way that the wafer can't be removed without destroying the pot. Passed the audio test with no scratchiness.
There are some subtle differences in the construction as compared to the Bourns but they seem very minor. The case is slightly different as is the wiper mount, but the wiper look to be pretty much the same.
There are a few differences in the cap. It's stamped metal with a brass fitting on the Bourns (like the CTS). It's cast metal on the Alpha (and on the no-name). That seems to be related to the hole they are designed to fit through. Bigger on the CTS and Bourns. Smaller on the Alpha and no-name. I can't see any way it makes sonic difference.
OK, so much for the name brands. Will continue in the next post with the no names...
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