In your (the members') opinion, how critical is the quality of a Selector switch? I've been trying to source a selector for my pre-amp kit that was not included in the package. I've heard the sound of MARANTZ, PIONEER...etc and most restorations do not mention a replacement of the switch, but to just "Deoxit!" I bought a used MARANTZ and that was what I did to return the function of my switch and the balance knob. A generic switch will work, but the sound quality and durability compromised?
I'm sure there must be a quality standard applied at some point, but what would be a good switch brand name that would be reliably in that standard?
Francis
I'm sure there must be a quality standard applied at some point, but what would be a good switch brand name that would be reliably in that standard?
Francis
These are good examples. Old switches can also be worn out, not just oxidized.
Rotary Switches
Rotary Switches
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Following. I’m building a Hagerman Clarinet and the recommended selector switch is a Grayhill that fits the board. Unfortunately this model is out of stock everywhere, but they have the lug version in stock.
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/706-71BDF30-01QAJN/
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/706-71BDF30-01QAJN/
Grayhill switches are not stocked by anyone in depth, because there are too many variations.
Suggest that you contact Grayhill directly and ask if you can order the part from them.
They make excellent switches.
Suggest that you contact Grayhill directly and ask if you can order the part from them.
They make excellent switches.
I've used both Greyhill and ELMA, both lovely switches. I prefer the feel of the ELNAs, but both work equally well.
For switching low-level audio signals, gold-plated switches (not gold flashed!) are better than silver-plated switches because the contact material doesn't oxidize or react with sulfur. With silver you usually have to rotate the switch back and forth every couple of months to get rid of cracking sounds due to imperfect contact.
Gold flashed silver contacts are OK too (like in many Elma types).
Using a selector switch to drive relays with gold plated contacts is the way to go IMHO. Wiring can be kept short and at the back, less crosstalk and no problems with wear-out as much as with a switch.
Using a selector switch to drive relays with gold plated contacts is the way to go IMHO. Wiring can be kept short and at the back, less crosstalk and no problems with wear-out as much as with a switch.
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I thought gold flash meant the gold is so thin it wears off almost immediately, but maybe that's not true - I only read it on some Internet forum, so you never know.
That is not entirely true 🙂 It goes around in some circles yes. Of course gold plated is preferred but with todays prices one gets a shock when buying those. Gold flashed silver is acceptable but the switch will of course not last as long as its brother with gold plated contacts.
That counts for any real hardware switch made in western countries. I recently was told the mains switch I selected costs 45 Euro. The Chinese version lasts 6 months top. I found it NOS NIB for 11 Euro and I am very happy with it. So, finding real good switches will be harder and harder.
That counts for any real hardware switch made in western countries. I recently was told the mains switch I selected costs 45 Euro. The Chinese version lasts 6 months top. I found it NOS NIB for 11 Euro and I am very happy with it. So, finding real good switches will be harder and harder.
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OK guys, what should I be looking for? lolol... 2-pole 4-position? I need a setting for the following: Phono, Aux, Tuner, CD
Some switch versions allow adjusting the number of positions by inserting a stop pin. These are easier to buy.
Or if necessary, you can get a switch with more positions and not use them, or use one or more of the extra
positions for muting the signal.
Or if necessary, you can get a switch with more positions and not use them, or use one or more of the extra
positions for muting the signal.
That would be OK but there is a possibility you might want to show which input is chosen with LEDs. You did not react to the (sealed) relay option which is technically and sonically superior to a switch. A small PCB with 4 relays of excellent quality and a standard rotary switch will cost you less than an audiophile approved switch. Better performance at a lower price and also way less wiring...
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> 2-pole 4-position?
Because throws are usually 30 degrees apart, and 360 deg in a circle, switches tend to have 12 basic angles. When you want two poles, you get 6 angles (2P6T). Three poles implies 3P4T; four poles get you to 4P3T.
As rayma says, excess throws are only a small annoyance. Find a switch with settable stopper, or ignore the extras (wire them to the last good throw so you don't flip into the Twilight Zone).
And an "excess" throw can work an indicator light.
While 2P6T and stopper is logical, 3P4T gives two poles of four sources and no extra positions, and you can wire four LEDs to pole 3 and a resistor to look groovy.
Because throws are usually 30 degrees apart, and 360 deg in a circle, switches tend to have 12 basic angles. When you want two poles, you get 6 angles (2P6T). Three poles implies 3P4T; four poles get you to 4P3T.
As rayma says, excess throws are only a small annoyance. Find a switch with settable stopper, or ignore the extras (wire them to the last good throw so you don't flip into the Twilight Zone).
And an "excess" throw can work an indicator light.
While 2P6T and stopper is logical, 3P4T gives two poles of four sources and no extra positions, and you can wire four LEDs to pole 3 and a resistor to look groovy.
@rayma
The idea of using selector switch positions for muting is a good one, I think. Perhaps these positions should be in between source positions so that muting is readily available in case of an emergency (dad, is that smoke coming out of the amplifier?)
A couple of questions:
Should the grounds from the input jacks be switched as well and might there be advantage in grounding the inputs that are not being fed through the switch?
Just wonderin'.
The idea of using selector switch positions for muting is a good one, I think. Perhaps these positions should be in between source positions so that muting is readily available in case of an emergency (dad, is that smoke coming out of the amplifier?)
A couple of questions:
Should the grounds from the input jacks be switched as well and might there be advantage in grounding the inputs that are not being fed through the switch?
Just wonderin'.
Did it (switching both input and GND) and recently tested the device again. No it is a recipe for loud plops. I thought of redoing it with 100 Ohm resistors always keeping each GND referenced to GND. That should solve it I think.
Switching unused inputs to GND solves crosstalk issues quite OK. Again, this is also way easier with relays.
Switching unused inputs to GND solves crosstalk issues quite OK. Again, this is also way easier with relays.
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A mute position between each pair of inputs works well.
Be sure to get a shorting switch (make before break), by the way.
Switching grounds is optional, but can reduce hum from ground loops.
Grounding unused inputs is seldom necessary, unless you want unused sources
playing for some reason.
Kind of running afowl (LOL) of the thread, but I ended up in my youth, not much after the Korean War, with a dozen humungous, grey, cadmium coated, steel, locked, 3' by 3' by 4' boxes of “surplus MIL parts”. Bought for ten bucks a box, unseen. Somewhat less … a hundred for the whole lot. I figured that just the recycling of the metals ought to make a profit. Cash on the barrel, baby!
After figuring out how to competently use an angle grinder with a composite cutting disk to lock-break the boxes efficiently (it took about 3!, being all of 13 years lod)… I quickly took a look to see what the Army-Navy gods Wrought.
And Lo! A treasure trove of weird stuff.
Seven of the boxes though were full of exotic (to me) spare parts. Thousands of open frame, closed frame, rotary switches. Thousands of (soon to be precious) genuine MILSPEC Allen Bradley hermetic pots. Duals. Thousands of itsy bitsy switches, panel mount (and the ridiculously over-engineered square-hole panel mount switches popular for rocket launching, nuclear testing and B–52 back-end CoInTel panel lights). In short, almost nothing directly recycleable. Darn it.
I did learn however, that 25+ years of sitting around really didn't affect open-frame rotary switches as much as the black silver-oxide on the surface might imply. A little '000' or finer steel wool on the contacts, a pass with a strong magnet, and they'd be good to go. The wiping action of the wiper-on-contact was enough to cause even the most egregiously oxidized switch, switching a DC-imposed signal (the absolute worst for causig switching noise), to emit nary a crackle. Not a whimper.
I wish I could say I still have one A/B/X switchbox … but the house fire took it all. Even so, until only 7–8 years back, after 40+ years of my fabricating the things, the rotary switches, open-frame, did their job, and did it well. I don't recall even once thinking, "perhaps some pigeon-sh*t got between the contacts".. as there was plenty of that where my idjit grand-uncle ended up 'storing' my stuff.
Bottom line is that while I definitely have written too much, I wouldn't give a second thought about which rotary switch to use. Find something that fits the panel, the physical limitations of the inside-area, and solder it in. It'll work to nearly the end of time.
So long as it has actual wipers.
⋅-⋅-⋅ Just saying, ⋅-⋅-⋅
⋅-=≡ GoatGuy ✓ ≡=-⋅
After figuring out how to competently use an angle grinder with a composite cutting disk to lock-break the boxes efficiently (it took about 3!, being all of 13 years lod)… I quickly took a look to see what the Army-Navy gods Wrought.
And Lo! A treasure trove of weird stuff.
Seven of the boxes though were full of exotic (to me) spare parts. Thousands of open frame, closed frame, rotary switches. Thousands of (soon to be precious) genuine MILSPEC Allen Bradley hermetic pots. Duals. Thousands of itsy bitsy switches, panel mount (and the ridiculously over-engineered square-hole panel mount switches popular for rocket launching, nuclear testing and B–52 back-end CoInTel panel lights). In short, almost nothing directly recycleable. Darn it.
I did learn however, that 25+ years of sitting around really didn't affect open-frame rotary switches as much as the black silver-oxide on the surface might imply. A little '000' or finer steel wool on the contacts, a pass with a strong magnet, and they'd be good to go. The wiping action of the wiper-on-contact was enough to cause even the most egregiously oxidized switch, switching a DC-imposed signal (the absolute worst for causig switching noise), to emit nary a crackle. Not a whimper.
I wish I could say I still have one A/B/X switchbox … but the house fire took it all. Even so, until only 7–8 years back, after 40+ years of my fabricating the things, the rotary switches, open-frame, did their job, and did it well. I don't recall even once thinking, "perhaps some pigeon-sh*t got between the contacts".. as there was plenty of that where my idjit grand-uncle ended up 'storing' my stuff.
Bottom line is that while I definitely have written too much, I wouldn't give a second thought about which rotary switch to use. Find something that fits the panel, the physical limitations of the inside-area, and solder it in. It'll work to nearly the end of time.
So long as it has actual wipers.
⋅-⋅-⋅ Just saying, ⋅-⋅-⋅
⋅-=≡ GoatGuy ✓ ≡=-⋅
Jean-paul, I also have an aikido preamp in the works I’d thought about using relays for the source switching. Could you point me in the right direction to look for units to either buy or pcb diy?