[Bosk]

Simple question, do you hear a tangible difference using expensive audiophile solders like WBT / Cardas / Mundorf compared with standard 60/40 stuff?

How about any difference in sound using lead vs lead-free solders?

Final question, how would you rate this difference in sonic performance (if any) vs the difference between a 'good' vs 'bad' solder joint?

Cheers guys.

 

[Oublie]

None that i can hear, but saying that I use Mundorf Silver/gold solder but for all i use its not a huge expense. This is more of a exercise in improving one of the weak links in the chain just in case.

 

[adamus]

no. but i can hear a cold joint through poor use of silver solder..... crackle crackle. I can also hear huge dc offset due to cooking a transistor through having to apply too much heat to silver solder.

 

[tangent]

Continuing on adamus' theme, I'd recommend you use anything eutectic, as that gives you the best possible chance that your project will work the first time. This knocks out of the running 60/40, but also WBT and Mundorf, as far as I can tell. Cardas has some eutectic blends, but you don't have to go in for exotica like that. 63/37 is cheap, readily available, and works quite well for this. If you want something exotic without spending exotic $$, go for 62/36/2.

 

[applegd]

I tried but I can not hear the difference.

Most of time, I just use 62/36/2.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I like the Kester 60/40. I've tried silver and a few others, but nothing melts and flows as well as 60/40. I can make perfect joints every time. I think perfect joints are far and away more important than a few percent of a precious metal or whatever is fashionable or trendy.

 

[digger945]

Radio Shack 62/36/2 .015 used here.
Small 1 ounce spool lasts a long time for me, and easy to hold. The small 15 thousandths gives me the control I like, never too much.

 

[adamus]

amen,

eutectic wins. And, its a lovely phase change of material which is fascinating to study.

 

[pabbi1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by digger945 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Radio Shack 62/36/2 .015 used here. Small 1 ounce spool lasts a long time for me, and easy to hold. The small 15 thousandths gives me the control I like, never too much.

x³, except .022.

 

[Coreyk78]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pabbi1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif x³, except .022.

Thats what I use too.

 

[FallenAngel]

Kester #44 63/37 for easy stuff like PCBs.

Cardas Quad-eutectic for cables where there's a higher risk of things moving and I want it to flow quickly and stay liquid for as long as possible.

 

[Juaquin]

All I use is 62/36/2 in a couple different diameters (SMD vs Cable work). No reason to use anything else, really, except that it has a slightly higher melting point.

 

[compuryan]

Definitely use a eutectic blend, I've had a lot better luck with that than 60/40. I like Cardas Quad because it has a good amount of rosin, so it flows and melts really easily.

 

[royewest]

I've become comfortable with Cardas Quad, in that I feel increasingly in control of it when soldering different kinds of components. But to answer the orignal quesiton: no.

 

[NightOwl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FallenAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Kester #44 63/37 for easy stuff like PCBs. Cardas Quad-eutectic for cables where there's a higher risk of things moving and I want it to flow quickly and stay liquid for as long as possible.

x2

I've also tried Wonder, WBT, Mundorf and Radio Shack 2% silver. The above two are the easiest to work with, the Radio Shack, the hardest. I haven't heard a difference between solders, but I can sure hear a cold solder joint.