[Navyblue]

I'm new at DIYing electronic stuffs. In fact today is the first time that I visited the local electronic malls to shop for some parts. There are all sorts of generic components being sold in trays and drawers.

I can sometimes see shiny plugs and exotic cable cables being sold at shops selling "audiophile" stuffs, but I've never seen them selling switches and other stuffs that I'd need. I wonder what sort parts do you guys used to DIY. Do you use generic parts? Or those shiny "audiophile" grade stuffs.

Some of us here spend a good fortune on cables and it doesn't seem to make sense to add generic stuffs in the audio chain. But them I'm not sure if I can get everything in "audiophile" grade.

Basically I need some resistors, switches, jacks, solder and etc. Any suggestion on where should I look at?

 

[Fangmasterflex]

For resistors I (and many others) like to use vishay dale 1% resistors.

For switches I just like to use high quality offerings from NKK, e-switch, mountain switch, etc. They can come in silver or gold plated models.

For jacks I use some various companies. For 1/4 I like to use Neutriks locking silver plated model. For Rca jacks I like Cardas' gold/rhodium plated models.

For solder i like to use Cardas quadeutectic solder. WBT also offers some "audio grade" solder.

Those were just some general suggestions. You can find alot of these items at mouser.com or digikey.com. Also check out the sponsors on the front page!

 

[FallenAngel]

Resistors: Out of direct signal path or critical application (such as I/V or input/output resistors), Vishay Dale RN55 is the popular choice, but I haven't heard any difference between them and most other metal film 1% resistors.

In critical applications, Holco/PRP are nice for detail and clarity, as are Caddock. To sweeten the sound a bit, Kiwame is pretty good.

Switches: I can't comment on, power section is something I haven't explored in detail yet, but in the signal path, I try to avoid them like the plague. I do use an Alps rotary switch for source selection and it's pretty nice (I think).

Jacks: Use something good. For my best, I have two requirements: Teflon dielectric and copper base material. I prefer to skip coating and concentrate on what the material is: I want copper, not brass (basically it's impure copper).

Solder: I use Kester #44 63/37 solder, love it. I have tried many silver bearing solders and prefer to work with Kester all the time.

 

[synaesthetic]

The only thing I ever really splurge on when it comes to parts are capacitors in the signal path. I've used Auricaps, Solens and for smaller projects, Wima film caps work pretty well also. I use metal-film 1% resistors, any brand, because I can't tell the difference between brands at all. A couple of builds I've used carbon-film resistors and hand-matched them 'cause that's what I had available at the time.

 

[Navyblue]

I actually got these resistors yesterday. I didn't ask what sort of resistors are they, all I know is they are 5% grade. the white casings are ceramic. Are these wirewound resistors? Most importantly, are they "audiophile worthy"?

 

[Mizerable]

Those resistors look like they're at least 100 years old.

 

[Navyblue]

What do you mean? NOS?

 

[SiBurning]

Yes, wire wound. Since it's wire, they won't have the thermal noise you get from carbon. On the down side, they probably have more inductance and capacitance, which could color the sound. Inductance because they're a coil of wire, which is what an inductor is. Capacitance because those wires are very close to each other.

From Resistor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "Because wirewound resistors are coils they have more inductance than other types of resistor, although this property can be minimized by winding the wire in sections with alternately reversed direction."

Audiophile worthy? Let your ears guide you.

The only technical issue you run into is that for large power handling, there's no other choice but wirewound. Some of those puppies can handle 400W and more, and are a foot long and 4" thick. The ceramic ones have the advantage that you can attach a heat sink. You can't do that as easily when the wire is exposed.

 

[Navyblue]

I'll be using them to build these:

Headphone Adaptor for Power Amplifiers

Would these be particularly a problem? Should I get new metal film resistors? Btw, does metal film resistors comes in 470 ohms 3W?

 

[Uncle Erik]

Navyblue, here's a good source for the futzy stuff:

Michael Percy Audio Ordering Information

If you want boutique parts, Michael Percy has them. Only thing is that the ordering is a little odd. You have to download his catalog then e-mail, fax or call him with your order. There's no online order form. And you usually have to contact him 3-4 times before he responds with an invoice.

He's swamped, but he *is* a nice guy and once you get the invoice, parts go out fast and the orders are perfect. Great stuff, too. It'll add a few bucks to a build, but the parts are terrific.

 

[Jelle Schrijver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SiBurning /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... thermal noise you get from carbon.

How does this translate to sound? To be more precise, how can you hear this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SiBurning /img/forum/go_quote.gif Audiophile worthy? Let your ears guide you.

Very good advice, only pity that a lot of companies out there don't use listening panels anymore. On the plus side. Companies that do use there ears, most of the time make magical stuff.

To contribute to this thread. I believe in the mother-of-tone principle. That is that the used material should be as close as possible to your body organics. So carbon would sound better to your ears than metal. Have a great article of a Dutch engineer who made a complete line from recording to listening (speaker and headphone) following the mother-of-tone principle. The result where very strange and makes you think about the current love of freq. curves.

 

[Navyblue]

It's not that I got to have boutique stuffs. Just that I'm new in this and I don't know how much would all these affect the final outcome. Ok, all these are subjective but I don't want to be doing things that are obviously wrong.

I think I know where to get good plugs (not sure if they really are, but they looked shiny) in various forms locally. I might be able to avoid adding switches and LED.

But I still have the followings
- resistors (are those above a no no to use?)
- solder (it comes with the soldering iron, do they make a lot of difference with Carda stuffs?)
- wires (what should I get, expensive speaker cable from audio shops? or just get it of hardware shop?)
- plugs (get the shiniest I could find?

)

 

[HiGHFLYiN9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you want boutique parts, Michael Percy has them. Only thing is that the ordering is a little odd. You have to download his catalog then e-mail, fax or call him with your order. There's no online order form.

Percy or PartsConnexion are good ways to go. Prices with Percy are usually a little bit better, but Partsconnexion has pictures if you need to see what you're buying.

For rotating switches, I'd highly recommend Elna. They have 2 pole and 4 pole if you want to separate out your grounds. Very transparent but pricey.

Just a warning, some of the fancier resistors have thick leads that may not fit into a standard PCB.

Most of the other parts I like are pretty similar to Fangmaster. Cardas RCA jacks are very solid, or bump up to Vampire pure copper if you have the $$ to spare. Neutrik 1/4" locking are my preferred TRS jack. Cardas Quadeutectic solder is my favorite solder.

 

[ericj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jelle Schrijver /img/forum/go_quote.gif To contribute to this thread. I believe in the mother-of-tone principle. That is that the used material should be as close as possible to your body organics. So carbon would sound better to your ears than metal.

That's the most patently absurd rationale for a particular resistive element that I've ever heard.

 

[FallenAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's the most patently absurd rationale for a particular resistive element that I've ever heard.

Yep, next we'll be listening to speakers with human skin drivers

Not everything is "subjective", some parts like metal film vs carbon film resistors have better specs for AC and DC.

The above resistors are wirewound power resistors, not usually used for signal-path applications.

Use the solder that is easiest to work with for you and flows the best. What's the point of expensive exotic solder if you can't make a good joint with it?

Wire - I don't believe that a lot of "speaker" wire is that good, from experience; I love cat5 for speakers wire. Of course, you can go easier and just buy 12AWG Mil-Spec SPC and it'll work great.

Plugs - No cheaper than Neutrik/Canare.