L-Pads again!

[RickB]

Well I noticed on testing some L-Pads that they exhibit something I thought was a little strange. When testing the resistance-all ranges etc. at either end of the rotation the readout went to infinity(open). I checked this on several L-Pads and used several different meters, on a pot that doesn't happen (original AR speaker pots). I opened several L-Pads(Dayton Audio-15W 3/8 Shaft 8 Ohm) and saw what was happening. At the stop at either end was a hold down clip. If the physical stop piece(plastic) was wider that would prevent this condition. Any thoughts on this issue?

[Aadams]

3 hours ago, RickB said:

Any thoughts on this issue?

I installed 3 sets of Dayton Lpads several years ago.  I noticed the behavior to which you refer and thought it was the "full on" feature.  Rebuilt tweeters don't need that level of signal but it might help those that have not been rebuilt.

[RoyC]

L-pads are constructed differently. They use two resistor coils vs one in the pots. The effect is that it eliminates parallel resistance at the fully on and fully off positions. AR pots still have 15 to 16 ohms (depending on the version) in parallel with the driver when it is fully on.

[JKent]

I still have new pots available. 

[RickB]

Thank You, how much again?

[JKent]

PM sent. 

[scottie munoz]

On 4/7/2023 at 9:15 AM, JKent said:

I still have new pots available. 

Among our recent conversations John, im glad to hear that.  Answer your backlog because of my year in purgatory I guess you could say also known as long covid just let us go if it slash uncovered again..... 2021, I  refurbished 21 sets of 8" 2 ways and up roughly, mostly big three ways.  In the last 15 months..…I refurbished and sold two sets..total.  in the 2 months before I got sick. 

In inventory currently, eating holes in my pockets every hour, i have..id say   three dozen fully assembled sets of  speakers between AR, Allison, KLH,  epi, Advents, and a few sets of ensemble 1's, 4 sets of the oak "ambiences,". !!! And the two the two, the only known for a fact speakers I know Henry worked on design-wise at Cambridge.    

However, if anyone knows exactly what's that's beyond those I mentioned Henry actually had a  hand in designing with Cambridge,  you'd be saving a vet. a lot of stress. Yes I'm laughing.   But if anybody does know that he definitely designed anything else it would ease my worried mind.   But damn those all oak Ambience's are  gorgeous, and very hard to locate. 

And I say all of that to simply make the point that if I don't hold the record for the most pots purchased from you , (John), in the last two years I'd be pretty shocked... But, I just dm'ed you.  If you catch what I'm throwing out! Haha. 

Have I had success in cleaning and restoring the original pots?  on occasion, yes.   But the precariousness of those cleaned and restored pots when my business is in the fourth quarter and down a whole lot of points, die to Covid and it's nasty forms..., aka, if I can't pull a 4th quarter miracle and get a ton of speakers refurbished to my standards and sold very soon, I'm done... so new pots it is.  Never mind, I guess you could say initially, I was very stupid to give a 7 day money back guarantee no matter what and 60 day "whatever goes wrong I'll fix it gratis"  including shipping the sets back to me and them.  That calculated risk 12 years ago actually paid off.  And rebuild pots in those numbers.... would have been a  problem. Still makes one question the sanity of a guy who offerd any sort of warranty to 70 year old electronics?

I do, and it's paid off in spades.  I thank my grandfather's instilled work ethic, the tools and workshop he left me way past, but most of all his infuriating at the time refusal to do anything but the "right" way.   Thanks gramps!  And thanks John, for being my 15 ohm pot guardian angel!

-Scottie Muñoz