Feb 04 2010
NAMM 2010 – Bourns tunable passives drive audio design
One of the key components of the audio systems (amplifers, guitars, mixers, etc) are the knobs and sliders. Continuing their long history in the potentiometer business, they are re-issuing classic products and bringing out new products for new applications.
On the classic side, they have reissued the Model 82 Vintage Premium Guitar Potentiometer. The new pot is now RoHS compliant, has the same low noise performance as the original from 1977 and features a 100,000 turn rotational life. This is the classic guitar and bass tuning knob used with Seymore Duncan pickups on Fender Signature Series guitars.
On the new products side, they have added new RoHS compliant Resistive Sliders for the audio and broadcast mixer market. These sliders are motorized with built in servos and are available with and without the built-in data converter. They feature a long life carbon element and support either PC terminals or a snap-in connector option.
New products in the low noise, RoHS compliant line are manual sliders for mixing boards, and for solid state and tube amplifiers are forth coming. All of these parts are designed to maximize the Quality and Reliability. The targeted life cycle in use at the application is 20+yrs, for this reason, testing and quality assurance are hallmarks of these parts.
They are in the process of developing new potentiometer technology based on non-contact magnetic materials.
PC