solder-Eutechnic,Wonder,WBT??


Just ran out of solder and was wondering what to purchase as a replacement.I understand the Mundorf is highly recommended,but would prefer to stay in the "modest" camp.
I have a few projects that I am working on and the last of the parts will arrive later this week.
Prefer one that will not add brightness and those that do not contain any gold,as I don't like the sonic flavor.
Thanks in advance,Tom
tpsonic

Showing 7 responses by rodman99999

Look at this chart and find the conductivity of lead compared to the other metals of which various solders are comprised. Is it any Wonder that, WBT and Eichmann(silver bearing) solders would be more transparent? (http://www.kp44.org/ftp/ElectricalConductivityOfMaterials.php)
And many people prefer the "warm", colored, euphonic, "tubey" presentation of Mullard and Brimar tubes over the transparent, uncolored presentation of Telefunken, and Siemens tubes(etc). Yadda, yadda, yadda! Tastes vary, but the laws of conductivity and electron flow don't. Some metals are better with regard to electron flow and some aren't. You can use equipment, cables, tubes, caps, chassis wire, interconnects, and solder as tone controls(to satisfy your particular tastes), or try to find the ones that provide the most transparent(faithful to what's recorded) presentation. Personally, I prefer the latter option. What's "right" to you may(and almost certainly will) vary.
Some further notes(aside from the superior conductivity of copper and silver) on the various metals used in alloy when making the numerous solders out there: Silver provides mechanical strength, but has worse ductility than lead. In absence of lead, it improves resistance to fatigue from thermal cycles.
Copper lowers the melting point, improves resistance to thermal cycle fatigue, and improves wetting properties of the molten solder. It also slows down the rate of dissolution of copper from the board and part leads in the liquid solder.
Bismuth significantly lowers the melting point and improves wettability. In presence of sufficient lead and tin, bismuth forms crystals of Sn16Pb32Bi52 with melting point of only 95 °C, which diffuses along the grain boundaries and may cause a joint failure at relatively low temperatures. A high-power part pre-tinned with an alloy of lead can therefore desolder under load when soldered with a bismuth-containing solder.
Indium lowers the melting point and improves ductility. In presence of lead it forms a ternary compound that undergoes phase change at 114 °C.
Zinc lowers the melting point and is low-cost. However it is highly susceptible to corrosion and oxidation in air, therefore zinc-containing alloys are unsuitable for some purposes, e.g. wave soldering, and zinc-containing solder pastes have shorter shelf life than zinc-free.
Antimony is added to increase strength without affecting wettability.
Percy has been my source for Wonder Wire and Wonder Solder in the past, and yes- he does list Signature in his latest catalog: (http://www.percyaudio.com/Catalog.pdf).