All pots with resistive tracks sound different because they use different substances for the wiper and the track composition, and the VERY light point contact tension between wiper and track that is a potential problem area. They are all flawed, and start a decay process from the first rotation.
The next best is switched resistor pots that use double leaf contacts (one above and one below the wiper), better contact than the above.
Then even better is switched relay type as the contact in a relay is lager as has more pressure than any of the above. The Schiit Freya and Saga use this type of control over the volume.
Then the best, are ones that have no contact at all in the signal path, like the LDR volume controls. (follow the green track)
https://www.stereo.net.au/forums/uploads/monthly_2017_10/59ecfdedd78df_LightspeedAttenuatorMkIICircuitDiagram.jpg.9340f5b171a89d2e6e6ac97b1d5698af.jpg
The very best, is no volume control at all. But one that’s done in the digital domain in CDP’s or DAC’s that have digital domain volume controls, but these must be used at or above 75% of full ouput or you run the risk of "bit stripping" EG: reducing the resolution from 16bit to 14bit or 12bit the lower you go.
Cheers George
The next best is switched resistor pots that use double leaf contacts (one above and one below the wiper), better contact than the above.
Then even better is switched relay type as the contact in a relay is lager as has more pressure than any of the above. The Schiit Freya and Saga use this type of control over the volume.
Then the best, are ones that have no contact at all in the signal path, like the LDR volume controls. (follow the green track)
https://www.stereo.net.au/forums/uploads/monthly_2017_10/59ecfdedd78df_LightspeedAttenuatorMkIICircuitDiagram.jpg.9340f5b171a89d2e6e6ac97b1d5698af.jpg
The very best, is no volume control at all. But one that’s done in the digital domain in CDP’s or DAC’s that have digital domain volume controls, but these must be used at or above 75% of full ouput or you run the risk of "bit stripping" EG: reducing the resolution from 16bit to 14bit or 12bit the lower you go.
Cheers George