DACT CT3 Selector Switches

[Steve Eddy]

Does anyone here have any of the DACT CT3 selector switches?

DACT advertises that they are non-shorting and have 15 degree indexing. This didn't seem right to me based on what I know about the Elma Type 04 switch.

I EMailed DACT and asked for verification on this and received a reply from someone saying they double checked and and that it "should be correct."

They also confirmed that it was in fact an Elma Type 04 switch however Elma's datasheet for the Type 04 only offers non-shorting with 30 degree indexing, this is because they have to skip over every other contact to avoid shorting.

I also have a 4 pole, 3 position, non-shorting Elma Type 04 and looking at it it's physically impossible to have non-shorting and 15 degree indexing.

I'm building a headphone amp for a friend and he's insisting on using the DACT because he's using the DACT CT2 for attenuation and wants it all to be "the same" even though I have the same Elma switch.

So I'm wondering if anyone here has any of the DACT CT3 switches and can confirm electrically that they are non-shorting and that they're indexed at 15 degrees.

Thanks!

se

[ZUM911]

Hi Steve,

I have one of those Dact switches in a pre amp and though I can't recall if it is a shorting type but I can tell you I'm not happy with it. For the price I expected a better built switch. I found inconsistent contact and you can even see the pads wobble as the switch is rotated.

Rick

[Steve Eddy]

Originally Posted by ZUM911

I have one of those Dact switches in a pre amp and though I can't recall if it is a shorting type but I can tell you I'm not happy with it. For the price I expected a better built switch. I found inconsistent contact and you can even see the pads wobble as the switch is rotated.

Thanks, Rick!

I just received another reply from DACT.

Apparently in the ones they sell, there's a mechanism in it that lifts the wiper contact between switch positions so that there's no shorting with 15 degree indexing.

When you say you can see the pads wobble as the switch is rotated, are you talking about the actual switch contacts or the metal wipers that fit over the white molded plastic piece? If there are ridges built into it to lift it up between contacts that would cause the wiper to move up and down.

It seems they may have ultimately screwed up the original design in an attempt to achieve more switch positions per pole for non-shorting.

se

[ZUM911]

Hi Steve,

It was a while back when I fit it but I think it was the pads shifting around as the selector was moved. I don't recall seeing the wiper moving up and down, though it could have. I do remember not getting contact on some of the pads and needing several cycles to sometimes make the connection.

Rick