Relay Recommendations for preamp?

[lgreen]

Hello everyone, I am making a preamp and want to use relays for switching the inputs. Do you all have recommendations for your favorite relays for low noise, high reliablity, etc.... ?? I would like a sealed relay that is DPDT to switch balanced inputs. Maybe the APOX people know more about this than anyone?

Based on what I am reading here, I am planning on grounding unused inputs, but it seems to be a bad thing if the source cannot handle it, any ideas here as well?

[JOE DIRT®]

Igreen being a controls designer I use Omron and Finder relays with all my projects and they survive numerous switching operations in severe environments....I also use them in audio applications and havent had a failure yet....another approach is always the electonic way with simple logic gates and transistorswhich can be very reliable also

Cheers!!The DIRT®

[Rudy]

talking about relays, anybody some experience on this relay

OMRON G6S , its surface mounted, has a dual bifurcated crossbar contact ( dont know what that means )

you can find it here

i got about 100 of them, and was wondering to use them in a preamp, but don't know if they or any good for that purpose.

Greetz Rudy

[analog_sa]

Does anyone have practical experience comparing (with his ears)a relay to a high quality switched attenuator such as ELMA or Seiden. I wonder if the contact resistance, quality of silver, close proximity of energised coil would have seriuos detrimental effects.

thanks
peter

[dhaen]

OMRON G6S , its surface mounted, has a dual bifurcated crossbar contact ( dont know what that means )

Bifuracated means: splitting into 2 from one, like a pair of trousers starts as one - then parts into 2. I guess it has a contact on each part. It's nothing special in relays.

Cheers,

[Peter Daniel]

Originally posted by analog_sa
close proximity of energised coil would have seriuos detrimental effects.

This could be avoided by using non active relay to carry signal and by keeping the rest of the relays active (Dynaudio does it in their expensive preamp). Madrigal in their reference preamp, ML 32, use NAIS relays, model TXS2-24V, ATXS204, if this helps. Also, I noticed that Pass Labs are using Nais relays.

[Petter]

Peter,

Not quite what you were looking for but ...

I compared two resistors soldered together like a fixed attenuator to the same but added a relay for switching to simulate essentially an Apox-SHM.

The comparison was done using an audio analyzer -- not the best unit available, but still ....

The voltage supplied to the relay was not particularly not well regulated.


There was NO difference.

This does not mean that there is no difference -- there must be a difference, but it is most likely very small. This was proof enough for me.

In theory, and providing you can keep wires short etc. manual switches should be better given there are no magnetic parts in the vicinity of the signal, and of course no magnetic coil fields from the relay in question, other relay.

Petter

[analog_sa]

Petter

When i said ears i didn't mean analysers I have compared soldered resistors (and TVC) to the best attenuators i have and greatly prefer the solder joint. Unfortunately long term use of a soldered, single position attenuator usually leads to my neighbours calling the cops.

Peter Daniel

Very good tip. Thanks. Any idea where to get NAIS relays?


cheers
peter

[Christer]

Originally posted by Peter Daniel


This could be avoided by using non active relay to carry signal and by keeping the rest of the relays active (Dynaudio does it in their expensive preamp). Madrigal in their reference preamp, ML 32, use NAIS (806 10) relays, model TXS2-24V, ATXS204, if this helps. Also, I noticed that Pass Labs are using Nais relays.

Does it really matter if the coil is DC operated??

[Peter Daniel]

Originally posted by Christer



Does it really matter if the coil is DC operated??

I don't know, didn't try it. But if some companies go through the trouble of connecting relays in that way, it may be something to it. I don't think if it is a matter of DC or AC, but rather of magnetic field created, when relay is in an active stage.