solder-Eutechnic,Wonder,WBT??

06-08-08: Dfhaleycko
WBT is a pleasure to work with. I've tried the Cardas quad eutectic (lead-free) and it's a PITA.

Interesting. I haven't had a problem with it. Maybe I should get some Wonder or WBT to see what I'm missing. FWIW, Cardas Tri-Eutectic is silver bearing: tin/silver/copper.

I'm quite interested in this thread, and hope that people will offer some insight as to some specifics of each solder they have tried, from a sonic perspective.

Personally, I have a friend that has tried a lot of solders over the past 20 years, and about 2 years ago returned to the tried and true Kester 60/40 lead/tin solder. His rationale - yes, the silver bearing and lead free solders offer what most listeners discern as additional detail and clarity, but at the expense of naturalness and musicality.

I have no idea if his assertion (and, Goldmund's) is correct, but always try to keep an open mind. Maybe one day, after I get done tube rolling, then fuse rolling, and cable rolling, I'll take up a project for solder rolling...

the old solder was made more for the "bigger" (tube amp,etc.),older parts...you have hard time to do "tiny" work with it.It sounds a bit better, but the WBT is a good compromise and is super to work with!

I really like the Cardas quad eutectic. I bought 20ft. of it and 20 ft. of the new Wonder solder ultraclear recently and did an experiment with each separately on the connections of my preamp output caps as well as the wires to the volume pot. I initially cleaned off all the original solder( not sure what it was) and applied the Wonder solder. I listened periodically for a couple of days. Then I removed all the Wonder Solder, recleaned the connections, and applied the Cardas Quad Eutectic. Although both solders are wonderful to use( they both melt quickly at relatively low heat) and they both flow nicely and give a nice solid joint) I preferred the overall sound of the Cardas Eutectic. It just had a more natural sound with better harmonics and a cleaner, more extended top end. One guy on the Tweak Asylum at AA, as an experiment, actually used a couple feet length of each of the solders you mentioned as interconnects. He preferred the sound of the Cardas as well and used the Cardas as his main source of solder from then on. Just some food for thought. As usual, YMMV.

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.