Resistor vs. variable resistance Potentiometer

[jackalkirk]

I recently built a simple passive signal split/effects loop pedal and was using a standard radio shack 220k (1/4 watt?) resistor during my test of the circuit and everything sounded fine. However, when I substituted a Radio Shack 500k potentiometer (which also has a switch as part of the mechanism, didn't wire up that part though), the sound quality was not as good.  Close at middle settings but not a clear as the resistor.  I did not connect ground to middle pin though, so it was acting as a volume pot and not a variable resistor (as I intended).  Would this have made the difference in sound quality or do simple resistors sound better than inexpensive pots?  Would a higher quality pot make a difference here?  Thanx.

[Hides-His-Eyes]

Sounds like you wired it up wrong.

try it like this:

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