Best resistors for use in phono stage?


It wondering if there's a better SQ resistor for this purpose? My new to me phone stage has a slot to try custom values. I need 380 and or 390 ohm. Thanks for the help.

128x128slaw

That is indeed true but it does not mean that a decent quality trained ear can’t hear the differences in resistor qualities in a well executed circuit. so the idea of swamping does not hold true.

Apples and oranges. As stated previously everything has a sonic signature and everything interacts. Agreed that not all can hear signatures.

Unless one matches capacitors or matches resistors to measured C, there are audible deltas that some may misattribute to component rather than FR errors. A single 5% part at its ± value extremes yields ≈1.9 and 2.1. Such deltas are readily audible in the critical 2-5kHz region.

Some manufacturers go to such lengths to match values so the product matches the spec. One was Spica. When I rebuilt my TC-50 XO, I measured the drivers, inductors and resistors and then selected capacitors to match specification as closely as possible. The imaging improvement was astounding relative to the aged originals, all of which still measured within their tolerance. We could debate the contribution of replacing EL & Mylar w PP vs. tolerance compensation.

Bottom line:  E V E R Y T H I N G  matters

Thanks for everyone's participation. I ordered some Vishay 390 & 1000 ohm to try. I have a factory slot for 980 ohm. This should get me started.

I think you should also order a variety of other values, just to try different degrees of loading.  You could buy cheap resistors for the basic experiment before buying pricier models.  With some cartridges, there will be not much difference between 390 and 1000 or even 47,000 ohms--these all represent somewhat low amount of loading.  Resistors in the 125-150 ohm range and perhaps one with as low a value as 50 ohms would let you see what much more loading does to the sound (the lower the value the higher the loading).  

@larryi 

As far as values go, I'm going by my experience with my other phono preamp and what Peter recommends for the Sussurro. I had always been satisfied with 390 ohms with my other phono preamp. My feeling upon hearing my current 400 ohm resistor is that I'm very close. Satisfying my curiosity with what I've experienced and what Peter recommends.

BTW values are entirely dependent on the specific cartridge; you are creating the load which interacts with the reactive components of that particular cartridge, windings, etc to produce the most linear output. It has (almost) nothign to do with the phono stage