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Top resistors

Many threads with opinions on boutique coupling capacitors, but very little consolidated information on the sonics of resistors. Anyone care to share their thoughts on the attributes of their favorite brands & types for specific tube and SS applications? How much of a difference does a good resistor make?

My interest in the topic increased after recently installing the latest Texas Components nude Vishay TX2575 in several SS and tube phono & LS components. This was a proverbial "Ah-ha" moment-- a stray resistor dropped into signal path here or there, surprising with an improvement that equalled or surpassed the impact of a switch to a top coupling cap like V-Cap or Mundorf.
dgarretson
johnss
566 posts
 
if a person installs the Vishays and hears too lean a sound, you are hearing what the circuit is really doing. hard to argue with a 30 db improvement in signal to noise. The main purpose of using vishay is to get a blacker background.

I have re-wroked 5 pre amps of diffrent makes with vishays resistors and have always had stunning results.

Also agree the older copper end cap HOlcos are great for warming up a lean sounding SS amp or pre amp. Also dont forget the PS filter caps are in the signal path, so if you have not added any bypasses on those big caps, you are listening to the sound of the filter caps too.

happy soldering.
ptmconsulting
1,000 posts
 
There is always a way to balance things out. I tried some of the nude Vishay's in my phono stage and found them to be incredibly transparent. However, I did wind up removing one and replacing it with a Carbon type that makes things more musical to my ear. The combo is perfect to me, where just using one in both locations was too much of a good thing one way or another.

Voicing!
jetrexpro
506 posts
 
From what I have read it is a good practise to not use just one brand of resistor in your project. The result could start to sound too much like that resistor.

A hint that a friend sent me about Alen-Bradley carbon resistors: bake them at 180 degrees for eight hours and then shallac them once they are cool. This should reduce their noise and help them hold their value.
tweaker123
23 posts
 
Yo Johnss, Since it seems that you can hear do you have a preference for a particular metal film or other type of resistor that aproaches the clear , accurate sound of the S102 that isn't bright?? I thought I was hard to please, man if you can't like the S102... The only thing I can fault them with is the price. Not perfect but awfull nice! Thanks, Tweaker
reb1208
518 posts
 
Tweaker, the S102C (non nude) shows its weakness when compared to the TC TX2575. I suggest you re-read what I wrote and do the experiment for yourself. Taking cheap shots at other posters just shows your insecurities.
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