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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

Showing 3 responses by erik_squires

erik_squires
15,870 posts
 
I'm mostly with @salectric though sometimes I want to try some of the really exotic thick-film types, that come in TO type containers like this:

http://partsconnexion.com/resistors_caddock_mp.html

Put a heat sink on them and I think they would make a crossover look slick as hell. :)

No idea about the sound quality. :)
erik_squires
15,870 posts
 
@pbnaudio Nope, here is a better example:

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Welwyn-Components-TT-Electronics/EMC2-4R7K/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMs%2f2%2...

These are quite common in amplifiers. They come in a variety of useful resistor values, but are also fuses which will permanently open above their rated power.
erik_squires
15,870 posts
 
@pbnaudio

Fusible and flame-proof resistors are quite common in the electronics industry but usually in an amplifier, not a crossover. :) The idea of the former is just like you would expect. When power is exceeded they are guaranteed to open, instead of potentially shorting or catching on fire, and save the rest of the device from a complete meltdown.

Duelund's are really weird. One of their selling points is that they have a high sensitivity to heat and power so will change values rapidly. The very last thing I want in a power resistor! :)

For speakers I stick with Mills. VERY thermally stable, very quite, very tight specs, and really small for the wattages. Also reasonably priced, all things considered.

I do want to someday work for a speaker company that will let me build with some caddock resistors and heat sink them, but so far I haven't the time / energy / funds to experiment with them.
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