You have differences but the question is if that is something you will notice in your designs. I would say semiconductors are most alike. One way to find out is to compare datasheets. Normal SMD resistors are not so good as regular holemounted ones although you have good and expensive SMD types.
SMD has different properties and some parts are impossible to get in SMD like big plastic caps for instance. If you do hear difference between holemounted parts you will probably also notice a difference using SMD parts.
When it comes to semiconductors there is often the same content but different package. This is not the case with passive parts.
When it comes to semiconductors there is often the same content but different package. This is not the case with passive parts.
Nelson,
this kind of effectiveness is not a good idea at all. Physical size plays a major role in electronic component characteristics.
Metal film resistor are not especially good sounding despite favorable temperature coefficient and noise. Ceramic capacitors are most nonlinear, only a very few passive devices have the ability to cause such a sonic devastation.
In short, forget about SMD in audio.
this kind of effectiveness is not a good idea at all. Physical size plays a major role in electronic component characteristics.
Metal film resistor are not especially good sounding despite favorable temperature coefficient and noise. Ceramic capacitors are most nonlinear, only a very few passive devices have the ability to cause such a sonic devastation.
In short, forget about SMD in audio.
SMD is quite alright. It only depends to choose the right parts.Lumba Ogir said:
Check out this design.
http://aussieamplifiers.com/nxv300.htm
Attachments
Well, I guess it's like it always is, I have to find out myself. There are so much mythology and group thinking in audio. I wish more people who have found out those "known facts" would report their findings and how they came to their conclusion. I can't find one single post here, at Head-Fi or Headwize where this comparison has been done.
It's well known that good looking people are treated different from the rest. I think it could be the same with electronic parts.
Maybe TH is better, but if it's not, the "known fact" that SMD's sound bad is holding back tighter layouts.
Are those nonlinearities audible even though we're speaking of pF's filtering out frequencies in the MHz regions? I'm not being sarcastic in any way, I just want to be wiser.
It's well known that good looking people are treated different from the rest. I think it could be the same with electronic parts.
Maybe TH is better, but if it's not, the "known fact" that SMD's sound bad is holding back tighter layouts.
Are those nonlinearities audible even though we're speaking of pF's filtering out frequencies in the MHz regions? I'm not being sarcastic in any way, I just want to be wiser.
Guess what
There are no absolutes on this subject. It sure is easier to use through hole. But I think that better measuring results can be had using SM resistors and HIGH QUALITY SM capacitors for decoupling. For signal coupling, the leaded capacitors seem better thn even the SM PP capacitors.
If I am building a discrete circuits leaded components are always used so far. For IC based circuits the SM componets are a natural. I just hate soldering them in. Especially the real little ones. 0805 are my limit. And wish they all were 1210 or so.
George
There are no absolutes on this subject. It sure is easier to use through hole. But I think that better measuring results can be had using SM resistors and HIGH QUALITY SM capacitors for decoupling. For signal coupling, the leaded capacitors seem better thn even the SM PP capacitors.
If I am building a discrete circuits leaded components are always used so far. For IC based circuits the SM componets are a natural. I just hate soldering them in. Especially the real little ones. 0805 are my limit. And wish they all were 1210 or so.
George
I consider the biggest, most damaging "myth" to be the pervasive "just listen - you can tell the difference" where no controls, level/frequency response matching, blinding are attempted - or even violently rejected as impairing the resolution of subtle differences that can be "clearly heard" and are easily attributed to a single, specific hardware change in a complex system
with high enough resolution instruments we can measure differences in various parameters of audio circuits - even between serial units in the best state of the art production process
so do any 2 "identical" circuits "sound the same" if we know they can be distinguished by careful measurement?
or can a cheap SS amp be tweaked to be audibly indistinguishable from a 10x more expensive tube amp by "industry professional" sound reviewers?
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=152392#post152392
with high enough resolution instruments we can measure differences in various parameters of audio circuits - even between serial units in the best state of the art production process
so do any 2 "identical" circuits "sound the same" if we know they can be distinguished by careful measurement?
or can a cheap SS amp be tweaked to be audibly indistinguishable from a 10x more expensive tube amp by "industry professional" sound reviewers?
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=152392#post152392
Nelson,
all materials distort electrically, it should be vividly obvious in audio. Myths become reality by knowing and understanding.
To reduce distortion in resistors go for high power dissipation rating.
When it comes to capacitors the rule of the larger the better for the same capacitance, in any location, implies with no exception.
Make a comparison between equivalent PTFE and (SMD) ceramic types to decide which one is uglier. I`m sure you`ll realize within minutes that you are in bad need of a big fat case for your next project.
all materials distort electrically, it should be vividly obvious in audio. Myths become reality by knowing and understanding.
To reduce distortion in resistors go for high power dissipation rating.
When it comes to capacitors the rule of the larger the better for the same capacitance, in any location, implies with no exception.
Make a comparison between equivalent PTFE and (SMD) ceramic types to decide which one is uglier. I`m sure you`ll realize within minutes that you are in bad need of a big fat case for your next project.
It`s most regrettable but not surprising. Comparisons are missing in every area.
My opinion is
that in general audio the circuits are most of the time simple enough and it's worth to keep them TH designs for 2 main reasons :
1) It looks much better, and aesthetic is very important in high end audio!
2) Less thermal variations of the values! The bigger the component, the longer it's time constant for thermal variation, so it's more stable. This thermal distortion is not recognized as real by a lot of people but why not. I don't have the stuff to measure it so... Lavardin power amplifiers are using tricks to reduce dissipation variation in critical parts of their amplifiers and are known as very good sounding. Or using a bigger dye VAS transistor is supposed to be good too since its dissipation is very variable in time domain (to a limit, you don't want too much parasitic capacitance). A higher bias is also working to smooth out the dissipated power variation. Of course, if the circuit is consuming a very low power, this principle is not so interesting...
Regards
that in general audio the circuits are most of the time simple enough and it's worth to keep them TH designs for 2 main reasons :
1) It looks much better, and aesthetic is very important in high end audio!
2) Less thermal variations of the values! The bigger the component, the longer it's time constant for thermal variation, so it's more stable. This thermal distortion is not recognized as real by a lot of people but why not. I don't have the stuff to measure it so... Lavardin power amplifiers are using tricks to reduce dissipation variation in critical parts of their amplifiers and are known as very good sounding. Or using a bigger dye VAS transistor is supposed to be good too since its dissipation is very variable in time domain (to a limit, you don't want too much parasitic capacitance). A higher bias is also working to smooth out the dissipated power variation. Of course, if the circuit is consuming a very low power, this principle is not so interesting...
Regards
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