Resistor flavors
I had a chance to try the Rikens over the weekend and it was interesting in light of Peter's review above. Again, all my recent testing has been in the cathode of a 437 driving a 300B. All resistors have been ~270R.
As Peter stated, the Rikens were lively and bold with a warm fruity flavor. Just kidding
In my set-up they are just too sweet. They were much warmer (and slower) in the lower mids than the AB 1W--but did not seem more extended at the freq extremes. The AB threw a larger, more transparent soundstage and I thought the AB had a more realistic timbre. Might these Riken characteristics sound more tube like in a SS amp like the gain clone - apparently so.
However, what was most surprising was that the Rikens seemed quite hard in the upper mids - to the point of causing fatigue (I did try them in both orientations, but only for about 8-10 hours total). Oh well, I'm tired, AB it is.
Mike
Peter Daniel said:
I had a chance to try the Rikens over the weekend and it was interesting in light of Peter's review above. Again, all my recent testing has been in the cathode of a 437 driving a 300B. All resistors have been ~270R.
As Peter stated, the Rikens were lively and bold with a warm fruity flavor. Just kidding
In my set-up they are just too sweet. They were much warmer (and slower) in the lower mids than the AB 1W--but did not seem more extended at the freq extremes. The AB threw a larger, more transparent soundstage and I thought the AB had a more realistic timbre. Might these Riken characteristics sound more tube like in a SS amp like the gain clone - apparently so.However, what was most surprising was that the Rikens seemed quite hard in the upper mids - to the point of causing fatigue (I did try them in both orientations, but only for about 8-10 hours total). Oh well, I'm tired, AB it is.
Mike
Rs.
Hi,
Thanks for testing Mike.
Could it be that the distortion, harshness came from elsewhere?
I am at odds with your conclusion since Peter's findings and my own usually concur even though he uses sand amps and I use hollow state.
Admittedly, I always found the AB resistors quite good.
and, don't laugh, they make for a nice tonal balance in sand amps.
I fully agree with Peter in that the Holcos can be rather dull, lifeless sounding.
This is all the more obvious when used all through the chain...I guess it's back to the balancing act, no resistor seems to posess all nessecary qualities.
Cheers,
Hi,
Thanks for testing Mike.
Could it be that the distortion, harshness came from elsewhere?
I am at odds with your conclusion since Peter's findings and my own usually concur even though he uses sand amps and I use hollow state.
Admittedly, I always found the AB resistors quite good.
and, don't laugh, they make for a nice tonal balance in sand amps.I fully agree with Peter in that the Holcos can be rather dull, lifeless sounding.
This is all the more obvious when used all through the chain...I guess it's back to the balancing act, no resistor seems to posess all nessecary qualities.
Cheers,
protos said:
I tried Vishay S102 in a feedback loop on my gainclone recently. Comparing to Rikens, the image lost razor sharp detail and is more laidback and tubelike sounding, more easy (or pleasing) to the ear, yet seems to be somehow to muffled. The detail is still there but needs to be pulled out somehow. So I was using so far Kimber Kables on my PS to the amp. And it was working fine with Rikens, as Kimber is somehow laid back to and soften in the highs. Wirh Vishay it seemed to be slowing things, so I tried silver plated copper stranded wire in teflon and it brighten things up and added the liveness to the sound. My friends commented that this is probably the best combination and the most tube like sound from a SS amp like gainclone.
It is not just resistor that you are listening in the system under test, but combination of all the other parts with that resistor and it can only be judged in the light of a whole setup. I didn't find Riken sweet, but rather agressive with razor etched detail. They might be too bright in some systems. I also have a feeling that Vishays have more bass.
Holcos are currently on the third position. They are not bad, untill you try other alternatives. I once tried Caddocks MK132 in my DAC as I/V resistor, but they seemed too fat sounding and I returned to Holcos. Currently I'm using Vishays in that position. Although right after switching them with Holcos, I also had a feeling of softening the presentation and milder character, but I got used to it by now.
Re: Rs.
Well, I have tried Mills, AB, Caddock, several Cornings, Dale metal and wire wound, generic carbon comp and carbon film, and finally the Riken in the position described. This particular hardness hasn't evidenced itself previously and went away with the removal of the Rikens.
Don't get me wrong, it was not a gross sensation of distortion and generally I liked the sound but I think we all know the tense feeling you get when a certain part is causing fatigue and the feeling of relief and "easy breathing" when that part is replaced.
Note that the 437 is loaded with an anode choke - maybe the sweetness and liquidity subscribed to this method makes the Rikens too much in my amp. In any case, I did get Rikens for my "geen-cloone" for whenever I get around to building it.
Mike
fdegrove said:Could it be that the distortion, harshness came from elsewhere? I am at odds with your conclusion since Peter's findings and my own usually concur even though he uses sand amps and I use hollow state. Cheers,
Well, I have tried Mills, AB, Caddock, several Cornings, Dale metal and wire wound, generic carbon comp and carbon film, and finally the Riken in the position described. This particular hardness hasn't evidenced itself previously and went away with the removal of the Rikens.
Don't get me wrong, it was not a gross sensation of distortion and generally I liked the sound but I think we all know the tense feeling you get when a certain part is causing fatigue and the feeling of relief and "easy breathing" when that part is replaced.
Note that the 437 is loaded with an anode choke - maybe the sweetness and liquidity subscribed to this method makes the Rikens too much in my amp. In any case, I did get Rikens for my "geen-cloone" for whenever I get around to building it.
Mike
Re: Has anyone heard or done anything with those resistors
http://www.vishay.com/docs/52007/rcms.pdf
Looks like 1/4 to 1/2 watt, 10 ppm (very good) voltage coefficient, 30 ppm temperature coefficient (good). Probably above average
quality for audio use. If you've got them, use them.
loek said:
http://www.vishay.com/docs/52007/rcms.pdf
Looks like 1/4 to 1/2 watt, 10 ppm (very good) voltage coefficient, 30 ppm temperature coefficient (good). Probably above average
quality for audio use. If you've got them, use them.
fmak said:
I'm going to pretend you didn't say this, because it's going to drive me crazy.
Why does everything need to be so hard?
Sigh.
Well, I could tell you about the time I built an Audio Note Kit One amp and observed a similar thing Peter observed in his resistor directionality test, but this time with the internal hookup wire. But I won't go into details. Just use your imagination.
All I can say is that I hope this resistor directionality disappears after everything is burned-in because who has the sanity to deal with it? Somehow, I don't think it will, though.
KT
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