Sorry for another resistor thread 
I would like to get to the bottom on who makes the best sounding and the best quality metal film resistor at a reasonable price. I've narrowed it down to this list:
Roederstein Resista MK3 (are they magnetic?)
Welwyn RC55Y (are they magnetic?)
Philips/Vishay BC MRS25 (are they magnetic?)
Vishay/Dale RN55 (are they magnetic?)
Vishay/Dale CMF55 (are they magnetic?)
PRP PR9372
Holco (old style)
Holco (new style) (are they magnetic?)
Takman Rey
TKD CM2
Caddock MK-132 (are they magnetic?)
Maybe someone can clarify on the magnetism on the ones in question.
So which is the very best sounding resistor for audio? And which is the overall best, performance, specs, sound, etc. Let's all share personal experiences, opinions, and rank the resistors on this list from best to worst.
Also, for the moment, let's please stay away from any Vishay Precision Group products, tantalum resistors, carbon film resistors, and carbon resistors.
I would like to get to the bottom on who makes the best sounding and the best quality metal film resistor at a reasonable price. I've narrowed it down to this list:Roederstein Resista MK3 (are they magnetic?)
Welwyn RC55Y (are they magnetic?)
Philips/Vishay BC MRS25 (are they magnetic?)
Vishay/Dale RN55 (are they magnetic?)
Vishay/Dale CMF55 (are they magnetic?)
PRP PR9372
Holco (old style)
Holco (new style) (are they magnetic?)
Takman Rey
TKD CM2
Caddock MK-132 (are they magnetic?)
Maybe someone can clarify on the magnetism on the ones in question.
So which is the very best sounding resistor for audio? And which is the overall best, performance, specs, sound, etc. Let's all share personal experiences, opinions, and rank the resistors on this list from best to worst.
Also, for the moment, let's please stay away from any Vishay Precision Group products, tantalum resistors, carbon film resistors, and carbon resistors.
Most audio grade resistors are made to sound in a particular way the manufacturer wants; they have a specific sound signature. If you want a neutral and transparent sound (the closest to "no resistor") go for Vishay Dale CMF55 / RN55 - the only ones I found even more transparent were the bulk foils but these are out. On the other hand if you are looking for a specific sound signature then you have to audition each brand/type of resistor and I decide wich you like best.
Just buy whatever you want at a reasonable price. I never look at brands when I buy, just get whatever specification I need at the cheapest price.
There was no observable difference between the two KrellKlones I built, one with Holcos and one with standard RS Components branded metal films. If you need to spend your money on high ticket items to make you feel good, by all means go ahead, I'm happy for you, but if not, then don't fret.
There was no observable difference between the two KrellKlones I built, one with Holcos and one with standard RS Components branded metal films. If you need to spend your money on high ticket items to make you feel good, by all means go ahead, I'm happy for you, but if not, then don't fret.
Nelson Pass is a "guru" who pays close attention to parts selection, biasing for low distortion - he however doesn't seem to obsess over Resistors - just advocates adequate power derating, metal film RN series
active parts, circuit topology, individual (active) device variations, layout all are much bigger effects than choosing between good metal film R manufacturers
people claiming resistors have "sounds" usually refuse to use DBT - are actively hostile to controlled listening testing techniques
active parts, circuit topology, individual (active) device variations, layout all are much bigger effects than choosing between good metal film R manufacturers
people claiming resistors have "sounds" usually refuse to use DBT - are actively hostile to controlled listening testing techniques
The only relevant spec imo for metal film resistors is thermal drift (besides, obviously, power dissipation and tolerance). I don't see the mechanism through which magnetic resistors would be any less than non-magnetic ones. EMI does not discriminate between different conductors. Nor does Johnson noise.
vac
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No one likes being proved wrong.
These blanket statements about the "sound" of resistors are just ignorant. Even if they did have a "sound" it would be dependent on its use (the circuit).
A 50ppm resistor has just as much distortion (very little) as a 200 ppm one in a circuit that causes the resistor 4 times the power deviation (sorta, its all about the resistor temp change). Since most resistors have little ac current compared to the bias (ma DC compared to ua AC) and the Ac is much faster than the thermal momentum of the resistor (the resistor temp dosnt have the time to change) these distortion effects become ppbillion. If you can hear that your lying.
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Thank you cbdb. It is always such a relief when the smart posters finally show up in a thread about sonic preferences to tell all of us how ignorant we are for listening to things instead of simply measuring them.
I have used a couple of the designated candidates in a famous chip amp design, but I can't tell you with any certainty that one brand sounds better than any other, besides the types you forbade us to discuss. The worst ones I heard are not on your list, although they are metal film.
One thing I have learned by building these amps several times with various component packages is that a mixture is probably better than any single brand used throughout, no matter how good it is supposed to be. That is a huge advantage of DIY that not enough builders use to their benefit. Any manufacturer who uses a large quantity of resistors (or anything else) will negotiate with a single supplier to get a lower price on volume. Using any single type of almost any component will probably contribute to giving that equipment a house sound. You probably can't hear one resistor unless it's really awful or incredibly good, but you can most likely hear 40 or 140 resistors in a single circuit. You might like it, or you might not. For those of us who build one or two at a time, we have the chance to combine various flavors to obtain a more savory, and probably closer to neutral, blend.
I believe this is also why mods and tweaks can improve, or at least change, the sound of some equipment: simply by introducing a different (and, we hope, better) type of component might alter the uniformity of sound produced (good or bad) by a bunch of identical parts.
Peace,
Tom E
I have used a couple of the designated candidates in a famous chip amp design, but I can't tell you with any certainty that one brand sounds better than any other, besides the types you forbade us to discuss. The worst ones I heard are not on your list, although they are metal film.
One thing I have learned by building these amps several times with various component packages is that a mixture is probably better than any single brand used throughout, no matter how good it is supposed to be. That is a huge advantage of DIY that not enough builders use to their benefit. Any manufacturer who uses a large quantity of resistors (or anything else) will negotiate with a single supplier to get a lower price on volume. Using any single type of almost any component will probably contribute to giving that equipment a house sound. You probably can't hear one resistor unless it's really awful or incredibly good, but you can most likely hear 40 or 140 resistors in a single circuit. You might like it, or you might not. For those of us who build one or two at a time, we have the chance to combine various flavors to obtain a more savory, and probably closer to neutral, blend.
I believe this is also why mods and tweaks can improve, or at least change, the sound of some equipment: simply by introducing a different (and, we hope, better) type of component might alter the uniformity of sound produced (good or bad) by a bunch of identical parts.
Peace,
Tom E
Different resistors do sound different. And they sound different because they measure different. Of course, it depends where they are located. And if you use only one brand/type of resistor all across the amp the differences will be bigger and you might not like the result. I could do a controlled ABX test and spot the differences without a problem. I prefer to use industrial type resistors - like the Daless RN/CFM series - to use some takmans or shinkoh because the industrial ones are not designed with some sound signature in mind. They're more neutral.
Yes, there was some question about it. Ed saw differences at about the -150dB level, but there's all sorts of measurement artifacts that can affect results when you're trying to distinguish picovolts. Smart guys who understand high precision measurements and have read the article are skeptical, but even if the results are solid, it's a pretty big leap of faith to ascribe any sonic significance.
Perhaps you should try this.
Any particular reason why it should be considered anything more than a 50-50 proposition?
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