Signal direction of bulk Z-foil resistors

[reaction]

Hi folks,

Is there anyone here who has tried to find the signal direction of the common types of Z-foil resistors (TX2575, Charcroft CAR, Z201) with reference to the resistive layer (nude types) or printed text 'Z201' (encapsulated type)? Left to right or right to left?

I have my own observations, but will share them at a later stage in order not to affect on your opinion.

 

[KSTR]

Z-foils are individually laser trimmed and we have no way of knowing how many of the shorting strips have actually been removed in a specifc resistor and at which positions along the foil. Since the trimming is the only possibly asymmetry found in Z-foils (otherwise the are of 100% symmetric construction) all bets are off that there could be a strategically better general orientation (that is, if you actually believe in such a thing, and even if when you do -- but remember audio is an AC signal -- then it would be circuit specific, so no generalized statements could be made).

 

[reaction]

I am talking about hearing, not believing
At my bench both directions behave differently as sonic subtleties (TX2575)

 

[Gopher]

Then you're imagining it. Memory tricks - wanting to hear something so you do. Tell me - how do you switch between one resistor and another? Mechanical switch? Jumper? Soldering? Any of those is likely to have more of an effect than the resistor.

 

[reaction]

I am not a newbie who listens with eyes, believe me
Let's get back to the point

 

[DF96]

You are asking people if they have found something which does not exist. What is the point of this?

Even if these resistors were significantly asymmetric then which way the 'signal flows' would not be relevant; it would be which way the DC flows which would matter.

You are talking about "believing", but believing something which is not true.

 

[Gopher]

reaction - you still haven't told us how you switch the resistors in this test of yours from my previous post. Please enlighten us.

 

[Conrad Hoffman]

I'm pretty sure that at any instant in time, current is flowing in one wire and out the other. Beyond that, I don't know what a sensible answer to the question would look like.

 

[Gopher]

to which question are you referring Conrad?

 

[nightyj]

Vishay TX2575 and Charcroft Z-Foil are different but they all has the same direction . I am using them as I/V as on the picture it is clearly audible and easy to catch. Left one is the Vishay TX2575 .

 

[selfy]

Audibly the preferred direction is left to right, when looking at the resistor with the "black spot" facing you.

 

[Rundmaus]

Sorry to disappoint you, but no one involved in the production process of these resistors cares about the orientation of the resistive element, it is completely random. Just like all those people who 'hear' the orientation of components they identify by the printing on it, its purely imagination.

Regards,
Rundmaus

EDIT: In different words: You are claiming that the resistive element does not determine the components influence on the 'sound', but a small dot of black gunk is what matters. Sounds strange to me.

 

[50AE]

Not so when it comes to many capacitors, where a batch can have a absolute match when it comes to writings vs outer foil. I'm not 100%sure about resistors, but I do select mine by audible direction anyway.

 

[TNT]

Vishay TX2575 and Charcroft Z-Foil are different but they all has the same direction . I am using them as I/V as on the picture it is clearly audible and easy to catch. Left one is the Vishay TX2575 .

If I change + and - on my speakers, do I have to change the direction of the resistor in order to get good sound?


//

 

[nightyj]

Every component has an audible direction but you need listening culture and a good system in some cases to hear the difference.

You do not need to change the I/V resistor position in order to get the good sound if you have installed it already in the right way.

 

[50AE]

Maybe not every component. I failed a blind test once to a direction of a Duelund carbon resistor in a speaker crossover.

 

[lcsaszar]

... remember audio is an AC signal ...

One pin of a resistor always has larger AC audio signal than the other, so in theory orientation does make sense. I am more interested in the physics behind it, if there is any. If there is no physics behind it, this is the territory of psychology.

 

[selfy]

If I change + and - on my speakers, do I have to change the direction of the resistor in order to get good sound?

No, providing you are doing a handstand to compensate for the phase rotation

 

[TNT]

The Bulgarians have golden ears

I was just trying to figure out if it was an information direction or electrical potential aspect that was believed to be in play. The answer seem to be "electrical" so the AC signal argument would be valid. The pins voltage potential "variate" - sometimes pin 1 is higher, sometimes it's lower than pin 2 That is what AC really is. Music is AC.

If any of you golden ears also happened to have some electrical engineering skills, could you please describe what is really happening here?

//

 

[Rundmaus]

What is happening here: People need some visible property of their stuff, like direction of markings on components, thickness of speaker wires and so on which they can influence or change, believing that this changes the sound. The rest happens in the mind (willing to believe).

Regards,
Rundmaus