While the top-shelf choices seem to be the Caddocks and the Vishay Precision bulk metal foils, I'm guessing most of us don't spend that much coin for resistors. So, what are your preferences for reasonably priced (i.e. preferably $2.00 or less each) resistors. I'm interested in opinions about general types (i.e. metal film, thin film, thick film, wirewound, etc.) as well as specific brands and series that you like.
FWIW, I have been out of the game for over a decade, so I am playing catch-up on the tube market and the components market.
While I'm at it, what do you guys and gals like for caps? Specifically, non-electrolytics for coupling, bypass, and PS duties? Like I said, I have been out of it a while...
TIA,
Greg
FWIW, I have been out of the game for over a decade, so I am playing catch-up on the tube market and the components market.
While I'm at it, what do you guys and gals like for caps? Specifically, non-electrolytics for coupling, bypass, and PS duties? Like I said, I have been out of it a while...
TIA,
Greg
Mills wirewound non-magnetic, non-inductive. Not specifically in your price limit for certain values, but close.
Takman resistors have a good rep, both the metal and carbon films.
For Power supply caps I'm using Mundorf M-litic HV's and can highly recommend them (miles better than the Aerovox caps they replaced) Jensen is another good cap for the power supply.
I avoid bypass caps, and with the above caps they are not needed.
For coupling I'm using Mundorf silver & Oils, but would like to replace them with either Ampohm Copper Foil in Oil's or if I can stretch it, Duelund Alexander caps. But ATM I'm going to try some Chinese mil' surplus film & Oils I noticed on the bay...
For a lower budget the Hovland Musicap's are good from what I have heard.
For Power supply caps I'm using Mundorf M-litic HV's and can highly recommend them (miles better than the Aerovox caps they replaced) Jensen is another good cap for the power supply.
I avoid bypass caps, and with the above caps they are not needed.
For coupling I'm using Mundorf silver & Oils, but would like to replace them with either Ampohm Copper Foil in Oil's or if I can stretch it, Duelund Alexander caps. But ATM I'm going to try some Chinese mil' surplus film & Oils I noticed on the bay...
For a lower budget the Hovland Musicap's are good from what I have heard.
In my case, everything is either reasonable or unreasonable based on the price of beer. Not sure about the OP's scale.
In the guitar amps I build, mostly out of recycled materials, el cheapo metal film sounds much cleaner - and measures much more reassuringly - than the vintage wound types i usually have to work with. or maybe i'm just dreaming, and there is no difference. in any case, i never recycle vintage resistors these days, except for the more expensive power types.
on the other hand, i hoard any kind of high-voltage capacitor that isn't an electrolytic. i don't like the short lifespan of electrolytics. apparently they don't sound that great either, but i probably wouldn't notice.
i like what i read over at aiken amps: silver solder is beneficial, because it keeps werewolves away from your amplifier. it also smells nicer. but i'm not sure i can hear any difference.
on the other hand, i hoard any kind of high-voltage capacitor that isn't an electrolytic. i don't like the short lifespan of electrolytics. apparently they don't sound that great either, but i probably wouldn't notice.
i like what i read over at aiken amps: silver solder is beneficial, because it keeps werewolves away from your amplifier. it also smells nicer. but i'm not sure i can hear any difference.
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For current production, I find Takman carbon film resistors to be excellent. For power supplies I like Danotherm GRF wirewounds.
For PS caps I like motor runs. Current production from Genteq (metal film with Oil dialectric - NOT epoxy) is excellent value.
For PS caps I like motor runs. Current production from Genteq (metal film with Oil dialectric - NOT epoxy) is excellent value.
Well, it's sort of an arbitrary price point based on the price of the Caddock and bulk metal foil caps, which are $20 each (more or less - depends on where you get them). I would like to keep it under $1 each, which seems reasonable. I have found some decent looking suspects, among them the Vishay-Dale CMF Non-Magnetic series. I haven't heard from anyone who has used them, nor have I found a source for them yet, but they are the non-mag version of the regular CMF series which can be had for $0.57 each from the big parts outlets. The Vishay/BC Components (the artist formerly known as Beyschlag) wirewound 1-watters are about a dollar apiece from Digi-Key. Again, I haven't heard anything one way or the other about them, whereas the Mills are known to be decent.
For cheap caps, Parts Express film and foil, for mid price AudioCap Theta from PE, and for expensive, Solen Teflon film and foil. The Solens are IMHO the equal of the ultra expensive VCap but at one quarter the price. Voltage also will determine the cost-do you need 600v for tube circuits or will lesser voltage ratings do. BTW, the Solens are 1000v rated-good for SE amp coupling.
For most of my builds, I use the 2W KOA-Speer Carbon power resistors. They look like (and probably are) the Kiwame equivalents. They sure seem to work. Other than that, I mostly stick with metal films, unless I'm doing something really trick for myself - then it's Caddock and Mills...
For caps - at the budget level, the Obligattos are really, really nice. I also dig older polycarbonate capacitors. The Russkie Teflons caps are still great sounding for the price as are some of the other models. Expensive? Well, I'm still not willing to throw down for a V-Cap, so I use MIT polysterenes or Teflons.
For PS, I use whatever well-priced electrolytic is available. Honestly, I prefer recent production electrolytics _over_ Solen polyprop caps. I once built an entire preamp using tube regulation, Solen caps and chokes. In the end, I ended up ripping out the regulation... and then replacing the Solens with Nichicons!
In the end, this is all just icing on the cake. What really matters is the circuit, layout and execution. 'Trick' parts won't take a garbage circuit and make it better.
For caps - at the budget level, the Obligattos are really, really nice. I also dig older polycarbonate capacitors. The Russkie Teflons caps are still great sounding for the price as are some of the other models. Expensive? Well, I'm still not willing to throw down for a V-Cap, so I use MIT polysterenes or Teflons.
For PS, I use whatever well-priced electrolytic is available. Honestly, I prefer recent production electrolytics _over_ Solen polyprop caps. I once built an entire preamp using tube regulation, Solen caps and chokes. In the end, I ended up ripping out the regulation... and then replacing the Solens with Nichicons!
In the end, this is all just icing on the cake. What really matters is the circuit, layout and execution. 'Trick' parts won't take a garbage circuit and make it better.
But better parts in the right mix, will make a good circuit sound even better! compared to the same circuit using cheap parts 🙂
Modern resistors are 99% perfect more or less, we are not in the 70's when the average resistor was carbon composition...
That's what SS guys think about SS amps I will be the first to admit that sonic differences between any decent resistors are dubious at best, but there are many aspects of resistors that need to be taken into account and I am interested in which ones people consider "decent". If resistors were as simple as you might think, companies wouldn't make the myriad of different types that they do. Ditto for capacitors.
And this is where people need to apply common sense 😀
Very few things in this world are black and white, and this hobby is no different 😉
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