Caps make the tone not resistors

[paisley_tele]

Would that be a correct statment that caps by switching values and brands like od Mallory mustard. They make the tone but if does the same apply with resistors?

[PCollen]

Would that be a correct statment that caps by switching values and brands like od Mallory mustard. They make the tone but if does the same apply with resistors?

ALL components contribute to the tone of an amplifier...some more than others and in different ways. You have to understand what each component in the amp circuit does and how it interacts with other components, meaning you have to understand the workings of the amp when you start tinkering with the values rather than approaching it like a kid putting together his first Erector set.

[paisley_tele]

I see . I was going
To tinker around my Ghia to try some dirfferent values. Any good like to in for would be great Dave hunter book aint helping much

[Andy Le Blanc]

Caps are the easiest place to invest in your tone.

Just having a few of the same value caps around, but different mfg to, audition.

Been seeing more variety in jupiter caps, can't wait for a good excuse to
check out those astron style ones.

resistors not so much, low noise coefficient is the best you can hope for.

[rp]

Try changing all the resistors at once from cc to mf or vice versa. Bet you hear a difference. But, yes caps make much more of a difference. I can hear old molded Astron & Black Beauty/Cat types vs modern easy, and 715s vs 150/6PS easy. 150 vs PS6 not so easy - but that's all, not one here or there.

[tubeswell]

Dave hunter book aint helping much

I don't think its that kind of book.

You probably want to have a look at Merlin's 1st book on tube pre-amp design.

The only difference I can hear in 'tone' between different types of caps of the same capacitance value is where the caps are made from 'vastly' different materials i.e. e.g. disc ceramic vs silver mica (where the former tend to be 'harsher' sounding and more prone to microphonics). Otherwise to my ear, one type of film cap is much the same as another.

[TheGimp]

One caviat in changing resistors is that you are probably changing the value by more than you might think.

Old CC resistors were typically +/- either 5 or 10% (I have seen 20% but they are rare, same with 1%). The 10% tolerance ones are what is left when they selected the 5% out of the center of the spread. So 10% resistors are likely to be either +5% to +10% or -5% to -10% with a low probability of +5% to -5%.

Putting a new 2% resistor in place of a 10% resistor can result in a shift of up to 12% not counting drift with age.

Some circuits are sensitive to change in value.

If you change the value when makeing comparisons, what are you comparing? The shift in value or the change in compasiton of the component?

[PCollen]

I see . I was going
To tinker around my Ghia to try some dirfferent values. Any good like to in for would be great Dave hunter book aint helping much

Exactly which components are you going to tinker with ? Do you have a schematic, and understand what the purpose of those components are ?
If so, great, if not...leave well enough alone.

[PCollen]

Dave hunter book aint helping much

I don't think its that kind of book.

You probably want to have a look at Merlin's 1st book on tube pre-amp design.

The only difference I can hear in 'tone' between different types of caps of the same capacitance value is where the caps are made from 'vastly' different materials i.e. e.g. disc ceramic vs silver mica (where the former tend to be 'harsher' sounding and more prone to microphonics). Otherwise to my ear, one type of film cap is much the same as another.

+1

[Structo]

Something to be aware of is that resistors can have filtering properties.

We know that having high value interstage resistors in series can shave off the high end when the value is increased.

Grid resistors to an extent can have an affect on tone.

Then there is the actual composition of the resistors itself.
That can get controversial in how much carbon comp resistors change the tone when compared to film resistors.

[Bob-I]

I couldn't disagree with you more. Resistors make a huge difference in the tone. My first Dumble type build used cheepy metal films and it couldn't have sounded worse, almost like an SS fuzz tone. I swapped out the plate loads for Vishay-Dale RN65, cathodes and grids with Xicon 1watt CF and it was a new amp altogether.

Caps also make a big difference. I've tested Xicon MPP, Sprague PS and 715, Panasonic and others in these amps and each has a unique character depending on the position in the amp.

It all counts, from the wire to the caps to the resistors, everything.

JMO

[bigbeck]

I couldn't disagree with you more. Resistors make a huge difference in the tone. My first Dumble type build used cheepy metal films and it couldn't have sounded worse, almost like an SS fuzz tone. I swapped out the plate loads for Vishay-Dale RN65, cathodes and grids with Xicon 1watt CF and it was a new amp altogether.

JMO

You probably had a bad solder joint in there to begin with and by putting new resistors in, you fixed it.

The important tone comes from the fingers.

[Bob-I]

You probably had a bad solder joint in there to begin with and by putting new resistors in, you fixed it.

I NEVER have bad solder joints

But I actually thought the same thing when I first heard the difference. I actually put a 4 new resistors on the plate loads to verify.

The important tone comes from the fingers.

Well... from MY fingers anyway

[jaysg]

The Vishay-Dale RN65 make an inarguable difference. They may not be what you want in any specific amp, but in a Dumble circuit, they add some clarity and sustain. This may sound like snake oil, but if so, you haven't tried it.

[JD0x0]

The Vishay-Dale RN65 make an inarguable difference. They may not be what you want in any specific amp, but in a Dumble circuit, they add some clarity and sustain. This may sound like snake oil, but if so, you haven't tried it.

+100 Makes a huge difference IMO they are much smoother than the grainy, rough sounding carbon comp JMO