What resistors do you like in what parts of a wreck?

[benoit]

I'm building a rocket clone, specifically, but you Express/Pool guys go ahead and chime in.

I'm referring to resistors of a certain brand or construction, rather than xyz value for v1 plate.

Ben

[paulruby]

It doesn't matter... Metal films of 1W or 2W are the least noisy, so that's what I use, but you would be very hard pressed to hear the difference between any two types of resistor. Seriously... It doesn't matter. Just buy some resistors and start building.

[Rick]

I'm glad someone has finally come out and said it. I hear so much baloney about using this or that "vintage" component or "tone" component. The most ridiculous notion I think is using "vintage electrolytics". I've fixed a lot of old tube radios, the first thing to go is those old "vintage capacitors". Why on earth would anyone want to use old, degraded capacitors that are probably already shot or ready to expire at any time??? I just don't get it....

[hairyandy]

Yep. There's a whole lot of differing opinions on that topic. Check out R.G. Keen's geofex.com website for a really interesting essay on the "mojo" of vintage components. His take is that carbon comp resistors actually can "distort" a bit which lends a slightly different harmonic content to the signal, but this only occurs in high voltage situations.

Andy

[dartanion]

There is some truth to the Keen article, yet it only makes sense to use CCs in specific places, like PI Rp.

Wire wound are the best noise wise, with higher wattage metal film and metal oxides close behind. These make sense to use throughout the amp, but cost more than carbon films, which are pretty low noise to start.

For highish gain amps, metal films on the input stage makes a lot of sense, but you'd be fine using carbon films in most cases.

I normally use carbon films everywhere, except the power supply, and only change them out for noise or tweaking for tone.

[Richie]

I hear so much baloney about using this or that "vintage" component or "tone" component.

Alot of that is not baloney..some parts do make a difference between using another type.

[Moregear]

There is some truth to the Keen article,

yet it only makes sense to use CCs in specific places, like PI Rp.

Please which resistor is this on the Express and why is CC good here?

Thanks.
John

[Shermock]

Boy, I gotta chime in on this and say that in comparison, in my Express, the carbon film resistors were the best sounding. Metal film sounded downright harsh. Especially as plate resistors! No kidding. The whole amp "smoothed out" when I replaced all the resistors with carbon film. A definite tone-shaper!

Shermock

[ODwan]

To me, resistor type makes the most difference in the plate and slope position. I can clearly hear differences in sound here. Wether CC or MF or CF is up to the specific amp and aspired tone(e.g. MF in Dumbles and CC in Marshalls). As to other positions, I never heard any difference so I go with lowest noise components.
Just my .02€
Timo

[lastwinj]

carbon film. cheap and easy, just the way KF liked it.

germ