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Top resistors

Many threads with opinions on boutique coupling capacitors, but very little consolidated information on the sonics of resistors. Anyone care to share their thoughts on the attributes of their favorite brands & types for specific tube and SS applications? How much of a difference does a good resistor make?

My interest in the topic increased after recently installing the latest Texas Components nude Vishay TX2575 in several SS and tube phono & LS components. This was a proverbial "Ah-ha" moment-- a stray resistor dropped into signal path here or there, surprising with an improvement that equalled or surpassed the impact of a switch to a top coupling cap like V-Cap or Mundorf.
dgarretson
jetrexpro
506 posts
 
And perhaps I have been over compensating for the warm A-B's by doing things like removing the grid caps. I will check with the guy who lent me the Tants to see how old they are. I do know they were fully broken in since he had been using them in his home brew 2A3 amp.
jetrexpro
506 posts
 
The AN Tants I borrowed are the previous version of the AN type; Audio Note is now making a newer version with non-magnetic copper end caps.

I am going to get the TX2575 and be mindful that if I hear too much hi end emphasis there may be something else in my amp/system to blame
prcinka
366 posts
 
New kid on the blog here...try some Amtrans AMRG....
jetrexpro
506 posts
 
Prcinka, Cant find much info on how the Amtrans AMRG sound. Can you shed some light?
salectric
747 posts
 
I have tried AMRG carbon films 3 times---as the cathode resistor in my linestage and as dropping resistors in my power amps' bias supply. Each time the ARMG was heavy in the bass and very dark and soft in the highs. In each case, I ended up replacing the AMRG with an AN tantalum 2w which solved the coloration problem.

I have heard the AMRG is billed as better sounding than the Riken carbon film. I haven't compared them in an A/B test, but they certainly sound similar. For some reason, Rikens seem to do very well as gridstoppers which is how I use them, but in my opinion they are too colored in other spots.
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