Metal Film Resistors, Xicon or Vishay?

[demonfuzz]

Whats up gang,
I am building a preAmp & ordering up all my parts today...

For Resistors, it's all metal film 1% & 5%.
Mouser has Xicon or Vishay.
Any preference as to brand?

I notice the Vishay are listed as MIL (Military) type.

With resistors does it matter ?

Thanks in advance...

[caglej]

Try the dale rn65 series............you'll be happy.

JC

[Geoff_T]

Originally Posted by demonfuzz

Whats up gang,
I am building a preAmp & ordering up all my parts today...

For Resistors, it's all metal film 1% & 5%.
Mouser has Xicon or Vishay.
Any preference as to brand?

I notice the Vishay are listed as MIL (Military) type.

With resistors does it matter ?

Thanks in advance...

Hi

Vintage Neve modules (the black face ones) used carbon 5% resistors.

Even much later Neve modules used carbon potentiometers with 2% tolerance metal film Corning Electrosil TR4 resistors. Corning sold their resistor devision to Vishay...

It really is the circuit that matters, not the components.

[Jim Williams]

If ordering from Mouser, use the Dale RN55 or RN60 series. Or the Caddocks. Skip the cheap film resistors, it's not that much more for the Dale's. Yes, they do make a difference. If you want to spend $$$, go with the Vishay bulk foils, they start at $1.60 and go up to $15 each.

Can't tell you how many times I've stripped the cheap resistors out of a piece of crap and used these fine resistors instead, what a difference it does make.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[Wavebourn]

You may find Soviet military MLT-0.5 resistors on ePay. I've bought plenty. Metal film on ceramic, silver plated leads, painted by temperature sensitive paint (peach when cold, cherry when hot).

[Geoff_T]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

Can't tell you how many times I've stripped the cheap resistors out of a piece of crap and used these fine resistors instead, what a difference it does make.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

Hi

Like all those piece of crap 80 series Neves?

[demonfuzz]

Cool gents, Thanks for the good info.
The wealth of options is almost overwhelming when ordering!

[Jim Williams]

Originally Posted by Geoff_T

Hi

Like all those piece of crap 80 series Neves?

No, I consider those a sound generation device, like an amp is to a guitar. The carbon resistors are part of the sound. I do like Japanese transistors in them however. Anyone want to "re-resistor" one and tell us how it went?

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[Geoff_T]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

No, I consider those a sound generation device, like an amp is to a guitar. The carbon resistors are part of the sound. I do like Japanese transistors in them however. Anyone want to "re-resistor" one and tell us how it went?

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

Hi

I mentioned the carbon resistors in the black faced Germanium modules to demonstrate the point that a "quality" product does not need mega-expensive components to produce the desired sound.

If you look at all subsequent Neve consoles, from around 1969 well into the 1980's, they used 0.25W 2% TR4 Electrosil metal film resistors for everything except high wattage applications where they used TR6's. Lamp/relay switching used 100 ohm carbon resistors.

There's very much an "audiophile" mentality in this area of pro audio but, with respect, I feel that the more money thrown at a circuit, the improvement (if any) is a diminishing return.

I'm not the only person with this viewpoint. I recommend folk to read through Jule's interview with Rupert Neve concerning the replacement of parts.

Of course, if someone wants to fit $15 resistors to their 1073, they are very welcome to!