SWEET RESISTORS! DIY! Audio Note! TAKMAN! AmTrans! Kiawame! VISHAY! More!!!

Here we look more closely at high end audio resistors by Audio Note, Takman, AmTrans (AMRG), VISHAY, Shinkoh and more!
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[@jameswarren1831]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and giving examples. Please keep going and show us more examples of implementation!

[@hificonspiracy]

Thx James! Will do.

[@NickP333]

Great overview of resistor types and their different sound qualities. Parts quality absolutely has an impact on sound quality. I’ve built, modded, and upgraded the majority of my gear, and my experiences have been very similar. Just because resistors may measure the same, does not mean they sound the same, as is the case for many parts, another great example being capacitors. Bypassing electrolytic capacitors with a film type aprox 1/100th the value in parallel can have great sonic benefits. Excellent vid. Thank you! 👍🔊🎶😊

[@hificonspiracy]

Thx Nick! Happy Audio!

[@NickP333]

@@hificonspiracy You too, Alexander! 🎶😊

[@Gabster1]

Thank you Alexander for a great comparison. I am using a z foil in my Dac’s IV stage and love the sound.

[@hificonspiracy]

So glad!

[@solarman30]

Nice rundown. Have never tried the AN tants. They are out of my comfort zone, price wise! I do like the Takman REX and REY resistors. But, KOAs and Vishays are my everyday, go to parts. Dan

[@hificonspiracy]

Yes, AN Silver are crazy expensive. I purchased from the nice people at HiFI Collective in the UK when the dollar was high. Thank you for the kind words. making videos is hard. I fumble my words and always forget what I wanted to say! lol. Glad it was interesting.

[@NosEL34]

Great video & good job 👍. Ive only been building a couple years now and have played it safe using the Dale metal films. Im about to build a simple 6sn7 preamp..not many resistors in the circuit so i bought & decided to try the ARMG carbon films..along with some TKD 2W and 5w Mills in a couple spots. This preamp circuit is going to be perfect for me to try different resistors. The Audio Notes will be next 😁

[@Geoduck.]

Helpful and informative thank you Alexander.

[@hificonspiracy]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@user-tn9os8qf2y]

The people that think that just because components have one or two of the same specs they will sound the same makes me laugh, I mean maybe if you have terrible hearing you wont be able to tell a difference. The list for what effects sound the most imo is as follows in order from most to least, space/room, speakers, circuit design, tubes/transistors, audio transformers, capacitors, inductors, resistors, jacks/wires/cables.

[@user-zq9bn8wo1h]

A safe space to talk about resistor sound :)

[@bunsw2070]

Let's hope the Audio Science Review crowd does find this channel. Lol

[@ahmadfaraz3346]

Waooo..i wish to buy all of them...but i can get only chinese here.. loved to see that..small parts make a big difference. Do make a video plz on output stage transistors.

[@fiddlix]

Your findings with these resistors is 100% spot on. Especially in high voltage high impedance devices like when using them with tubes (valves).

[@venomzombie]

Yo do this with capacitors too!

[@steven8417]

I use AB 2w resistors as grid stoppers. Like the tantalums, they have that "smooth & warm" character, but they are absolutely NOT boring - quite the opposite IME.

[@hificonspiracy]

ABs are a great resistor. No doubt. I kept them in the phono section of my Quicksilver Pre.

[@steven8417]

@Alexander Stuehr - Lowpower Audio 👍👍fantastic. No issues with noise at that low level?

[@hificonspiracy]

@@steven8417 No noise issue. The Noise floor seems not a low as solid state phono and I might detect a bit of tube roar. Not sure if its noise or tube roar but its not distracting I'm only nit picking. But the sound is incredible! Big dynamic, fleshy, lots of contrast texture color to the sound. Best phono stage I have heard. I could try using some z-foils to replace the ABs to chase noise but I like it as it is.

[@bunsw2070]

Great video. I have no idea why KZbin never suggested you before. It would be nice if you compared the AN non-inductive nobium resistors. I know they're even more expensive but we really dont know much without side by side comparisons. Otherwise I'll have to buy all the different types myself to compare. I remember about 20 years ago I was reading on audioasylum that the Vishay bulk foils, while transparent, flattened the sound stage. I had a bunch of parts and went to a friend's to compare. All he used was a homemade RCA interconnect and placed alligator clips in the middle. I thought there is no way some cheap alligator clips will be transparent enough to do a decent comparison. Was I wrong. The vishay bulk foils (they didn't make naked ones yet) actually flattened the soundstage. And not a little. It was as tall as a thread. Maybe naked don't do that. Previously I thought these guys on audioasylum were blowing wind. This forum post included one of the guys that designed the Blowtorch preamplifier. Curl maybe. Can't remember. I do remember thinking they were crazy for mixing and matching Halcros and Rodersteins when you could be using bulk foil or precision non-inductive wirewound (such an expensive preamp). An even better resistor than a bulk foil (bulk foils are a US military spec. you can buy from several other companies) is a precision non-inductive wirewound like you can get from MicroOhm. They're custom made so you want to buy 10 or 20 of each to amortize the setup costs. MTW series I believe. 20ppm is standard but you can specify lower. They told me the actual ppm is about half of what's specified.

[@hificonspiracy]

Thank you! Please subscribe lots of new content coming soon!

[@xfloodcasual8124]

the issue with the silver tant is that the connection of the end caps on resistors is where tons of fidelity gets lost. audio note spent millions with some Italian university to develop a special annealing process. once they annealed it correctly with silver, they heard huge gains in fidelity.

[@hificonspiracy]

Yes! Thanks for adding that info!

[@bunsw2070]

That's why Audio Note is expensive. They do things the way they should be done.

[@jm_1214]

Resistors absolutely sound different

[@mikepxg6406]

Prove it.

[@Sdskotdr]

​@@mikepxg6406 try 1k to 22k resistor before input sound ..

[@RyansCustomShopandGearOutlet]

Liked and subscribed! What is your opinion on the best modern production (currently being produced in 2024 with a reliable USA distributor) affordable replacement resistors for building vintage guitar amplifier circuits. I know nostalgia purists want Allen Bradley carbon comp resistors, but I want to create vintage amp circuits with modern available resistors that will last a lifetime, but still have that vintage charm. I've been tinkering and repairing vintage tube amps for years, and I want to start building my own design ideas. Your input is greatly appreciated.

[@peterlarkin762]

AN tantalum resitors etc are out of my budget for the moment, and I use Vishays and Koa that are made in Czechslovakia, Japan and S. Korea. I used Vishay Dales with mixed results, they can sound harsh in some places. The most expensive ones Im using are Mills non-inductive emmitor resistors on my amp.

[@hificonspiracy]

All good stuff. I bought a couple of the expensive AN Silver Tants very nice peeps at HiFI Collective in the UK. when the dollar was high to the pound. Amazingly fast shipping too. Thanks for posting!

[@Soundapple]

I have a question, maybe you can help? I have just built a single ended mono block, amplifier set, and used audio note tantalum non-magnetics as grid stoppers. The rest of the resistors in the signal path are silver Tantalums with AMRG carbon film in less critical placements. Output transformers are Lundahl amorphous core and all wiring is stranded silver in Teflon. It sounds very warm, detailed and transparent, but I can’t help wondering whether the copper tantalums as grid stoppers is holding it back?

[@Atelierul29]

You took the snake oil at another level!

[@franksagen5049]

Hi, I have 2W AMRG in signal right before the transistor in my Hiraga 30W ( not testet the card yet, its a upgrade w/kubota reg ). I have read they are bassy, but they may not run them in proppely? Maby give them a try, I almost decide to put in Dale insted. I have Carcroft Bulk and Dale RN60 in signalway also, maybe the mix with AMRG wil work.

[@hificonspiracy]

AMRG, Charcroft, and Dale all nice. Yes, if you use the AMRGs don't give up if first results are challenging. Let them burn in 30-5O hour playtime. They really seem to change for the better.

[@billkalina3089]

10 dollar resistors? I'd say they're for people with "more dollars than sense".

[@hificonspiracy]

And how much did you spend on your big screen TV? Just saying.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

Exelent review..............i share your experience , it's spot on .............! Thanks !

[@Sdskotdr]

Limited sound and speaker's loud.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

That's why you should NEVER change a carbon comp resistor in high frequency oscilators by any other !!!!

[@jimmysjunkyard]

Well said!! 👍

[@bennylixballtiti3606]

SILVER OXYDE DOES NOT CONDUKT AT ALL. ITS A TALE. 😅😅😅

[@hificonspiracy]

I think you might be confusing silver sulfates with silver oxides?

[@peterlarkin762]

Silver oxide is the cause for lots of old silver tinned transistors to fail as the oxide creeps up the legs. Conductive.

[@bunsw2070]

I believe silver oxide has the same resistivity as copper. So just a bit lower than actual silver. But way better than copper oxide and a pleasant sound Signature. I was told this by a Audio Note service tech with 40 years experience fixing all the best gear. Silver sounds so much better than copper that it likely isn't all due to the higher conductivity. And you can get cheap silver wire from Rio Grande jewelry supply. The dead soft, fine silver as small as 0.2 mm (32 gauge). It costs the same amount as silver bullion. I've tried over a dozen wire types and the Audio Note silver is in a league of it's own. Dueland silver/gold is second and Connex 6n silver (not the OCC which is nasty) next. Nothing was burned in so maybe I need to do that too.

[@jamalmalik7784]

Shinkoh

[@hificonspiracy]

Excellent resistor if you can find them!

[@jjcale2288]

Delusional audiophools unite!

[@stephenfurley1025]

All it takes is an open mind (which some obviously don't have) and try for yourself. At least then you'll have a genuine base to comment from. Back in the early 80s I rebuilt a Leak Stereo 70 amplifier replacing the existing carbon film resistors with standard metal film ones. The difference was pretty obvious. With the metal films the sound was cleaner, clearer and more detailed. Not all good news, however, as the carbon film's warmth was lost. Still left the metal films in place. The sound you get from old gear is heavily dependent on the carbon film resistors used in it. To my mind, anyway.

[@hificonspiracy]

Thanks for sharing. I love Leak gear!

[@peterlarkin762]

If you do not think resistors make a difference, lucky you!!!! I build my own gear from scratch, and i sincerely wish caps and resistors made no difference because it is a pain to swap things around and test various combinations.

[@jjcale2288]

I'm back. I have to confess. I am an audiophool myself. Also delusional, with tons of biases and placebo. I treat myself with live music, I have a few guitars. It's working good. Much cheaper.

[@stephenfurley1025]

​@@mikepawntee2425 Well, in small part, yes, in greater part, simply down to how metal film resistors actually sound. I have a 1950s Ferguson 621 radio, which, before it went dead, had a great 1950s/60s sound and I wouldn't dream of using metal film resistors in it. It will be carbon composition types as fitted when I get round to fixing it. It just wouldn't sound the same using anything else.