Resistors in microphones
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soapfoot
Well-known member
Generally not likely, except possibly noise.
However it’s difficult to prove a negative, so someone might say they hear a difference (and it’d be almost impossible to definitively prove them wrong).
I will say that if there *were* a difference, the high-impedance part of a microphone is the most likely place you’d hear it.
However it’s difficult to prove a negative, so someone might say they hear a difference (and it’d be almost impossible to definitively prove them wrong).
I will say that if there *were* a difference, the high-impedance part of a microphone is the most likely place you’d hear it.
Generally not...
JR
JR
Not to start a discussion about it, but a lot of times certain components are pushed because of their origin of manufacturing. This is purely political bias, and many countries (and their citizens) are guilty of this. The idea comes from supporting local manufacturing, patriotic bias....
Nothing wrong with that, but people tend to mix up things, and somehow get the impression certain countries sound better
It gets funny when a country of origin has nothing to do with traditional heritage of a product but still gets pushed in advertising plot. Not uncommon to see a nonsense like: "Famous Texan Burger proudly made in Pakistan"
Use your favorite product/country. And yes, it even resistors.
I have wondered the same. Guitar amp guys swear by the carbon comps on power tube plate load. Don't think a preamp tube is going to push it into distortion though; not nearly as much power going through. I think it makes a negligible difference except for noise performance. I use metal films everywhere. It's not like they're worth their weight in gold. What almost certainly makes a difference is the use of film caps instead of electrolytic as used in older designs.
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user 130681
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On the contrary, MO and MF are favourite as they are very tollerant to heat and loading plus very inexpensive. Take a look inside a modern valve amplifier for confirmation.
Microphones draw very little current and coupling resistor types make no difference. Some DIYers try to use NOS carbon composition but only because they believe that is their best option. There is no science behind it, just the thought that more expensive means better quality. Sadly, usually not the case.
Most posts on sites like these but fleabay especially, is to sell a product that pertains to be "better" than another. The reason is jacking up the price of an ordinary component purely to make a proffit.
A Panasonic Electrolytic is as good a a "Black Gate" with the same specification of course, at a tenth of the price. Metal Film Capacitors are still bulky and non polarised. Mostly no performance enhancement can be found spending loads of money on MF caps as opposed to Electrolytics BUT every component has its place.
Always be vigilant buying components and ensure they come from a known reliable source; Mouser, RS, Farnell, CPC etc. The buyer will get exactly what is required.
Edit; spelling and typo as usual for my dyslexic head ...
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Some types of resistors are objectively better than others, but the important question for product designers are those differences audible in use.
JR
JR
SAME QUESTION AS WHAT OPENED THIS THREAD ... BUT ABOUT CAPACITORS, and other components, INSTEAD ??? Does it matter what type one uses?
From the previous comments - apparently not. But I am compelled to specifically ask to be sure.
Reason for asking: I am building a board from scratch and just about to order parts. If I do not need to be fussy about resistors - what about other components such as capacitors, diodes, etc.?
Aside to Gary O -- Perfect timing on opening this thread !! It was on my list to ask the same question.
Thanks gang. James/K8JHR
From the previous comments - apparently not. But I am compelled to specifically ask to be sure.
Reason for asking: I am building a board from scratch and just about to order parts. If I do not need to be fussy about resistors - what about other components such as capacitors, diodes, etc.?
Aside to Gary O -- Perfect timing on opening this thread !! It was on my list to ask the same question.
Thanks gang. James/K8JHR
The subject of "capacitor sound" has been debated often, and it is clear that film capacitors are more neutral than ceramic (except C0G/NP0) and electrolytics. All capacitors are to a degree non linear i.e. they will distort as the voltage across them increases. There is a distinction to be made between coupling capacitors, where distortion appears at low frequencies if the capacitor is undersized, and those used in filters, such as EQ and selective circuits. For these, never us electrolytics not high-perm ceramic.
Diodes are generally not in the signal path, unless they are wanted for their non-linearities (fuzz-box).
It's a vasr subject that can't be covered in just a few lines.
You need to apply scrutiny to each and every part and assess how any non-linearity could affect the signal.
For example, rectifier diodes should not significantly differ in terms of rectified voltage (except zeners), but some may result in significant radiated emissions, which may or may not affect the unit's noise performance.
Diodes are generally not in the signal path, unless they are wanted for their non-linearities (fuzz-box).
It's a vasr subject that can't be covered in just a few lines.
You need to apply scrutiny to each and every part and assess how any non-linearity could affect the signal.
For example, rectifier diodes should not significantly differ in terms of rectified voltage (except zeners), but some may result in significant radiated emissions, which may or may not affect the unit's noise performance.
Actually, carbon comp resistors are more expensive because they are not made on the same industrial level than the other "modern" resistors.
Their production is more complicated, the reject ratio is large, and the quantities produced are in the thousands, not in the millions.
t has been demonstrated times and times again that carbon comp resistors are highly non linear (even granular), which is probably part of the sound of some devices.
Now these effects happen when a significant electric field is developed in the resistor, so it makes sense for use in the anode of tube circuits, but not so much in the cathode (particularly if it's bypassed) or in the B+ resistor string, where standard carbon or metal film are simply better, cheaper and more reliable.
Re capacitor sound ... when I was a kid I made a radio in a matchbox.the ZN414 chip , it worked really well sounded great with my hi quality earpiece, there was a .1 uf cap for output I was using a philips mustard I pulled out of old TV.When I tried other .1 uf caps so it would fit in the matchbox it just didnt have the warm bassey tone of the mustard.
dmp
Well-known member
This article by RG Keen from many years ago went into nice detail from a perspective of curiosity, and refrained from the strong bias in either direction.
Explains the physics for why one might use CC as plate resistors.
I have been using metal film in many different builds over the years, from guitar amps, pedals, tube microphones, etc and am very happy with the choice.
I only use CC for historical repairs (i.e. too look right)
Explains the physics for why one might use CC as plate resistors.
I have been using metal film in many different builds over the years, from guitar amps, pedals, tube microphones, etc and am very happy with the choice.
I only use CC for historical repairs (i.e. too look right)
Have you measured the two caps, and they both measured the same?
No I was about 8 years old... all I was saying is when I built my littlre radio I reached for a .1 uf capacitor as per diagram I happend to find mustard, the raido sounded rich plenty of bass. But when I tried several other .1 capcitors in the radio none of them matched the sound of the mustard, just something I remembered from a long time ago.
