Metal Film Resistors. My experience.

  • Thread starter Thread starter RockStarNick
  • Start date Start date
RockStarNick

RockStarNick

Active member
So, just in case anyone else is a total tech-geek freak like me.

Last week, I was sick and didn't have a ton of energy to get to the gym and whatnot. So, I decided to do some module experiments.

I've become very interested with amp construction, components, modding, etc. lately. And I've heard different things about carbon comp, carbon film, and metal film resistors.

Carbon Comps (used in all my Egnaters) are supposedly the "mojo" resistor. Warmest, most complex tone. Carbon film are pretty standard. ANd Metal film are supposed to be the brightest and most accurate.

Well, I was bored. and I mean REALLY bored. So I decided to swap out all the signal-path resistors in my SL2 for Metal Films.

The result?

Dry, stiff, midrangey. Not at all the Egnater flavor that I've grown used to.

I was really suprised that these little blue turds could make that much of a difference.

The only use that I could see for them, in Eggy modules, is if someone wanted a dead-on SLO clone, or if someone wanted a really dry VHT flavor.

Anyhoo... moral of the story... stick with the resistors that came with the modules. They're there for a reason: beacuse they SOUND good.

:)
 
AWESOME!

I guess, I don't need to try a resistor swap. LOL :rock: :lol: :LOL:
 
Hmmm. Interesting Nick. Glad you tried that out. Most people would've not taken the time to do that, so we would've never known ;) :thumbsup:
 
Metal film resistors, I think, is what is inside some Keeley, and other boutique pedals. Right? So they do have some good uses.
 
You're totally correct, Danny.

I think for stuff like compressers, etc, where you want a pristine signal, they probably work well.

But I just wasn't jiving with them. I put the stock Carbon Comp resistors back in immediately.
 
I'll bet this also explains some of he sound/feel difference with the Randall modules.
 
muudrock":y4vn21pr said:
I'll bet this also explains some of he sound/feel difference with the Randall modules.
Click to expand...

+1 .. the caps make quite a difference too...anyone who has tried some of okstrat's work will recognize both of these changes.
 
Maybe it's metal film caps, not resistors, what I read is in some of my pedals. Or both, I don't know.
 
http://mtsforum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=7716

This is a great thread on Grailtone forums with gut shots of the Randall modules. As far as components used, it seems that the randalls are ALL over the place. From month to month, year to year. Using different style caps here and there... very random.

Jeff, are the Carbon Comp resistors the current resistor of choice for the modules? My T/D has Carbon Film. Not that I can really hear a difference between THOSE two... but those metal films were noticeably different.

I may buy an E-Rect one of these days and have fun and try to turn it into a SLO with all metal films and whatnot. But that's when I'm really bored with money to burn. :D I'll save that project for the winter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top