Custom resistors

Fully aware that it has its critics, who suggest that it is a bit "cold" sounding, my Black Cube SE phono stage provides the option to use a custom resistor to optimise load impedance. My cartridge is a Denon 103Pro and it would seem that the 100ohms option offered by the Black Cube internals is fine. My question, as an absolute electronics ignoramus, is whether a change to a suitable, presumably top flight resistor might warm and flesh out the sound a tad. Thjis is not a question of life and death but living abroad I am neither worried nor in a position to check out my cube's alleged coldness but an certainly not averse to maximising performance for a relatively small outlay. Any ideas ?

Chris

 

Regardless of the make or construction of resistor [which may or may not be significant], changing its value will change the freq response of the cartridge. This is more variable with moving magnet types, which can develop resonance peaks when lightly loaded, than with MC - which I think yours is?

 

Hi Graham,

I think you got the wrong idea - I am not talking about changing the value of the load impedance my cartridge should face - my black cube provides the hassle-free possibility of fitting that value suggested by the cartridge manufacturer which in my case is 100 ohms, a value offered by the cube's factory fitted internals. My idea is, shall we say, to improve the quality of the resistance by fitting a top flight resistor of 100 ohms. The manufacturer, presumably worked to a budget and having read that certain makes (Vishay, Black Gates etc. )can sometimes provide better sound then it is just an idea to try and scrape an extra bit more out of what my phono stage can offer for a nominal fee. I have no idea whether it is worth the bother or not but the black cube's designer (Norbert Lehmann) has just answered me in an e-mail saying that I might try one of the "naked" Vishay Dale resistors which apparently can cost up to 10 quid each - a price surely well above most designs' budget for a resistor.
By the way can anyone point me to a supplier of said "naked" resistors, where I won't have to buy a minimum of say 100 as would seem to be the case of Mouser.com.
Cheers,
Chris

 

I've got some holcos, and a few wire wounds plus others that you could try.

pm me