Hi Nick,

Quote Originally Posted by lurcher View Post
Sorry, but that makes no sense. just because its small and if you squint it looks like a single resistor doesnt make it a single resistor. unlike the owner, audio doesnt care what it looks like, the reality is that SMD resistors are used because they are small and can be assembled to PCB's by automatic pick and place equipment. Then trying to reverse argue that because they are small and take up no space makes them in any way better sonically is just marketing bullshit. If you have 20 surface mount resistors or 20 of any type resistors you have 20 different resistive elements, and 40 contacts between the resistive element and the end conductor, and 40 end cap to PCB solder joint. With a single resistor you have 1 resistive element, two end caps, and two solder joints.
Ok, sure. I accept all that. None of it, though, automatically makes SMDs bad. The only reason I've highlighted Goldpoint's position on the matter (and what the above article outlined) is because it reflects my experience, and most importantly, it's what my ears tell me.

The DACT 'series'-type stepped attenuator in the Croft, which also uses SMD resistors, sounds superb, and to my ears is better than any 'conventional' attenuator, for example the Glasshouse Takman I had before it. Furthermore, in all the years I've used the DACT, on the Croft, I've never been tempted to upgrade it with different resistors, which I also think tells its own story...

Therefore that fact, and given that the Goldpoint, fitted with similar SMD resistors (which I'm using now solely as shunts), sounds equally superb, proves to me that there's either something in what they say, or that SMD resistors aren't as bad as some folk think!

When it suits them they use the same but reversed argument when they make a thing of the advantage of only having the one switch contact in the signal.
Yes, but it is an undeniable advantage of series-type attenuators. SMD resistors also have shorter signal paths than the conventional variety. Both factors are likely to be partly responsible for the excellent results I'm getting.

But you could and did, thats exactly what you heard when you replaced the 30 or so surface mount resistors with a single shunt, the improvement you have heard (even with a cheap SINGLE metal film resistor) show that the SMD ones are not transparent as they claim.
Well, the biggest improvement would've been gained by introducing the shunt, and in the process removing all those resistors from the signal path, regardless of what type of resistors they were!

In that respect, I've no idea why Goldpoint don't design their series-type passive devices that way originally (as 'shunt-types', like how Duncan has done it, and in a way getting the best of both worlds), as for me, it's a no-brainer. I know that Goldpoint prefer the 'all-series' approach to passives, but it isn't the best way of doing things.

Shunt isn't always best either, especially in an active preamp, as some lower-gain devices don't like the subsequent reduction in gain, caused by reducing voltage (such as the Croft), and can sound soft and 'limp' as a result. Returning to the SMD resistors in the Goldpoint (now being uses as shunts), they may indeed not sound as good as Z-foils would in there, but my point is that they're definitely transparent enough not to act as a significant bottleneck!

Now, again, the shunt resistor(s) may have less effect on the sound than the series one, but I think its certain that it will have some. as you say, you may try this later so it will be interesting what you find.
Indeed. The plan eventually will be to replace the SMD shunts with Z-Foils. I'm pretty certain that will be better, but like I said, given the superb sound I'm enjoying at the moment, I'm in no real rush to go there

If you are only using position 3-10 on the switch, if you decide to try single resistors, you may as well just use a 24 way switch and spread the values from to your current 10 over those points. You could use a 12 way switch, but I suspect psychologically you prefer the control to be in the lower half of its travel under normal use.
Indeed, but I still like retaining the flexibility of more steps, in order if necessary, to accommodate the replay of very low-level recordings, such as can be the case sometimes with classical music. The extra steps are unlikely to be used, but I'd still rather they were there if I need them.

BTW (1), I am almost certain no engineer from Goldpoint has read thair web site, they would have noticed this mistake "The surface mounted resistors used on the Goldpoint V47s are 0.5% Nichrome THIN film with a thermal noise specification (TCR) of 25 PPM, same as on our V24s,"
So what's their mistake?

BTW (2), "let's not lose sight of the fact that the best resistor is NO resistor", hence the point of inductive designs.
In order to understand your point I would need to know what an inductive design is, and how it differs from what I have....?

Marco.