Carbon Comps On Plates And Cathodes?

[RANDY]

I know that series carbon comps sound different than metal films but what about on plates and/or cathodes?Thanks!

[R.G.]

I know that series carbon comps sound different than metal films but what about on plates and/or cathodes?Thanks!

I'm having a bit of trouble deciphering that, but I'm guessing that you mean "do carbon comps and metal films sound different depending on whether they are on cathodes or plates?"

If that's correct, the answer is that you can probably hear a difference (other than wider tolerance and drift as well as excess noise) when you use a carbon comp as a plate resistor in a stage that has a signal swing on the plate over 50V and preferably over 100V. The signal swing on a cathode is usually only a few volts, much too little to let the carbon comp voltage coefficient of resistance have an effect.

For background, read "Use of Carbon Comp Resistors for Magic Mojo", 3/22/02 at GEOFEX: "Use of Carbon Comp Resistors for Magic Mojo", 3/22/02 at GEOFEX:
or my article in Tech Views in Musician's Hotline on the same topic.