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As my amp build is progressing, I wanted to ask all of you who are more experienced in building and tweaking amps a question.

What if you use 1W type CC resistors instead of 1/2W CC, in those places where 1/2W are commonly used? I assume that there shouldn't be much (if any?) difference in sound, but (if there is enough space on the board) what about lesser noise of a 1W CC resistor compared to a 1/2W. Is that difference significant at all? Would there be any reason to substitute 1/2W with 1W resistors?

I was looking over at 18Watt.com and saw that a lot of people (or at least there were few) use CF type resistors in their 18W, and like to throw in here and there some CC resistors, because of the "Mojo". Now, on what positions would CC resistors make the most sense, if one should decide not to use CC throughout the whole amp?

Ok, I know that proportional to the resistor value, noise is increased. That's probably why it makes sense to put an 1M to ground resistor on the input jacks.
Or for example, the grid resistors, as the current flow there is not high - compared to the plate resistors, could those 68k CF grid resistors in the Trinity 18W Plexi be replaced with 68k CC? Would that make any difference at all?

And back to the first question, would it be a waste of money to buy 1W resistor and put them instead of the 1/2W resistors? Or does that (= using 1W resistors) make more sense in bigger amps, like a jtm 45 or jmp 50 and doesn't have any impact on sound, noise, heat etc. in an 18W?

To understand how the carbon composition "mojo" effect works, see http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/c ... oncomp.htm Personally I don't like using CC resistors in an amp, and I prefer to use carbon film, with metal film for very high values. This the approach we used in the Triwatt, with the only carbon comp resistors in the amp being on the PI anodes. The result is a very quiet amp which has great clarity.

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Great tones come in small glass jars!

Thanks zaphod for your comment! What about the difference between 1/2W and 1W? Is there any at all? Would an upgrade to 1W make any sense in an 18W for example?

These days 1/2W resistors are physically so small they really look out of proportion in a valve amp. I only use 1W or above, mainly due to their physical size, although there is also a bit of noise improvement (and like I said I usually avoid CC resistors). And some modern 1W resistors are also pretty small sometimes, in which case I may use 2W, so they look correct.

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Great tones come in small glass jars!

I've occasionally find 1/2 watters are too short (on older amps) to go from lug to lug.
Stew