Is There a need to change the resistors in one's speakers even if room sounds good

[treitz3]

Most manufacturers over-specify the power in resistors to have better power dissipation and achieve a lower temperature. Using this trick they can use cheaper resistors with higher temperature coefficients in their crossovers. Wilson uses external resistors in series with the speakers to tame FR but also having fuse functions in order to protect drivers for short bursts. For this purpose they need to have high precision very expensive resistors with a very low coefficient temperature, otherwise you would risk some compression when power increases. Submitting these resistors to systematic abuse can change their properties, even if does not damage them. It is why they wisely always change them when a repair is performed or recondition a speaker for a new user.

Interesting. Thanks for the insight Francisco. So the resistive value will remain the same, yet the properties will change [and potentially change the sonic signature], hence the added packs of resistors?

Tom

 

[DonH50]

Over-stressing a resistor will change its value, potentially its tempco, etc.

I have read endless debates about the merits, or lack of, various resistor types. Not sure I have ever read a study using DBT.

Certainly if people can hear differences among electrically equivalent wires, they will hear differences among resistors.

I do not claim to be one of those people.

 

[rockitman]

I think if wilson thought the resistors would degrade in sound over time, they would mention it in the manual. As such, I am of the firm belief they are simply spares.

 

[andromedaaudio]

I have very expensive ex WW2 resistors i found in a barn in the himalaya mountains , they will change the system from being on a toyota prius level to a lexus with full options ......for only 100 $$



On a more serious note i wouldnt take all the audiophile claims very seriously , just stick with the ones wilson provided , which are already one of the " better" ones , and if you want to change just try , they arent that expensive just stick with the same value and wattage

Anyway ,i dont know what you are trying to improve but another type of good quality tweeter resistor will not change the character of the titanium high freq dome much , but i am sure audiophiles will disagree