Boston AES | "Best Resistors for Audio" | Brewster LaMacchia

Northeastern University
Robert J. Shillman Hall
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
At the 143rd AES a resistor manufacturer's booth sign about the "best resistors for audio" led to an in-depth look at what characteristics resistors actually have that would affect an audio system and how those could be measured. Sounded simple enough but dozens of measurements later there are more questions than answers. We'll review noise and distortion in electronics, the test fixture design, the measurement tool, and some initial results. The presentation will close with a list of potential side projects that may be of interest to AES student members looking for topics for papers or poster sessions.
Brewster LaMacchia has been involved with DSP and audio through a succession of companies. Previously with Momentum Data Systems he worked on playback systems for consumer 3D audio (ATMOS & DTS:X). MDS hardware & software system products are found in many high-end home theater pre-processors; MDS software is found in mass market multi-channel consumer audio products. Currently, with a new company, Clockworks Signal Processing LLC, he's focused on open source modular hardware for audio signal processing. Outside of work he's active in area astronomy clubs and regularly organizes star parties for the public to observe through volunteer's telescopes.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

AMUSING....

[@danbuffington75]

Not all who wander are lost, eh?

[@NikolaiBeier]

At 44:04
Panasonic ERA-3A series has 'Noise Index' at measurement limit, i.e. around -45 to -48 dB. Susumu RG series measure about the same.

[@BogdanWeiss]

Any chance you could share your projection slides as downloadable files somewhere ?
They are mostly completely invisible in your video presentation...
Thanks :-)

[@danbuffington75]

"It depends." Novel answer.

[@MrHillyMichaels]

So the lavaliere MIC you used had the magic resistors? - lol

[@NE-Explorer]

I just color my cds green before I rip them.

[@TheRealAudioDidact]

Here's the thing. I'm all for engineers because they are smart and kind. But when they make fun of audiophiles I just don't get it. I and many people like me can hear vivid differences of all kinds and they do matter.

[@user-xc1uy4js3e]

It's not what you hear. It's WHY you hear. Your ears merely pick up the sound pressure. You brain tells you what it sounds like. See where I am going here? The animal brain is the most complex multitasking operating system known. Multiple other factors influence what things look, taste, smell, and sound like. Placebo effect.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

Any component has an impact on music reproduction.............you're right , what's funny is that many so called "experts " or illuminated audiophiles like to ridicule facts outside of their beliefs and are thinking within the limits of their mental straight jackets of their so understood (perfect) science .You can not argue with those kind of people with such restricted mentality.....often they even have not experienced it themselves because measurements are king .