Where Can I Find Dale Resistors?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around sourcing Dale resistors, with participants sharing their experiences and insights regarding availability, specifications, and characteristics of these components, particularly in relation to their use in guitar amplifiers. The scope includes practical sourcing, technical specifications, and anecdotal evidence regarding resistor performance.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants inquire about sources for Dale resistors, particularly in England, noting challenges in finding suppliers that sell in small quantities.
  • Several participants mention that Dale resistors are now part of Vishay, which may complicate searches for these components.
  • There is a discussion about the characteristics of Dale resistors, with some participants asserting they have low noise and are preferred for guitar amplifiers, while others express skepticism about this claim.
  • One participant references the historical context of resistor noise, comparing wirewound Dale resistors to carbon composition resistors, suggesting that the latter have more noise due to contact and shot noise.
  • Another participant mentions that metal film resistors are also quiet and may have replaced carbon composition resistors in many applications.
  • One participant offers to provide some resistors to another who is looking for specific values.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the difficulty of sourcing Dale resistors and share experiences, but there is disagreement regarding the noise characteristics of Dale resistors compared to other types. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the validity of claims about their performance in guitar amplifiers.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the performance characteristics of resistors are not fully explored, and there are references to historical practices in resistor manufacturing that may not apply to current technologies.

wolram
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Can anyone give me a source for these resistors please?
 
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Google is your friend. I just tried a search for Dale resistors and found several sources.
 
wolram said:
Can anyone give me a source for these resistors please?
I just did a quick search at Digikey and at Mouser, and it looks like Dale is now part of Vishay. Maybe that was confusing your searches. :smile:
 
Thanks for the replies guys, I have been searching for a supply in England with no luck, other suppliers will not sell in small numbers.
 
What's special about Dale? What are the specs you are trying to match?
 
berkeman said:
What's special about Dale? What are the specs you are trying to match?

I am told that Dale resistors have low noise and are the best for guitar amplifiers, I am not sure that is right but I would rather err on the on recommendations.
 
wolram said:
I am told that Dale resistors have low noise and are the best for guitar amplifiers, I am not sure that is right but I would rather err on the on recommendations.
Sounds like an Urban Legend to me. AFAIK, all resistors give you the 4kTRB type of noise:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson–Nyquist_noise

Unless the resistors have built-in bandwidth (B) limiting <something> like high parasitic capacitance, I don't know where that idea came from.
 
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berkeman said:
I don't know where that idea came from.
It goes back to the time when carbon composition resistors reigned supreme. A wirewound Dale (with mostly thermal noise) is noticeably quieter than a carbon comp which also has plenty of contact noise, and shot noise.

Thinking back, my 70's era Bassman 50 was built using mostly carbon comp. I don't know when manufacturers began changing to metal film, but they are nearly as quiet as wire wound (and not nearly so inductive), and would have obviated the need.
 
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Metal film assortments aren't outrageously expensive. Something like this might be a lifetime supply of everyday lower ohm values.
https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/yageo/RS201/RS201-ND/19989

for some background on resistor noise see http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1272283
 
Last edited:
  • #10
wolram said:
I am told that Dale resistors have low noise and are the best for guitar amplifiers, I am not sure that is right but I would rather err on the on recommendations.
Regardless of the noise thing. If you only need a few selected resistances, I have a some I'd be willing to give you.
dale.jpg
 
  • #11
Thank you for the offer Digoff, but I have found a source and ordered my resistors :biggrin:
 
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