Lon, your link gives the brand.  Is this the specific resistor you use?  I have to tone down the Cymbals on my Blue Note Vinyl Reissues...it's overwhelming.  Mark.

(MRES20-190) - 33R 20W Mundorf M-Resist Supreme Resistor

Lon,  I'm thinking of trying a pair of 5R4 GY Rectifiers in my Torii...maybe other amp/preamps.  Have you had experience with this tube type?  Mark.

Lon, that doesn't sound like something I'd be interested in.  The reason I was considering them was a review that said this type was warmer due to a rolling off of high frequencies.  Maybe if I can get them cheap, I'll see for myself but I really think my solution will be found by trying several cheap resistors between 3 and 33 ohms with the HR-1s then buying the Mundorf versions you recommend.  By the way,  I recently scored another pair of high testing Amperex 7308s for $48 plus shipping on Ebay.  They had identical test values and were tightly matched internally but they were manufactured two years apart one in 1966 the other in 1968...one white lettering , one orange with globe logo.  Since they arrived they've been in my Zen Signature Mono Blocks sounding fantastic.  The asking price on these have gone up considerably in the last year and a half...the secret must be out!  Mark.

Mark58,

I realize that you didn't ask me and we don't have the same amp (ZMA here) but I recently went through the resistor thing with my HR1s.  My hearing is not as discerning as Lon's but I found the 15 ohm resistor to be way too much for me.  I ended up with the 2.7 ohm Mumdorf (ebay -- pair for $30 shipped to me from Germany).  I didn't have a specific thing to deal with like you do with the cymbals but I just wanted to take the edge off of the high end.

Zigi mailed me an assortment of resistors to try (3 to 15 ohm) and I mailed them back to him when I was done.  Maybe he'll do that for you?

Will has a lot to say on this subject as well.

I do think that Mark and I hear a lot of digital things similarly, and I think he knows that I scale my high frequency down very much as I am very sensitive to high end grit and level. Recent testing shows I can hear high in the frequency range but I find the reduction necessary for listening to a lot of audio comfortably. My doctor says that could be a form of tinnitus or more accurately a bit of nerve damage similar to the way tinnitus is a sort of nerve damage. So I don't think what will work for me will necessarily work for Mark, but might, we may have similar hearing due to how we react to what we hear. Good suggestion to see if Bob could send you a "smorgasbord" to sample from.

The last two Radio Shacks I visited did have a good sampling of ratings on these resistors.

I'm glad you guys weighed in on the rectifiers, I misspoke Mark: it's 5AR4 types I used and found so unlikable. I haven't tried the ones you questioned about.

Lately old RCA 5V4 ST type have been the best in my main system. Just work so well with the Arcturus OB3s I have in there and all the other tubes. Smooth, deep, but detail galore.

JD,  the pair I have my eye on aren't RCAs but are brown based American made with bottom getters, not sure of the year of manufacture.  I currently use WW II Kenrad 5U4Gs in my Torii and 50s RCA 5U4Gs in my Zen Signature Mono Blocks...I like them,  I just thought I'd try the 5R4GYs if I can get them cheap...to see how they sound.

Lon,  my hearing is too good...no damage here.  I can hear far too much audience noise at the Symphony.  I don't think I'll need quite as much treble attenuation as you do but we'll see.  I was actually thinking of buying a used Torii MK III to get the more pronounced treble controls it had...the MK IV only has +/- 3 dB if I recall correctly...not sure why Steve changed it?  But I think the resistors are the easier, cheaper way to skin this cat.  Mark.

PS...I'll keep the 5V4 ST in mind...I'll look it up.  But remember I'm using Seimens EL-34s not KT-66s like you so I may not get the same outcome.  What OC2s are you using?

The word that comes to mind when I pop this CD in is...COOL.  I never thought I'd like a Sonny and Cher song but Barber's version of "The Beat Goes On" is oh so...Cool!  Mark.

Mark,  

I didn't see that PM.  I have my resistors on the right side (vertically) when looking from the back.  They are the red terminals on my speakers.  I think Lon said they were black on his.  Or possibly he is looking from the front?  I followed the picture on the ERR page.  It is always possible that I have them on the wrong side.  Several months ago I found that I had one speaker in the 4 ohm post and the other on the 8 (pre HR1)!  I only tried the 15 and 3 ohm resistors Zygi sent.  The 15 made things seem a little dead to me and while I didn't notice what the 3 ohm did when I put it in, I missed it when I took it out.  I sort of just followed Will at that point and went 2.7 ohm.  

My brother was visiting and I got an objective view from someone other than me.  He thought that my bass was extremely good and all there.  I occasionally have piercing highs but only rarely enough that I don't worry.  My brother said that his speakers have a dial at the tweeter connection.  He assumes that it gives variable resistance although he doesn't mess with it.  Kind of an interesting idea if there is a big difference in music listened to.

I am 99% ZP3 into my CSP3 into my ZMA.  I have the cap upgrade on all of them plus Zygi put complimentary capacitors in my internal speaker crossover.  However, I don't know what make this stuff work, I just listen to it!

Oh, one other thing, based on exchanges with Will, I pulled my RCA 5YG rectifiers from my ZP3 and CSP3 and put the stock Valve Art 274B back into the ZP3 and the stock Ruby 5UG back into the CSP3.  The thought was to increase the lower end.  Today I ordered two Valve Art 274Bs from Cryoset.  I'm so happy with my Cryoset  Gold Lion KT66s that I thought I'd try these too.

Archie, my HR-1s are like yours...Red is Right.  Lon just said right without giving a color...his are likely like ours.  I'm pretty sure I'll need at least 10 or more ohm resistors.  I permanently have the treble controls turned down as far as they go...-3 dB...on my Torii MK IV.  In my CSP3 I've tried a couple other rectifiers but came back to the stock Valve Art 274B Steve sent with it.      I use a 50's RCA 5Y3 type in my ZP3 mainly since that's what it was voiced with by Steve...I haven't tried anything else there. I have rolled lots of tubes in the 12AU7 and 12AX7 spots though.

I had a pair of 1980's ESS AMT 10b monitors that had Heil Air Motion Converters for the Highs and Mids...they also had a "Brightness" Knob on the back of them.  I can't remember how I set them but at the time I also used a 12 step equalizer. Mark.

This now...

Yeah Mark, if you're happy overall, no real need to experiment with those tubes. The OC2 tubes Steve sent are possibly Raytheon NOS, that is what he sent with all three of the amps I have using these tubes. Subbing the OA2 RCAs brought a bit less pronounced dynamics and a bit of mellowness that seems to work really well in my Dad's listening room, and with the rectifiers in the Mk III in my main system. Otherwise I really think the OC2 are really good, just wanted to try some OB2s again and have a pair on the way.

I think it's a good idea to try different resistors out and I agree that since you are dialing the treble control all the way back that 15ohm or more may end up being right for you.

lol wang dang doodle. I must get a lyric sheet to see the list of dodgy characters he reels off. Cant quite make them all out. Hubert Sumlin plays his Smokestack riff ( little bit different ) on the second to last track side one right through the track and goes off on a little run at the end.

Ah, here we are

Tell Automatic Slim , tell Razor Totin' Jim
Tell Butcher Knife Totin' Annie, tell Fast Talking Fanny
A we gonna pitch a ball, a down to that union hall
We gonna romp and tromp till midnight
We gonna fuss and fight till daylight
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
Tell Kudu-Crawlin' Red, tell Abyssinian Ned
Tell ol' Pistol Pete, everybody gonna meet
Tonight we need no rest, we really gonna throw a mess
We gonna to break out all of the windows, we gonna kick down all the doors
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
Tell Fats and Washboard Sam, that everybody gonna to jam
Tell Shaky and Boxcar Joe, we got sawdust on the floor
Tell Peg and Caroline Dye, we gonna have a time.
When the fish scent fill the air, there'll be snuff juice everywhere
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long

Mark, Steve seems to use the 274B, 5U4G and 5Y3G interchangeably in the ZP3 and CSP3.  Will had told me the 5Y3G was comparatively "toned back" with "less bass" and the 274B would give the most and be warmer.  Since I was feeling a lack of bass with my HR1s early on I opted to move back to the 274Bs.  Possibly they also help tame my treble?  My equipment is just over a year old.

I don't know if you read Steve's recent post regarding the adjustability of the Torii vs the ZMA.  Our amps might not have much in common in some regards.  Seems like the ZMA isn't very picky so I might be having a completely different experience with tubes and resistors.

Have you tried any isolation under your HR1s?  I think that might also have a big influence.  I have total isolation -- no coupling to the floor at all.

I've been watching the Grammys and as usual, I don't own any of the music that has won or that has been performed.  But I did particularly like the Tony Bennett...Gaga Duet.

Archie,  I think I put the Valve Art 274B back in the CSP3 for warmth and added bass.  There are literally millions of tube combinations I could try in my gear...I've already tried too many.  My HR-1s are sitting on a concrete floor covered with carpet...no isolation used.

In regards to resistors, Bob Z. offered to send the resistors that you had but once he told me how cheap the Mundorf MOX resistors were, I went ahead and ordered ten pair between 3.3 ohm and 33 ohm, to play with.  Once I settle on one pair I may buy the Supremes that you, Lon and Will have used.  Mark.

Mark,  Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!  I'm sure that the carpet does some isolation.  I'm on a framed wood floor so vibration is probably more of an issue for me.

Very satisfying listen over the weekend:

A long time since I gave this one a spin!

haven't listened to these since before ZP3 in system. Wow! so much better.

Here's what I listened to last night.  First was one side of the Impex double LP 33 RPM reissue of Monk's "Straight No Chaser".  Next was Music Matters' 45 RPM reissue of Freddie Hubbard's "Open Sesame"...then MFSL's 45 RPM reissue of Miles Davis' "Nefertiti"...then, last but not least, Analogue Productions' 45 RPM reissue of Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage".  I plan on buying the new Music Matters 33 RPM version of the last one that was just released the end of January.  A great night in the Listening Cave.  Mark.

On a Clapton Spree the last few nights....

This now...

This is one of those DCC Gold CDs...sounds nice...

The image is from amazon.  I clicked to the link and the prices sellers are asking for this are nutty.  Mine has a 16.99 sticker on it from when I bought it used in 2003.

Keeping the organ going (hey, I'm descended from Tannenberg, a pipe organ builder that many consider the best America ever had) with this SACD. Really nice.

Another DCC Gold CD...

Syd,  those Russian tubes that I ordered on December 10th were just delivered.  Tracking had them arriving in the US...New Jersey...on 2/9.  I'll try them out tonight.  The envelope appeared undamaged and the tubes were packed in what appeared to be a small soap box or cigarette box with padding around them. I'll give them a spin tonight.