Mills alternative

nduitch
nduitch Posts: 316
edited July 2010 in DIY, Mods & Tweaks
Just ordered 4 of these to replace the polyswitches. They are wire-wound just like Mills and cost 50 cents each. I was going to get 4 more Mills but at 20 bucks and 8 for shipping, I decided to look elsewhere. These were 1.50 total and 3 bucks shipping, no brainer.


http://www.westfloridacomponents.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Session_ID=b18cacf598d6ac1903670499e41bddfe&Screen=PROD&Store_Code=wfc&Product_Code=WW404&Category_Code=
Post edited by nduitch on
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  • audiobilly
    audiobilly Posts: 351
    edited July 2010
    Mmmm, that looks good. Wonder who made these?
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  • CTTE
    CTTE Posts: 183
    edited July 2010
    I hope that's not the value you bought. The one you linked to is 3.5K ohm.
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  • nduitch
    nduitch Posts: 316
    edited July 2010
    You had me worried, but I just checked my statement and everything is okay, not sure why the link is doing that. Yeah those 3.5Ks would have really toned down the highs.

    redo:

    http://www.westfloridacomponents.com/WW252/5W+.5+ohm+5%26%2337%3B+Power+Wirewound+Resistor.html
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited July 2010
    You get what you pay for, I wouldn't take a chance.

    Besides, those are only 5W, a comparable Mills resistor is only $2 each.

    There are also Mundorf resistors from Madisound, they're cheaper than Mills. https://www.madisound.com/about/resistors.php
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,496
    edited July 2010
    Actually, according to Handamde Electronics Mills resistors are no longer Mills resistors as they were bought out and the orignial Sacramento Mills factory was closed. I posted this link in another thread, but here it is again:

    Greg

    http://www.hndme.com/productcart/pc/viewcategories.asp?idCategory=70
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....

    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited July 2010
    Then there's always Duelund resistors: http://www.partsconnexion.com/resistors_duelund.html

    :D
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,649
    edited July 2010
    headrott wrote: »
    Actually, according to Handamde Electronics Mills resistors are no longer Mills resistors as they were bought out and the orignial Sacramento Mills factory was closed. I posted this link in another thread, but here it is again:

    Greg

    http://www.hndme.com/productcart/pc/viewcategories.asp?idCategory=70

    Of note, Quality appears to be slightly improved.

    Since they were already great resistors, I simply can't see the point of buying some no name brand at $.50 each when Mills are only slightly more money.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

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    President of Club Polk

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  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,387
    edited July 2010
    I would wonder about the inductive characteristics of the cheap-o resistor.
    Stan

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  • nduitch
    nduitch Posts: 316
    edited July 2010
    Since they were already great resistors, I simply can't see the point of buying some no name brand at $.50 each when Mills are only slightly more money.[/QUOTE]

    Actually $.38 each, I know you like specificity;)
    skrol wrote: »
    I would wonder about the inductive characteristics of the cheap-o resistor.

    How do you know they are manufactured differently? Have you dissected them and compared? How do you know you just aren't getting charged more because someone stamped a "Mills" on it?

    I'm not anti-Mills or anything, I currently have them installed. Rather than spend 30 dollars to replace 5 cents worth of the poly switches I decided to go with something else. That's why the post it called "Mills Alternative" not "Mills Replacement."
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited July 2010
    nduitch wrote: »
    How do you know they are manufactured differently?
    How do you know they aren't?
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • nduitch
    nduitch Posts: 316
    edited July 2010
    I don't. That's why I'm not saying anything about their quality simply based on their price.
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  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,496
    edited July 2010
    F1nut wrote: »
    Of note, Quality appears to be slightly improved.

    Since they were already great resistors, I simply can't see the point of buying some no name brand at $.50 each when Mills are only slightly more money.

    Right Jesse, I wasn't trying to say they were not as good by any means, just that they are not the same "Mills" resistors that people are used to buying. I definately agree that these new "Mills" are better than some off brand resistor and agree that for the price difference, why would you go with a brand you don't know verses a brand name you do. I put two of the new ones into my 3.1TL crossovers and they seem to have great sound. I cannot say if they sound better than the orginal "Mills" or not yet. Just letting people know that they are not the same "Mills" resistors that people have bought in the past.

    Greg
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....

    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,649
    edited July 2010
    I got ya and thanks for posting the info.

    The bold quote was just in case someone didn't click on your link.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • nduitch
    nduitch Posts: 316
    edited July 2010
    Wasn't every brand a "no-name" at some point? Like everything in this forum someone tries it, likes it or hates it and tells other people. Why make a judgment call on something you have no experience with?
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  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,496
    edited July 2010
    nduitch wrote: »
    Wasn't every brand a "no-name" at some point? Like everything in this forum someone tries it, likes it or hates it and tells other people. Making a judgment call on something you have no recollection of is pointless.

    I think the point is, for a difference of a couple dollars why buy something you don't know if it is good instead of something that you DO know is good. Of course, if there is a $$50.00 price difference and you have a suspicion that the cheaper priced product is as good; it would make more sense to give it a try. Or if you were planning on buying several hundred or several thousand of the resistors it may also make sense. I don't think either situation applies here though. So, I believe that is why F1nut and others have said what was said.

    Greg
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....

    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited July 2010
    Well, the description doesn't say that they're audio quality or non-inductive, so enjoy.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,815
    edited July 2010
    Kinda confused, but I thought most people just put a jumper wire in when they removed the poly-switches. This is the first that I've read regarding the use of a resistor in its place. I used a simple wire jumper and I do not think that my tweeters run too hot. Perhaps they are only needed in certain speakers?

    On another note, regarding the cheap replacement: One of the main reasons people use Mills is for their 'non-inductive' characteristic. The cheap alternative listed above does not say a single thing about being non-inductive.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited July 2010
    billbillw wrote: »
    Kinda confused, but I thought most people just put a jumper wire in when they removed the poly-switches.

    That's how it was done by everyone before we became perfectionists ;)
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited July 2010
    Please post your results with the new resistors when you install them.

    I have really been enjoying Jantzen MOX resisitors which I've been told are the same as the Mundorf resistors. I've used them in two projects now and liked the results both times. They may not be as good as the Duelund, but a lot cheaper. :)

    10W-mox-150.jpg
    Jake
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  • jrgoswick
    jrgoswick Posts: 159
    edited July 2010
    I like Caddock's myself. HERE!
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited July 2010
    Face wrote: »
    You get what you pay for, I wouldn't take a chance.

    Besides, those are only 5W, a comparable Mills resistor is only $2 each.

    There are also Mundorf resistors from Madisound, they're cheaper than Mills. https://www.madisound.com/about/resistors.php

    100% agree.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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