General Asylum: REVIEW: Duelund C.A.S.T. Resistor Passive Components by amioutaline?

Model:	C.A.S.T. Resistor
Category:	Passive Components
Suggested Retail Price:	$54.00
Description:	Graphite Silver CAST Resistors
Manufacturer URL:	Not Available
Model Picture:	View

Review by amioutaline? on November 10, 2013 at 12:20:49
IP Address: 96.37.28.107 Add Your Review
for the C.A.S.T. Resistor

FRom HiFi Collective Website as I cannot find a Duelund Site:

"Constructed from a graphite rod with silver terminals in a phenolic cylinder for protection, using a high temperature epoxy, both as a cavity-fill within the cylinder, and to encapsulate the graphite element. This gives each part incredible mechanical stability, and incredible damping properties. They have practically zero inductance, with a 5% tolerance.The special charcteristic about this resistor is that it displays a negative temperature coefficient. For example, when the voice coil of a speaker heats up, it's impedance rises. The DUELUND Graphite Resistor counteracts this by means of a decreasing impedance. The results are greatly improved dynamics from the driver."

When Wayne Parham came out with his own, true catenary horn to replace the Eminence H290 in the 4 Pi Speaker, it was evident the B&C DE-250 horn driver needed some additional padding. This was accomplished with a 15 Ohm resistor in parallel.

I wasn't quite happy with the Mills MRA-12 I tried; they "dulled" the sound. Using a lower value (8 Ohms) didn't help. Neither did a cascade of Kiwames.

I ordered the CAST resistors from Parts Connexion despite the price and after many hours conclude that they remove the upper mid-range "hot spot" without affecting the dynamics and timbre of the DE-250/H290C combination.

The Duelunds allow the new H290C Horns to make the already very good 4 Pis perform at a truly "high end" level so they're worth the price to me.

Product Weakness:	None
Product Strengths:	They resist without any audible effect on tone and timbre of the music

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: My direct-coupled, DHT, parafeed 45 amp
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): none
Sources (CDP/Turntable): VPI HW-19 MKIV, JMW9T Arm, ZYX R50 Cartridge
Speakers: 4 Pis
Cables/Interconnects: Darwin and White Lightning
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Yes
Room Size (LxWxH): 12 x 15 x
Room Comments/Treatments: Several 4'x8' Owens Corning mid-range traps, position of the LP storage and a Calico
Time Period/Length of Audition: 2 weeks
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	My direct-coupled, DHT, parafeed 45 amp
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	none
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	VPI HW-19 MKIV, JMW9T Arm, ZYX R50 Cartridge
Speakers:	4 Pis
Cables/Interconnects:	Darwin and White Lightning
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Yes
Room Size (LxWxH):	12 x 15 x
Room Comments/Treatments:	Several 4'x8' Owens Corning mid-range traps, position of the LP storage and a Calico
Time Period/Length of Audition:	2 weeks
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner