Sound Skulptor forums
Build help and troubleshooting => MP573 Microphone preamplifier => Topic started by: musicarr on August 03, 2025, 04:09:31 PM
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Hi,
Finished my first unit build, and it worked great. Love the sound. I've started working on the 2nd one. I've just run into a little confusion that I don't remember having on the first unit. I'm thinking I just got lucky, with the first unit, as I seems to be working great.
I noticed that R47 and R20 have the same color rings and order: yellow, violet, black, gold, brown. But the R47 is 1/2 watt, where as R20 is 1/4 watt. The R47 is horizontal on the board, and the R20 is vertical. The R47 is a larger resistor, whereas the R20 is smaller like the majority of the other resistors. On the PCB, R47 has a larger "outline" than the other resistors, minus R26, which is also larger and 1/2 watt. Seems like the R47 is indeed 1/2 watt, and not 1/4 watt, simply because of it's physical size, and the "hint" of a larger outline on the PCB. Pretty sure that is correct. Is it?
Secondarily, as very much a beginner, it's not perfectly clear to me that the larger resistor is the 1/2 watt and the smaller resistor is the 1/4 watt, as they both have the same colored rings and order. Is that normal that two resistors would have the same colored rings and order, but different wattages? If so, how would I tell the difference between the two, visually, other than with a multimeter?
Thanks
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Pretty sure that is correct. Is it?
Yes, correct.
Rule of thumb: The larger the resistor the more power it can dissipate.
The color code only indicates the resistor value in ohms. It says nothing about the power.
If so, how would I tell the difference between the two, visually, other than with a multimeter?
Only by reading the manufacturer's technical data sheets.
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Got it. Thanks for the confirmation and clarification.