Best electrolytic capacitors

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dirkwright

dirkwright

Member
Joined 2011
Dave said:
Rubycon ZL caps have much better specifications than most. Available from Farnell but a little more pricey although still potentially good value.

Lifetime and operating temp should be considered if they are going into a "Burning Amplifier"
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Digikey carries Rubycon. The newer ZLH series has lower ESR than the ZL series, from just a glance at the sheets though.
 
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Eldam

Banned
Joined 2012
impuls said:
Elna silmic2 have beautiful treble but unrealistic bass. Bass is louder than normal and partially spoiled and midlle area. For me is much better capacitors Nichicon Muse KZ. Natural tones without pronounced.
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Hello,

I'm agree with the Impulse's answer. With silmic2 the bass is like... one octave behind (grand orgue!!!)... maybe because it seems spoiled in something like medium-bass or medium. Silmic 2 is very transparent but thin in the medium. I like it because as you said the sound signature can be better than with others caps... but we are looking for something... there is a problem. I don't know why : but whe often have this same signature between caps in relation to each others in different circuits... that's why we talk about the "sound of caps"...which compensated something in fact (like salt and pepper).
Sometimes I use the Silmic 1 : you loose the extra octave and the sound is darker (which is nice for my taste) than the shiny Silmic 2, but less transparent and fluid. No ideal caps... I mix them to obtain the best result I can to offset the sound (not in // but with a mixing into the shematic)... but I'm sure that this set up is only 10% of the final result after the best practice of the experienced engineer. Hiraga in the 70s' did some measures of spectral distorsion with tubes to try to understand what is pleasant or not and we all know today the problematic of pair and impair distorsion : we have to loose something : quality of instruments signature or sound confort. It's a difficult task and that's why the goods amps are not so many.
Today before a 78005 reg which feed the numeric chips in a Philips CD player 624, I try again 3 caps : Silmic 2 was the best, but on the analog stage I put Silmic1 before the 78015 reg and KZ muse (only 20uf) near a 5532 op... it' a cooking mixture, but the SAA multibit chip sound very very good (a surprise in relation to TDA1541 or 1543) just with less ten changed caps... ten years ago I added transformer, baqttery, etc...no needs know most of the time with the circuit with a good layout... just few caps after many experiment can do good mod. I mod one year ago a NAD 2100 poweramp monitor serie (60 Watt) only with caps (mix of KZ, Silmic1, Lelon, FM, some of the originals caps stay in place). I use it with a Kef 104/2... the devil inside and I use the little preamp in it ! with the original OP chip... But you need time to do that it's cooking no science.
(sorry I'm too long because of my bad english).
What is used by Mr Nelson Pass in his amplifiers after the diodes because Silmic 2 is 1000 uf maxi ?
 
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Erlend Sæterdal

Member
Joined 2007
dirkwright said:
"Elna RFS (SILMIC II) Series Miniature High Grade Capacitors for Audio uses silk fibers for foil separation instead of paper. By using silk fibers, the RFS (SILMIC II) Series Capacitors offer high grade sound for audio design. Due to the silk fiber's pliability, the capacitor exhibits a superior acoustic sound. The RFS (SILMIC II) Series Miniature High Grade Capacitors can be used to relieve the music's harmonic vibration, increase the purity of the sound at high frequency, decrease muddy sound at middle frequency, and increase high energy bass sound at low frequency."

Whoa.... This is just creepy.
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Yes I agree. I prefer them to. Same as cables silk insulation is number one.
 
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rhythmsandy

Member
Joined 2012
I got the silmics2 from Digikey and they are genuine... what Im saying is that its loosing the crisp sound altogether... using small values at vas has given the pseudo high frequency resolution and feels very good but its seems colored but not as clear and effortless as the default caps.

I dont say silmics are absolutely bad but they are eating away the details thats my only problem if they are giving the same harmonic textures then its fine.
 
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dazzz

Member
Joined 2013
What do you think the best capacitors
For use as a filter capacitor in a [/SIZE]SMPS ?

1)VISHAY BC COMPONENTS[/COLOR] - CAPACITOR, 100UF, 400V
2)RUBYCON - 400KXW100MEFC16X30[/COLOR] - CAPACITOR, 100UF, 400V
3)NICHICON - UCY2G101MHD[/COLOR] - CAPACITOR, 100UF, 400V
 
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Eldam

Banned
Joined 2012
Mmmmm I have to take my microscope...

Maybe the bader in terme of ESR but after it: a choke or a resistor to make a Pi filter. Then the better of your list about ESR and ripple. Andd after, no change to listen first if you hear a difference that sounds good for you.

but I never play with smps, maybe some specialists here... You have a short list, why don't experiment yourself and tell us about your choose ? I'm interested because I have an Audio DAC with a smps : the caps are low esr Samwa brand... I don't know if I want to change with BC 106 (high ripple...but harchness in sound in a classic powersupply! Why I don't try myself... because I spent a lot of time with sources (most important than amplifier and speaker with my own experience... it doesn't say that speakers and amplifiers are not eimportant...sure they are!)

As said, it can be subjective after you have a shortlist...

Tell us what you try at least. But I am not a technician, maybe there is a reason you never see Pi filter before a SMPS?

PS: And take care about high voltage in SMPS please.
 
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ticktock

ticktock

Member
Joined 2006
Karl vd Berg

Karl vd Berg

Member
Joined 2012
lanchile said:
My vote is for Mundorf Audio grade capacitors! ;) I use them in my power supply and they are wonderful.
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Any chance that Mundorfs (and Jensens) being made by Fischer & Tausche (F&T caps)???

See below an old post! ;)

MCampbell said:
I got the information that Fischer and Tausche manufacture Mundorf electrolytics from visiting F&T's factory and talking to their engineers. As I have also posted elsewhere, F&T also manufacture Jensen's four-pole electrolytics.

However, I did not intend any criticism of these capacitors, they are very high quality. But I do wonder if the price of having Mundorf printed on them tends to raise the price significantly.
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My preferences are:

Panasonics FC / FM / FR
Philips Vishay BC
F&T
Evox Rifa PEH169

Cheers! ;)
 
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