Best electrolytic capacitors

I've decided to narrow it down to the Nichicon PW or the Rubycon ZLH. I'd like to get any thoughts from anyone who has used these two varieties for PSU caps. I know there are negatives about earlier versions of both Rubycon and Nichicon, but I'm not sure I've seen much on either of the two I've mentioned here.

Sorry, I incorrectly spelled juaneda in one of my previous posts.
 
I've decided to narrow it down to the Nichicon PW or the Rubycon ZLH. I'd like to get any thoughts from anyone who has used these two varieties for PSU caps. I know there are negatives about earlier versions of both Rubycon and Nichicon, but I'm not sure I've seen much on either of the two I've mentioned here.

Sorry, I incorrectly spelled juaneda in one of my previous posts.

Hi Tony,
I have used both of those in power supply of my cd player. Also I have used Panasonic and Elna. In my opinion stick with Nichicon and Nippon-chemicon, they sound good and are very reliable. But it all depends on what sound u like, Nichicons are snappy and precise, and Panasonics are mellow, more like tubes. You have to try and listen.
 
Thanks apolo. It may be worth noting that the phono pre also has in the audio circuit Bennic metalized polystyrenes and Elna RJH electrolytics. I know that the Bennic / Dayton caps were considered "decent" caps at the time, and I find it interesting that the Elnas are used in what appear to be critical points in the circuit (near as I can tell without a schematic). Might this make a further suggestion for what could be the best sonic match?

From what I understand Nippon-chemicon is not the same as United Chemicon; is that correct?
 
I replaced some Samxon caps in a smps not too long ago, input PEH534(kemet/evox rifa) output RJH (elna). After being powered for few days (24 hours) and used whenever was possible bass reproduction changed/improved very much, high/mid maybe too, but bass power difference was most remarkable.

RJH might have been an option too, 40mm high. How do you like the PW's?
 
Nichicon HE series

I soldered in the Nichicon 1000uF PW jobs. Easy replacement. Static measurements look good. Going to let them settle in for a bit. Hope nothing on the rest of the board got damaged from the old caps.

Have a look at Nichicon HE numbers and compare them to the PW ones.

The HE would be the equivalent to the Panasonic FM, whereas the PW the equivalent to Panasonic FC series...
 
Thanks Karl. I've been listening since the replacement. Not sure I like what I'm hearing. The Plinius (before it's problems started) had a clear, present, natural sound that I very much liked. What I'm hearing now is even more clear, but the feeling that the music is in the same space in my listening room, and the natural quality seem to be missing. The midrange is somewhat pushed back and somewhat 2 dimensional. The high end (cymbals etc) seem to be very "matter of fact" - no sense of life or space around the tones.

Yes, I'm someone who believes (within reason ;) ) that components can change the sound of things. The Plinius is a Class A device; I'm not sure if I need to be playing music through it continually for the caps to settle in, or just leave it on.
 
I wouldn't discard those BHC caps just yet - after they have had time to form (slow buggers at this) they are definitely worth trying, particularly if midrange clarity is a high priority

There's also those Slit Foil BHC units, another variety, that are excellent for mids/tops.

Not sure if you have to go to the DNM Audio site for these - 'The Audio Capacitor Co' seems to keep some in stock .....
 
I wouldn't discard those BHC caps just yet - after they have had time to form (slow buggers at this) they are definitely worth trying, particularly if midrange clarity is a high priority

There's also those Slit Foil BHC units, another variety, that are excellent for mids/tops.

Not sure if you have to go to the DNM Audio site for these - 'The Audio Capacitor Co' seems to keep some in stock .....

JH, is this comment for me? Not sure I understand what BHC caps are. How long should I expect for the forming?
 
Yeah Tony, sorry 'bout that

The BHC's are now part of the Evox Rifa group but have been around for some time - I've used the Rifas and a couple of different BHCs in class A circuits and they each have their own particular characteristics, altho overall, it's their emphasis on 'better' mids/tops that make them a bit different to most of the other 'big can caps' - my opinion, naturally ....
 
Cap forming time...

I wouldn't discard those BHC caps just yet - after they have had time to form (slow buggers at this) they are definitely worth trying, particularly if midrange clarity is a high priority

.....

That's really an "annoying thing" to face: one has to wait the new caps to settle in before they deliver their best performance, but meanwhile you start being used to the sound since the beginning.... Although sound is such a subjective phenomena... ;)

I agree that the BHC should stay in, as they are among the best caps, so I would leave them in till they will be completely settled in. :)

Edit: late post, sorry. :firefite:
 
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Sigh, the Elnas are not available in the combination of value/voltage that I need for this application - at least not in the RJH or SilmicII varieties.

Is there a general consensus on the time needed for the name caps usually used (Nichi PW, Panny FM/FC, Rubycon etc) to settle in, in the 1000uF 63V region?
 
Ha! I thought those BHC and the Siemens really took their time 'coming good' until I had to wait for the Rifa's to settle down! They do really sound 'quite thin' for hundreds of hours - I just lost patience and built a separate supply with a passive load and set them to 'soak' on a shelf for a month - did the trick -

In one of my F5 amps, these guys were astonishingly 'fast', tremendous punch but sadly lacking in the bass which wasn't much of a problem as I used this amp to drive the Full Range Speaker from 125Hz upwards, and I reorganised some of the components to 'fatten up' the lower mids a bit (carbon gate stopper resistors, etc) - an rather interesting exercise, and changed them to the Slit-Foil BHC after that.
 
tonyptony said:
Is there a general consensus on the time needed for the name caps usually used (Nichi PW, Panny FM/FC, Rubycon etc) to settle in, in the 1000uF 63V region?

IMHO, different caps will need different time to settle-in. Panasonic FC/FM will settle in day or two, Silmic II will need much much longer, two or three weeks. No experience with PW.
 
Sigh, the Elnas are not available in the combination of value/voltage that I need for this application - at least not in the RJH or SilmicII varieties.

Is there a general consensus on the time needed for the name caps usually used (Nichi PW, Panny FM/FC, Rubycon etc) to settle in, in the 1000uF 63V region?

Digikey isn't RJH distributor, but RJH is made in 16mm dia, 40 mm high, 63V 1000uF, not within first specced height, but could be within second limits.

I would try the NCC/UCC you ordered for improved cymbals (highs)
 
I don't think I like the Nichicon PW in my phono preamp. The midrange and high end sound like they're being "held back" - like they are not being allowed to bloom. The low end, however, is fantastic. They have 120+ hours on them, so they're probably most of the way to where they're going to go. I say this because, while I've heard the sound of things change over time - especially within the first dozens of hours, the Nichicons have changed very very little in sound in the last 40 or so hours. I'm concluding that there shouldn't be such major shifts moving forward that they are going to sound like a completely different cap. Time to try something else.