Which caps and value did you use for decoupling to ground and rail-to-rail?
Your description remember me Rubycon ZA/ZL's sound signature...
Yes I agree LM61712 is pretty sterile but in GIC filters audio don't passes directly in the opamps.
Some day I'll try also to swap LM6172 buffer in my receiver but it was well regarded in that role by a former member of the forum, CarlosFM.
Wima MKS02 100nF + 330nF, and only from V+ to V- since my DAC's (the Super Pro) output stage is run in single-supply mode. The 100nF was directly soldered on the Browndog with the two THS4031.
Instead the headphone amp had 100nF SMD ceramis, very close to the THS4031 (no Browndogs). There the THS4032 drove the transistor output stage.
But I don't really know if I/V conversion requires equally natural sounding opamps to summing/buffering. Perhaps not
Not really, not in power supply at least. To me the Rubycon ZL (and also the ZLH) make sound bolder, more dynamic, more full bodied. Without excess brightness or hardness. I love them (also because readily available at convenient prices...like the Solen's).Your description remember me Rubycon ZA/ZL's sound signature...
Ah well... anyhow, the environment is important to amps as we all know well.
On the other hand, I heard the LM6171 sounding good sometimes... better than the more sterile LM6172.
What?!? What??? *sigh*
POWER CORDS "sound different"???!??!?!?!?! Come on man. I think I'm going to be sick to my stomach...
POWER CORDS "sound different"???!??!?!?!?! Come on man. I think I'm going to be sick to my stomach...
At least a good elco from Vcc to ground of about 100uF is necessary or THS4032 sounds thin, the MKS2 (goot choice) rail to rail should be 1nF (strange value but it works a lot better than 100nF).
Regarding ZLs in the past I though too that they were great but with time and better gears I've found them not so good.
Read these posts about it:
Post 1
Post 2
BTW Silmics, way better n the analog domain, are easily available and cheap from Digikey in USA and Banzai Effects in Europe.
1nF, LOL. Of course there were 'lytics too: Rubycon ZL and other low-ESR.
Elko? Is it even low ESR? I know it's not everything, but it sure helps.
Ahahah, time and better gear...LOL. When something is good, it's good forever. Unless you were yourself immature when appreciating it (which I don't think is my case).
Silmic's are only 1000 hours at 85°C reliable. Blah! I prefer to sleep comfortably, knowing that they'll last long.
And anyway a few years ago while modifying a Teac CD player I preferred the Cerafine to the Silmic in analog (opamp) power supplies.
At any rate, whatever the electrolytic, in analog power supplies I like to bypass it with Wima MKS02 (rather than MKS2) for instance; or also MKP4.
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There isn't much to say... the THS4051 (give it a try) is a better (more natural & colorful) sounding chip than the THS4031. Something like AD845 vs. AD843: the on paper more 'special' is more popular, while the other is known to 'insiders' to be better (more natural & colorful too) sounding.
There are (overall) superior chips, though: OPA1611, LT1028ACN8, LME49710HA, etc.
For I/V conversion you may try the LT1028ACN8: it was recently reported to be excellent (even) at that.
There are (overall) superior chips, though: OPA1611, LT1028ACN8, LME49710HA, etc.
For I/V conversion you may try the LT1028ACN8: it was recently reported to be excellent (even) at that.
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1nF, LOL. Of course there were 'lytics too: Rubycon ZL and other low-ESR.
...
Ahahah, time and better gear...LOL. When something is good, it's good forever. Unless you were yourself immature when appreciating it (which I don't think is my case).
Silmic's are only 1000 hours at 85°C reliable. Blah! I prefer to sleep comfortably, knowing that they'll last long.
So, the ZL were present... for me is enough, the sound you attributed to THS4032 is exactly the one that ZLs give to most opamps...
You laugh for the 1 nF but you didn't tried it, sure is ridiculous...
The suggestion come from the already mentioned CarlosFM, not from me.
It's a silly value but for me worked a LOT better than a traditional 100nF bypass.
Continue to laugh, 'time and better gear' yes, you'll find it for yourself...
You must think that also mr. Nelson Pass is 'immature', since it suggest the use of Silmics and so engineers from Sony, Marantz, Denon, etc. that uses them in expensive gear...
Bah!
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The THS4031 sounded unique among all the opamps I used. In the headphone amp (where I used the THS4032) there were only Panasonic FM's anyway. The sound seemed the same to meSo, the ZL were present... for me is enough, the sound you attributed to THS4032 is exactly the one that ZLs give to most opamps...
Also, (very) low ESR caps like the Rubycon ZL can cause problems to regulators, making them oscillate... not my particular case.
I'm not saying it's so bad... but the THS4051/4052, for one, are opamps I prefer to the THS4031/4032.
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Silmic's are fine, nothing wrong with that. I just preferred Cerafine in that particular CDP.So, the ZL were present... for me is enough, the sound you attributed to THS4032 is exactly the one that ZLs give to most opamps...
You laugh for the 1 nF but you didn't tried it, sure is ridiculous...
The suggestion come from the already mentioned CarlosFM, not from me.
It's a silly value but for me worked a LOT better than a traditional 100nF bypass.
Continue to laugh, 'time and better gear' yes, you'll find it for yourself...
You must think that also mr. Nelson Pass is 'immature', since it suggest the use of Silmics and so engineers from Sony, Marantz, Denon, etc. that uses them in expensive gear...
Bah!
1nF might work... but you're naive if you expect revolutions from such a tiny amount of capacitance. The THS4031 is not an audio opamp, no wonder it isn't the most natural sounding.
Considering that everyone here uses a unique combination of sources, preamp, power amps and speakers no wonder there is so much difference of opinions on capacitors sound quality. Because different capacitors color the sound in different ways they can either compensate, compliment or intensify certain tonal characteristics in a system. So what sounds good in your system might not work that well for others.
Some sound consistently good in many different power amps, pres and DACs etc that I use them in.
The Silmic sounds better overall than all of the electrolytics that I can remember using.
WIMA MKS4 and MKP10 series.
And my 2 cents about solen its grainy and noisy until its burned in, after that its very transparent, pleasant and comfortable for extended listening compared to many more expensive film caps.
Some sound consistently good in many different power amps, pres and DACs etc that I use them in.
The Silmic sounds better overall than all of the electrolytics that I can remember using.
WIMA MKS4 and MKP10 series.
And my 2 cents about solen its grainy and noisy until its burned in, after that its very transparent, pleasant and comfortable for extended listening compared to many more expensive film caps.
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It's quite possible actually. I do like to use long life 105° caps though, as long as they sound good to me
I like MKP4 too
Ah, finally! I knew I were not deaf!
I like how "subtle" and tonally rich the Solen's are.Andrea trust me your ear is more than adequate to discern quality as well as other listeners.
Solen reputation is well earned for over 20 years, almost everyone knows of the grainy sound before burn in and that may be an issue to some. They are not the absolute best out there. But I discovered that bypassing them with Dayton and foil series cap takes them to another level, details are amazing while keeping the qualities I like about solen in the first place.
A lot of people pay much more for less performance.
Solen reputation is well earned for over 20 years, almost everyone knows of the grainy sound before burn in and that may be an issue to some. They are not the absolute best out there. But I discovered that bypassing them with Dayton and foil series cap takes them to another level, details are amazing while keeping the qualities I like about solen in the first place.
A lot of people pay much more for less performance.
Duh, big spender, the 50 cents i paid for Wimas was already painfull to part from.
(Mr Hansen used Solen MKP caps in his Avalon products, much to his content i believe)
Attachments
Fostex caps
Interesting thread, notably for the reported listening comparison between the Mundorf and Fostex caps - thank you for making the effort and taking the time to report.
I have used the Fostex copper/tin capacitors in crossovers to excellent effect. They are costly but are now the "go to" for consistently getting the best out of ribbon tweeters like the Founteks. Sometimes other caps are needed but not often.
I have long been curious about the dielectric in the Fostex CS series caps. Madisound cites the composition as "copper foil, tin foil and PPTA film (poly p-phenylene terepthalamide)" or copper/tin/Kevlar to give the film its commercial name, while Fostex cite "copper/tin/alamica". Now alamica≠Kevlar as far as I can find out - would any wise head out there know what it is?
And has anyone tried the Fostex CT series of metallised polyester caps?
Interesting thread, notably for the reported listening comparison between the Mundorf and Fostex caps - thank you for making the effort and taking the time to report.
I have used the Fostex copper/tin capacitors in crossovers to excellent effect. They are costly but are now the "go to" for consistently getting the best out of ribbon tweeters like the Founteks. Sometimes other caps are needed but not often.
I have long been curious about the dielectric in the Fostex CS series caps. Madisound cites the composition as "copper foil, tin foil and PPTA film (poly p-phenylene terepthalamide)" or copper/tin/Kevlar to give the film its commercial name, while Fostex cite "copper/tin/alamica". Now alamica≠Kevlar as far as I can find out - would any wise head out there know what it is?
And has anyone tried the Fostex CT series of metallised polyester caps?
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