Hi fellas .
Probably not the first time someone has this question but after some google´ing i have no solid answers . People claim that each capacitor has its own character and "the other group" say that there is no scientific proof about these claims .
I owe two similar models of vintage marantz , one has "crappy" caps like jamicon and some Fuhjyyu caps ... Other one .. low z rubicons i think and nichicons . I use both with my grado-500 ps and i cant tell the difference . (marantz 1072&1070) It really got me thinking .. im very picky about audio quality .
Im wondering if the audio capacitor myth is still going strong ? Is it a nasty herbalife scheme to make more revenues for the capacitor companies ?
hope i´m not making you bored
Probably not the first time someone has this question but after some google´ing i have no solid answers . People claim that each capacitor has its own character and "the other group" say that there is no scientific proof about these claims .
I owe two similar models of vintage marantz , one has "crappy" caps like jamicon and some Fuhjyyu caps ... Other one .. low z rubicons i think and nichicons . I use both with my grado-500 ps and i cant tell the difference . (marantz 1072&1070) It really got me thinking .. im very picky about audio quality .
Im wondering if the audio capacitor myth is still going strong ? Is it a nasty herbalife scheme to make more revenues for the capacitor companies ?
hope i´m not making you bored
Personally I usually use the cheapest Chinese capacitors off ebay and have never had a bad sounding amplifier.
I guess other factors might have more of an effect like speakers that vary wildly in impedance across the audio range.
Not much point in 0.00001% distortion at the amplifier if the speakers distort by 10% !
I guess other factors might have more of an effect like speakers that vary wildly in impedance across the audio range.
Not much point in 0.00001% distortion at the amplifier if the speakers distort by 10% !
agree with this 100%, any designer worth his salt will use capacitors as they are designed for, not because audiophools says those are the caps to use....
the challenge to designers imho is to come up with designs that rocks and is the biggest bang for the buck at the same time....
16 x 470ufd....after the bridge rectifier, 2 x 470uf, then to the choke, and then after the choke is the rest of the filter caps.....
these caps were pull outs from smps psu boards and checked out good so i used them...
the owner of the preamp insisted that i use all those caps....i made 3 preamps all using the same psu topology....
these caps were pull outs from smps psu boards and checked out good so i used them...
the owner of the preamp insisted that i use all those caps....i made 3 preamps all using the same psu topology....
Power supply caps or in the active circuit?
Power supplies are more forgiving in terms of the caps used, except perhaps in the case where the amps output comes off the end of the PS caps (yes there are designs that do this...).
We have several threads here that measure the differences in caps, including in terms of distortion and harmonics. Also links to other published articles.
Caps are not all the same. Going back to Walt Jung's article in the 70s iirc.
Hearing them in ur system is another discussion.
Look it up, do a search.
_-_-
Power supplies are more forgiving in terms of the caps used, except perhaps in the case where the amps output comes off the end of the PS caps (yes there are designs that do this...).
We have several threads here that measure the differences in caps, including in terms of distortion and harmonics. Also links to other published articles.
Caps are not all the same. Going back to Walt Jung's article in the 70s iirc.
Hearing them in ur system is another discussion.
Look it up, do a search.
_-_-
Hi fellas .
Im wondering if the audio capacitor myth is still going strong ? Is it a nasty herbalife scheme to make more revenues for the capacitor companies ?
hope i´m not making you bored
Dunno about the 'conspiracy' theory. Admittedly tho..there are Many who try and do profit.. witness the perennial 'Cables' claims.
Us Audio Weenies seemingly need darned little encouragement to go off on silly Tangents... endlessly.
Too often evolving into faith areas.
That said; IMO there Are differences. But even then these are usually subtle differences (unless a comparison cap is damaged
.Buy some and try 'em ?
ONLY way to be sure, using YOUR own ears.
Do Not.. rely on internet babble/claims
Do note though that Price is small assurance of superior performance.
Gawd .. Now ain't that a heretical view
Usually, capacitors that "colours" the sound, actually they are bandpass filters, not a true capacitor which forms a high pass filter with the impedances seen in the circuit. Then, as many people believes that sound well is only "boom boom boom", then they believe that this bandpass capacitors are the best.
Also, most of them believe that "audio grade" or very expensive caps are the best of the best, only because they are expensive, and this appears to imply they "are" good.
In fact, they are only thrash.
Also, most of them believe that "audio grade" or very expensive caps are the best of the best, only because they are expensive, and this appears to imply they "are" good.
In fact, they are only thrash.
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Jamicon is usually allright. If used for the power supply, no reason that it should sound any different.
For low volume production (diy) however, the difference in costs in between those cheap caps and quality stuff like panasonic fc/fr or the like is not huge. And the panasonic ones are rated for a much longer life.
It's still useful to have some cheapies at hand, with their higher esr, to tame the output of regulators though.
I am not into myths either. I don't use cheap Chinese caps not because of sound, but because if untrusted quality. Most important is to buy the correct cap for the application. Look at the electrolytic specs. Application matters. Do different caps in the PS make a different? ABSOLUTLY. Not some ethereal BS, but in basic filtering. ESR and DF directly effect the noise floor. Now, from one good ( new) cap of the same specifications to the next, you should not hear a difference and that is what I hope he meant. Remember, C is not the only parameter, and often not the most significant. Caps stink.
I built two speakers, one with Dayton poly caps, and one with "Clarity" poly caps. I could not hear any difference. Yes, microphonics are real, but I agree withthe previous posts, they don;t really matter in our real applications.
I do take exception to the simplistic " 10% speaker distortion statement" as nothng in audio is that simple. ( OK, with a tube amp generating 10% distortion too, of course the caps don't matter )
I built two speakers, one with Dayton poly caps, and one with "Clarity" poly caps. I could not hear any difference. Yes, microphonics are real, but I agree withthe previous posts, they don;t really matter in our real applications.
I do take exception to the simplistic " 10% speaker distortion statement" as nothng in audio is that simple. ( OK, with a tube amp generating 10% distortion too, of course the caps don't matter
)
I built two speakers, one with Dayton poly caps, and one with "Clarity" poly caps. I could not hear any difference. Yes, microphonics are real, but I agree withthe previous posts, they don;t really matter in our real applications.
I do take exception to the simplistic " 10% speaker distortion statement" as nothng in audio is that simple. ( OK, with a tube amp generating 10% distortion too, of course the caps don't matter
Just take a look at any speaker data sheet frequency plot and you will see the speaker varies wild from one frequency to another.
A sound system is as strong as its weakest link and most times that is the speaker.
The smoothing capacitors make minimal difference unless silly values.
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