Aleph 5 PS capacitor choices?

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#3
You can use computer grade caps, providing you buy them surplus. Otherwise they are too expensive, especially from Digi Key. You'd be better off buying Nichicon Great Supply Super Through from Percyaudio.com.

Another alternative, pretty cheap BTW, would be going with those caps, and I still have some left. You can compare at Digi-Key at $12 a pc. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10861
 
#4
Peter Daniel said:
You can use computer grade caps, providing you buy them surplus. Otherwise they are too expensive, especially from Digi Key. You'd be better off buying Nichicon Great Supply Super Through from Percyaudio.com.

Another alternative, pretty cheap BTW, would be going with those caps, and I still have some left. You can compare at Digi-Key at $12 a pc. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10861
Click to expand...

According to Kristijan's schematic I would need 64 of your 5600uF caps. Do you think I could squeeze 64 of them into a regular size Aleph 5 case?

Regards,
Dan
 
#5
Why aren't you using Nelson Pass schematic? You can easily squeeze 50 of those caps in 2 banks of 25 or so, one above the other, or vertically using veroboard, it all depends how high your chassis is. I used 10 of those caps per channel in my Aleph 5 monoblocks and it was pretty enough.
 
#6
Hi there!
when we´re talking CG caps , look at this one!
That´s what I call a capacitor!
Forgive my macho-ism, but I really, really like them.
Have 8 of those (220.000 uF, 50 V) that will be in my next amp project. Each one stores 275 Joule !!!! at 50 V
Yes they are very expensive when you buy these non surplus (if ever you get them)

Franz😎
 
#7
pic is missing! can´t upload it, sorry !
 

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#9
You could use surplus, or new.
I have no idea which sounds better, or which will last longer, but you can definitely figure out what they cost.

"Nichicon Great Supply Super Through from Percyaudio.com."
22,000µF GSII ..........50V ........$32.95 ...........50mm x 80mm
22,000µF KG Super.....50V ........$42.95 ...........63mm x 80mm

Mallory from Mouser
539-CGS50V20000 203U050V4C 20,000µF 2.0 x 4.125 $16.06
539-CGS50V25000 253U050W4C 25,000µF 2.5 x 4.125 $20.22

Panasonic from Digikey
20000µF 0.022 14.15 2.000 (51) 4.125 (105) 0.875 (22.2) P10083-ND $23.71
 
#10
Peter Daniel said:
Why aren't you using Nelson Pass schematic? You can easily squeeze 50 of those caps in 2 banks of 25 or so, one above the other, or vertically using veroboard, it all depends how high your chassis is. I used 10 of those caps per channel in my Aleph 5 monoblocks and it was pretty enough.
Click to expand...

DISCLAIMER: This is my first time around the DIY track and although I have a moderate amount of electronics experience if you digress too far into theory I'll get bogged down and will not complete my project.

The above mentioned aside, I realize the amount of capacitance 'needed' for a power supply is a contentious issue and in the interest of getting things done I prefer a completed design that achieves two goals. The first is goal I'm shooting for is something easy to follow and well laid out till I get a few more miles on my soldering iron. The second, if it improves on the original design at a reasonable cost I would like that too.

The bottom line? Peter, I am interested in purchasing some of your surplus caps. Please send me a private e-mail.

Regards,
Dan
 
#11
Franz said:
Hi there!
when we´re talking CG caps , look at this one!
That´s what I call a capacitor!
Forgive my macho-ism, but I really, really like them.
Have 8 of those (220.000 uF, 50 V) that will be in my next amp project. Each one stores 275 Joule !!!! at 50 V
Yes they are very expensive when you buy these non surplus (if ever you get them)

Franz😎
Click to expand...

Hi Franz,

Such monstercaps look cool, but isn't it always better to use a lot of small ones, since these should have u much lower impedance and therefor a better sound?

Lucas
 
#12
Hi Lucas,

I don´t have the figures at hand right now but you must not forget that a cap of this size has a a priori much lower ESR than a cap of say a 10th its size. So you won´t always get a much lower ESR depending on what your muliple substitute caps are.
Plus you can also parallel the bigger ones !!!!

I ´ve been thinking about this question for a long time as well, but if you look at current Pass production models you won´t find a multitude of small ones. Nelson still favours the big boys. I think he knows why.

In general however I think your statement is true.

What do the amp experts think ?

Franz
 
#13
Franz,

I’m not an expert, but I’m with you here. I’ll probably use the small caps for tweeter amplifier only. I can open a book to find the answer why, but I won’t. Observation is enough.

But! Is that what you think macho??? Car amp PS caps are commonly bigger. I used to have a McIntosh with twice as big capacitor. I still have several caps almost as big as yours, but I didn’t find them practical to use.

Dantwomey,

Capacitor choice could be a never ending discussion topics. All I need to say is, that power supply is even more important in Aleph than in any other standard amplifiers. The question is, how far will you go? I’ve never used an amp (DIY or not) for more than 6 months, so I will go very far (get the best available) only if I think the amp will last, or I can re-use the component. For my Aleph, the best transformer I could get is a 35V-0-35V, so I can re-use it for my 2SK135/J50. With the caps, I won’t still go with Black Gate (enough ELNA/Panasonic/Hitachi). With the money, it is wise to go farther on other components (too many components I can still upgrade anyway)

This is what I think is not wise: Yesterday I saw someone built a tone control with RIKEN resistors all over the place. Why not build an equalizer with gold plated chips instead?
 
#15
Franz said:
Hi Lucas,

I don´t have the figures at hand right now but you must not forget that a cap of this size has a a priori much lower ESR than a cap of say a 10th its size. So you won´t always get a much lower ESR depending on what your muliple substitute caps are.
Plus you can also parallel the bigger ones !!!!

I ´ve been thinking about this question for a long time as well, but if you look at current Pass production models you won´t find a multitude of small ones. Nelson still favours the big boys. I think he knows why.

In general however I think your statement is true.

What do the amp experts think ?

Franz
Click to expand...


Hi Franz,

Indeed, Nelson and a lot of other manufacturers use those large caps. Maybe it is also much more economical for them to use one bulky instead of a lot of others. It may even look cooler in the publicity...

I saw that some others like Classé Audio use a lot of smaller caps, claiming that it brings more "speed" in the sound.

Who knows? I have never done a comparison.
I think Daniel's method is very clever; in his extremely beautiful Aleph X he uses two large caps for the first stabilizing, followed by a lot of small Panasonic FC's close to the mosfets.
This seems to me a very clever solution. When biulding an Aleph X I may try this too.

Regards,

Lucas.
 
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