Looking at mouser, I saw and bough Vishay 275V 0.1uF polypropylene safety cap's, an exact replacement for the coupling caps in my Yaquin... Never saw anyone ever mention this type for audio...
I know folks say PIO, Yellow drops and so on, generally stay away from electrolytic's (with exceptions to every rule) just never heard anyone use or like a safety cap....
I know folks say PIO, Yellow drops and so on, generally stay away from electrolytic's (with exceptions to every rule) just never heard anyone use or like a safety cap....
Post the datasheet or at least the part number.
Most of these film caps are quite acceptable for audio, actually very good quality usually.
Most of these film caps are quite acceptable for audio, actually very good quality usually.
Done!
On it NOW, (Edit... Hope there will NOT be a test on it!! May need the cliff notes version lol)
Thank you both!
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This link is a little better for it. https://www.scribd.com/doc/24913258/Picking-Capacitors
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Yes. Mylar is the registered trade name of DuPont for polyester. (Technically biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate.)
"Safety", when used to refer to caps designed to be placed across the AC line means that in event of a failure, such a cap will not start a fire.
Unless the cap was made in the 1980s by Rifa. They tend to let out foul smelling smoke with a bang.
Discussion of these caps in audio circuits plus measured frequency responses in this thread: Anyone familiar with these caps?
Also highly recommend the "Picking Capacitors" article.
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"Cliff Notes" version of Walter and Richard's "Capacitor Picking":
"Here is the way we see it:
"Here is the way we see it:
- Up to values of about 10,000 pF, polystyrene is the best all around choice
- Above, 0.1 uF polypropylene (or metalized polypropylene) is the dielectric of choice
- any system using ... [polyester capacitors] in the signal path may potentially benefit by the substitution of (equal value, voltage and tolerance) polypropylenes or polycarbonates....We have done this ourselves on different items of equipment, tube and transistor, with always the same result, a stunning upgrade in sound quality."
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The best caps I've used apart from teflon coupling caps are the DC Link polypropylene ones from Vishay, Kemet etc. I use them for cathode bypass on my 300b and they outclass electrolytics and polypropylene "audio" caps like Clarity Caps. Yes, they really do make an audible difference, more detailed and transparent. Whether they're "stunning" depends on how easily you're stunned, of course.
The differencies in sound for replacing caps ( good components without issues ) are small and suptle if any , who says otherwise has "wishful thinking" or some other interests .
Anyway I would avoid "no name" componets made in china
Anyway I would avoid "no name" componets made in china
Believe me, as cathode bypasses for a 300b SE amp the differences in caps are audible. DC Link caps are made for demanding applications by the major brands like Vishay and Kemet and are clearly thoroughly tested. They're just better made because they have to be considering where they're used. These are serious capacitors, nothing boutique here.
Now this is a more appropriated & realistically phrased Andy. Lol
Even among different brands of polyprop caps they will all sound different, some so so, some very very good etc.
Thanks & Cheers
At least we know that the much favoured "red" WIMA MKS-4 polyester (PET) capacitors are to be avoided, and their MKP-4 metalized polypropylene (PP) capacitors are better.
For coupling purposes, quality is practically irrelevant.
For other applications, I would advise against safety caps: as their name implies, their key property is the ability to fail gracefully, and secondarily to damp RF perturbations.
For these reasons, they use a peculiar construction, with a shallow metallization to ease the self-healing process and increase the losses.
In applications like filters, bypass, etc, these properties are highly undesirable.
For non-critical, coupling applications they don't matter
For other applications, I would advise against safety caps: as their name implies, their key property is the ability to fail gracefully, and secondarily to damp RF perturbations.
For these reasons, they use a peculiar construction, with a shallow metallization to ease the self-healing process and increase the losses.
In applications like filters, bypass, etc, these properties are highly undesirable.
For non-critical, coupling applications they don't matter
