Hi,
I'm using a Paragon 12A tube preamplifier and want to upgrade the signal capacitors.
Actually most small values are Jensen aluminium foil caps. But the RIAA and output caps are still original IC/Electrocube polypropylene caps.
The guy who build in the Jensen changed all capacities to smaller values (for instance 1µF to 0.47µF). He explained that replacing the old polypropylene with Jensen paper in oil of the same value would have made the sound muddy and thick. To retain the original sound signature it is necessary to go for smaller values of paper in oil.
I have no experience with this topic and dont know if his assumption is correct? whats your opinion?
I want to make the most out of the Paragon without changing its character which I would describe as really clear with full bodied sound.
Im thinking of changing all caps to Audio Note copper foil types or Jensen copper foil...What would be your advice. What about Mundorf or any other alternatives?
I also would like to hear opinions or information regarding the Paragon since there is not much to find in the www.
I'm using a Paragon 12A tube preamplifier and want to upgrade the signal capacitors.
Actually most small values are Jensen aluminium foil caps. But the RIAA and output caps are still original IC/Electrocube polypropylene caps.
The guy who build in the Jensen changed all capacities to smaller values (for instance 1µF to 0.47µF). He explained that replacing the old polypropylene with Jensen paper in oil of the same value would have made the sound muddy and thick. To retain the original sound signature it is necessary to go for smaller values of paper in oil.
I have no experience with this topic and dont know if his assumption is correct? whats your opinion?
I want to make the most out of the Paragon without changing its character which I would describe as really clear with full bodied sound.
Im thinking of changing all caps to Audio Note copper foil types or Jensen copper foil...What would be your advice. What about Mundorf or any other alternatives?
I also would like to hear opinions or information regarding the Paragon since there is not much to find in the www.
Electrocube makes some excellent caps, and it's almost always a mistake to change RIAA caps if they're already styrene or polypropylene. As for the other value changes, that would move the LF rolloff points substantially. I can't imagine what someone was thinking, unless the rolloff points were already ridiculously low, like 1 Hz or something. Otherwise, it's (IMO) just high end BS unsupported by logic or engineering.
Thanks for your posting.
The guy said the same as you said about the RIAA...rather leave the RIAA (which I will do) untouched to avoid any unwanted change in tonality.
The Paragon was originally specified with 2Hz to 200KHz (+0, -1dB). Would the change of values yield any positiv effects (make the sound faster...?) How much would the the LF roll off be affected by changing the caps to half of the specified values?
The guy said the same as you said about the RIAA...rather leave the RIAA (which I will do) untouched to avoid any unwanted change in tonality.
The Paragon was originally specified with 2Hz to 200KHz (+0, -1dB). Would the change of values yield any positiv effects (make the sound faster...?) How much would the the LF roll off be affected by changing the caps to half of the specified values?
xronx said:
This will greatly depend upon the input impedance of your power amp. Most probably raising the low end frequency by a factor of two is insignificant.
Whether the sound is better is up to you to establish.
Mentioning expensive capacitors is known to cause fits of rage in some engineers so be careful 🙂
"fits of rage"- Yeah, it's almost as bad as when them dang young'ns wear their baseball caps backwards- makes my head wanna explode! And cell phones, don't get me started on cell phones. The world is go'in to heck- why am I in this handbasket and why is it getting warmer?
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