For many years my favorite DC blocking capacitor was the original IAR Wondercaps. Alas, I have finally depleted my NOS stock of these parts and am looking for a replacement.
Is there any consensus at all regarding which brands sound the best? Perhaps someone has posted some comparisons somewhere on the net?
I always thought that the Wondercaps used a teflon dialectric, but I don't know for sure. This is primarily for solid state work, so I'm not sure that I should consider paper/oil caps or stick with standard polypropylene, polystyrene, or teflon film types.
I sure don't want to have to purchase a few of every type available and spend many days making comparisons, so any advice is appreciated!
Take care,
Doug
Is there any consensus at all regarding which brands sound the best? Perhaps someone has posted some comparisons somewhere on the net?
I always thought that the Wondercaps used a teflon dialectric, but I don't know for sure. This is primarily for solid state work, so I'm not sure that I should consider paper/oil caps or stick with standard polypropylene, polystyrene, or teflon film types.
I sure don't want to have to purchase a few of every type available and spend many days making comparisons, so any advice is appreciated!
Take care,
Doug
Hello... anyone out there?
Parts Connexion has a huge selection of quality film capacitors. How do you choose? Doesn't anyone buy film caps anymore?
Take care,
Doug
Parts Connexion has a huge selection of quality film capacitors. How do you choose? Doesn't anyone buy film caps anymore?
Take care,
Doug
Hi,
I have seen reports on teflon di-electric and they seem to be tops.
Most cannot afford these and accept next best as polypropylene.
These are good for coupling/DC blocking.
It appears that the X & Y rated types intended for mains use perform as good audio caps.
Then come all the other film caps that are there to save space and/or money.
I would be very surprised if IAR are teflon.
I have seen reports on teflon di-electric and they seem to be tops.
Most cannot afford these and accept next best as polypropylene.
These are good for coupling/DC blocking.
It appears that the X & Y rated types intended for mains use perform as good audio caps.
Then come all the other film caps that are there to save space and/or money.
I would be very surprised if IAR are teflon.
MKP series from may manufacturer's give good bang for the buck. Wima, Vishay, Solen and the STK MP series sound pretty good too 🙂
A year ago i've rediscovered polyprop LeClanché capacitors, from Switzerland.
By stumbling on a NOS batch, noticed at a later date that the brand has been gaining audio popularity.
LeClanché's tinfoil line caps are pretty ok by me, although i doubt that i'll buy them again for the going rates. Not to mention the size downsides.
By stumbling on a NOS batch, noticed at a later date that the brand has been gaining audio popularity.
LeClanché's tinfoil line caps are pretty ok by me, although i doubt that i'll buy them again for the going rates. Not to mention the size downsides.
Hi
I have been experimenting.
I found that I much prefered the sound of polystyrene caps and teflon second and polypropylene/polycarbonate third.
The problem with the polystyrene and teflon is the size. I do have a lot of all the above types that I bought some time ago but most are too large to use in values over 1 or 2 uf.
I experimented further and found that I prefered even more the sound of polycarbonate (1 to 10 uf) in parallel with polystyrene. ( 0.05 to 0.01uf )My second choice was polypropylene ( 1 to 10 uf ) in parallel with polystyrene. ( 0.05 to 0.01uf ) I found that parallelling gave me the crystal clear treble that goes with polystyrene/teflon coupled with the low base that goes with higher capacitance values.
I could not find any electrolytics that gave as good a performance as the polycarbonate or polypropylene.
I performed listening tests on a Krell and a Passlabs preamp that does not need a blocking capacitor. I could not hear a real difference when the parallelled capacitors were inserted. It may just be my ears - who knows. I found a greater difference in the preamps that I have designed and built myself when I chage semiconductors than by changing capacitors. Nelson Pass I believe commented that in his view semiconductors were less linear than capacitors. I find the same. ( NP if I misquoted you apologies and please correct me )
I found the best sound and also the best value for money by using parallel polycarbonate and polystryene.
Hope this helps
Don
I have been experimenting.
I found that I much prefered the sound of polystyrene caps and teflon second and polypropylene/polycarbonate third.
The problem with the polystyrene and teflon is the size. I do have a lot of all the above types that I bought some time ago but most are too large to use in values over 1 or 2 uf.
I experimented further and found that I prefered even more the sound of polycarbonate (1 to 10 uf) in parallel with polystyrene. ( 0.05 to 0.01uf )My second choice was polypropylene ( 1 to 10 uf ) in parallel with polystyrene. ( 0.05 to 0.01uf ) I found that parallelling gave me the crystal clear treble that goes with polystyrene/teflon coupled with the low base that goes with higher capacitance values.
I could not find any electrolytics that gave as good a performance as the polycarbonate or polypropylene.
I performed listening tests on a Krell and a Passlabs preamp that does not need a blocking capacitor. I could not hear a real difference when the parallelled capacitors were inserted. It may just be my ears - who knows. I found a greater difference in the preamps that I have designed and built myself when I chage semiconductors than by changing capacitors. Nelson Pass I believe commented that in his view semiconductors were less linear than capacitors. I find the same. ( NP if I misquoted you apologies and please correct me )
I found the best sound and also the best value for money by using parallel polycarbonate and polystryene.
Hope this helps
Don
Hi,
it's a shame polycarbonate caps are made from unobtainium film.
I didn't realise my soon to run out stock would be so much better than the PES that has come to replace them.
it's a shame polycarbonate caps are made from unobtainium film.
I didn't realise my soon to run out stock would be so much better than the PES that has come to replace them.
I have punted them before but I believe the Ampohm FK-CP series of polyprop caps are real good value for money, They are terribly big but I have yet to get something better (that I can afford), Even these caps are not all that cheap at about $10 each, but worth it in my view.
Hi
Until I read Andrews post yesterday I had not realised that polycarbonate capacitors were no longer available. ( I have large stocks of various types and rarely need to buy parts )
However I still have a capacitor test rig set up at the front end of my preamp so last night I did further testing of various combinations of capacitors to find a cost effective and this time available combination. I found paralling polystyrene (or teflon) ( 0.05 to 0.1 uf ) with polyester sounded OK to me. The polystyrene/teflon gave a clean treble. The base was good if I used good quality polyester capacitors. I found that to my ears this sounded better than simply using polypropylene. Also much more cost effective.
Cheers
Don
Until I read Andrews post yesterday I had not realised that polycarbonate capacitors were no longer available. ( I have large stocks of various types and rarely need to buy parts )
However I still have a capacitor test rig set up at the front end of my preamp so last night I did further testing of various combinations of capacitors to find a cost effective and this time available combination. I found paralling polystyrene (or teflon) ( 0.05 to 0.1 uf ) with polyester sounded OK to me. The polystyrene/teflon gave a clean treble. The base was good if I used good quality polyester capacitors. I found that to my ears this sounded better than simply using polypropylene. Also much more cost effective.
Cheers
Don
Polycarbonate are available:
http://www.stkelectronics.com/stkproducts.asp
Scroll to the bottom of the list...
http://www.stkelectronics.com/stkproducts.asp
Scroll to the bottom of the list...
I'll add a few more which are easy to get ;
Vishay Roederstein KC1850, KC1858, and MKC1860 series polycarbonate caps.
Not cheap, a 1uF MKC1860 is like $3.50/pc.
Vishay Roederstein KC1850, KC1858, and MKC1860 series polycarbonate caps.
Not cheap, a 1uF MKC1860 is like $3.50/pc.
Sorry to dredge up an old post again, but I took my amp appart for a reboxing. And I noticed the caps are marked
FP-CA-AU...
Would the AU indicate gold...? don't know if gold foil caps exist, but I guess the leads could well be goldplated
FP-CA-AU...
Would the AU indicate gold...? don't know if gold foil caps exist, but I guess the leads could well be goldplated
About the only application for capacitors with gold plates I could think of is very high temperature glass capacitors; literally layers of very thin glass and metal foil that are heated until they fuse together. I have seen a very few glass/tin capacitors, usually in picofarad values. I can't imagine any other application; gold isn't that good a conductor and would only be useful to prevent surface oxidization.
Thanks, I sent them a mail, but the gentleman dealing with these enquiries, will only return later in the week... it is probably only the leads if anything... but they have very thick isolation on... the leads and body basicaly are encapsulated in a sealed rubbery plastic layer - it just screams quality and functionality at you.
I like WIMA, but they can be hard to get in the States. Mouser and Future carry them, but are often out of stock.
I have a stash of 4.7u/400V MKP4's which I used on the LastPAS regulator boards made for a group buy about a year ago.
I have a stash of 4.7u/400V MKP4's which I used on the LastPAS regulator boards made for a group buy about a year ago.
Jack,
Wonna hear something ironic ?
Wima MKP4 and MKP10 could be bought around the corner here 15-20y ago, relatively affordable too, but were just about the last ones to use.
Wonna hear something ironic ?
Wima MKP4 and MKP10 could be bought around the corner here 15-20y ago, relatively affordable too, but were just about the last ones to use.
Hi,
I wonder if the MKP from Wima are the self healing type that use a mixture of foil and metallised and run caps in series and an interlayer that is not polypropylene?
Some or all of these attributes might explain why they came at the end of your preference.
I wonder if the MKP from Wima are the self healing type that use a mixture of foil and metallised and run caps in series and an interlayer that is not polypropylene?
Some or all of these attributes might explain why they came at the end of your preference.
The crossover on my speakers that are close to 30 years old have those red wima mkp caps in... counldn't believe they are that old...
I have compared wima's to ampohms and where space allows the second lgets my prefference by a long shot.
I have compared wima's to ampohms and where space allows the second lgets my prefference by a long shot.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.