I replaced all the electrolytics in my power supply with polypropylene film cars in my KT120 SET amp and I am very pleased. I used the same total values so if there was no difference it would sound identical. Long story short, the film caps are superior in many ways. The bass has more slam and is tighter without boom. The noise level has gone down making the background blacker and detail more audible. The imaging is better too. I always bypassed my electrlytics with film but going all film has great benefits. They take up more room but if you van swing it give it a try! What do you all use film or electrolytic?
Which ones did you use? Do DC link capacitors perform the same? Although my life expectancy is probably less than the average Nichicon, I like the idea that the maintenance is minimised.
I used 75uf 600v units I got from Apex jr. alone with silver Teflon wire I got from him too. They aren’t the best poly you can buy but for a ps they are perfect as they are not in the direct signal path. I use Clarity caps for that. They are cheap enough too at $5 each. I’m using 10 in this KT220 SE amp with dual ps after the transformer. Give it a shot, it can’t be worse than what you have now and will last forever as they are self healing too.
It depends on the polypropylenes and the electrolytics. A good 'lytic sounds a lot clearer than a common plastic case motor run cap, or even the larger polyprops as used in X-over networks. That was a mistake I made for years - assuming motor run caps sounded better when in fact they usually don't.
When I upgraded the motor runs, I used Kemet 'lyrics which sounded very clear and detailed and were available in 550v. For the final cap I used a Kemet DC Link. I've had good results with Vishay DC Links as well, bit cleaner but less body. When I used all DC Links the result was smoother but a touch less detailed. Very much YMMV. Either was good.
DC Link caps are wonderful, and have transformed my system. I use 40uF DC Link Kemets for cathode bypasses too and that makes quite an audible difference.
When I upgraded the motor runs, I used Kemet 'lyrics which sounded very clear and detailed and were available in 550v. For the final cap I used a Kemet DC Link. I've had good results with Vishay DC Links as well, bit cleaner but less body. When I used all DC Links the result was smoother but a touch less detailed. Very much YMMV. Either was good.
DC Link caps are wonderful, and have transformed my system. I use 40uF DC Link Kemets for cathode bypasses too and that makes quite an audible difference.
Thanks for sharing, Andy!
How do you find these PP DC link towards tone, especially body, midrange fullness and decay? Kemet DC Link your favorite?
How do you find these PP DC link towards tone, especially body, midrange fullness and decay? Kemet DC Link your favorite?
I have tried Kemet C4AQ from RS in UK. Tone is very good - all the things you say. You should try them. These Kemet have a full and fairly rich tone with plenty of detail. The Vishay ones I have were a cleaner, leaner tone. They were a higher voltage rating - 900v to 630v I think. Not quite so much low level detail but the clean sound was nice. Hard to choose. Kemet were a bit like mesh plate tubes, Vishay like solid plate tubes. Kemet are cheaper. Long waiting lists for some values.
These are smooth sounding - the Kemet electrolytic was just a touch sharper - not sure if I heard more low level detail. It was close. I think DC Links are good as the last cap.
There are huge differences in the sound of capacitors like it is with every parts of an amp.
Some people think to throw out that old rubbish electrolyts, because they are prone to failure (often after being more than 50 years in service) and have bad measurements right from the start compared with other (foil) types.
But if one watches the audible sound differences that may occur with each change, I noticed that the tendency to a "sterile and pronounced in details" sound enhances often, when the electrolyts have to be swapped out.
In the end, its often the question which sound characteristic one prefer. And many today prefer this sterile, overpronounced details-sound that is like what can be heard with so many of the transistor equipment.
But if you hear an excellent, new electrolytic, to me the sound is more what I aim for.
I have heard the strongest, most punchiest, fast and clean bass from those equipment. And it had nothing to do with changing all inside electrolyts with foil caps. The why and how lies generally in diffferent areas of audio perfection. Foremost it was the superior speakers and the top notch tube equipment matching together perfectly. Without any foil caps.
Some people think to throw out that old rubbish electrolyts, because they are prone to failure (often after being more than 50 years in service) and have bad measurements right from the start compared with other (foil) types.
But if one watches the audible sound differences that may occur with each change, I noticed that the tendency to a "sterile and pronounced in details" sound enhances often, when the electrolyts have to be swapped out.
In the end, its often the question which sound characteristic one prefer. And many today prefer this sterile, overpronounced details-sound that is like what can be heard with so many of the transistor equipment.
But if you hear an excellent, new electrolytic, to me the sound is more what I aim for.
I have heard the strongest, most punchiest, fast and clean bass from those equipment. And it had nothing to do with changing all inside electrolyts with foil caps. The why and how lies generally in diffferent areas of audio perfection. Foremost it was the superior speakers and the top notch tube equipment matching together perfectly. Without any foil caps.
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Impressive. I'll check them out, thanks!. Never thought a rectangular standard cap like this one, mostly Metallized PP might have mid-tone naturallness. Most caps like these ones I've tried give a weird specific emphasis on high mids and low highs. When it goes to tone control, capacitors containing wax and oil are mostly king to my preference, but not all. PP in oil of Mundorf overdo with control to my taste. Best favourites are stuff like Siemens, Bosch metallized paper in oil. These give some control, but still retain energy balance.
Hi Andy,
Very interesting observations; thanks for sharing them. What series of the “Kemet ‘lytics” do you prefer?
I've done the poly - lytic comparisons a few times. None of these persuaded me to trade the Elna Cerafines 47+47 for polys.
Perhaps, if building a system from scratch, it must be possible to obtain a good tonality and full range dynamics using only poly caps in the PS, but this is very hard in a system already optimised for lytics. Altogether different tonal presentation and a certain lack down below, even though the Cerafines are by no means bassy. Yes, the midrange is faster and more in your face, but is this a good thing?
Perhaps, if building a system from scratch, it must be possible to obtain a good tonality and full range dynamics using only poly caps in the PS, but this is very hard in a system already optimised for lytics. Altogether different tonal presentation and a certain lack down below, even though the Cerafines are by no means bassy. Yes, the midrange is faster and more in your face, but is this a good thing?