To be sure, I wasnt putting eTracer in the market segment of cables and power cords, I was just comparing where non-DIY audio lovers will likely buy a capacitor tester if they will buy a curve tracer. The eTracer is a great piece of gear, I've had mine for over a year, one of the first kits the maker shipped. Its not like a $2,000 36 inch cable made of unobtanium, the opposite, its a reasonably priced gear that brings objectivity and sanity to that audiophile market and gives DIY'ers a device better and many times cheaper than a Tektronics analog tracer. Snake oil above all else requires subjectivity and secrecy to succeed, more devices are needed to do A/B testing not fewer.
My wife and I are signed up for Axpona again this year, its a fun weekend, all the snake oil is very entertaining to make fun of, the sounds of hearing hundreds of different tube amps in a weekend is awesome. But the mom and pop or one-man engineers trying to get recognition for their inventions on the main floor is refreshing, those guys are just DIY'ers I give them a lot of credit for making a go of it bringing physical product they crafted. A device proving to yourself that a $2 capacitor sounds as good as the $100 one is a good thing!
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Unfortunately there is always some moron out there that is incapable of operating the device and still maintains that cost dictates quality and sound and or quality in sound.
That's for sure, its unfortunate for all the consumers just looking for great value when they get ensnared in that mindset and drop the equivalent of a months mortgage payment on an AC cord. The people who "make things" have better sense, but if I were a non-DIYing audiophile who had to only follow magazines and ads for knowledge I'd probably be a sitting duck too!
I measured the D (dissipation factor) of several capacitors I had available in the 0.1 uf range using my LCR meter. I confirmed that high-end capacitors do have a very low D factor in general, but I suppose you might find cheaper ones as well that test better. Of the capacitors I had on hand here is how they shook out, from best to worst on D factor, each reading is the average D with the LCR on fast at 1000hZ for 30 seconds running, the LCR was calibrated and left on for an hour before starting:
The Russian PIO tangent was off considerably.
That was all the 0.1 new caps I had on hand so I tested a few others randomly...
I recently bought a bag of surplus .75 uf capacitors I had a hunch might be good and at least for D factor they tested 4 times better that the above Solen at an amazing .00005 D! If I need a .75 I'll definitely try these someday.
These are the ones, a bag of 20:
G19608A - (Pkg 20) 0.75uF 400VAC Film Capacitor
Other random ones from best to worst:
I also compared D factor of some random motor run capacitors to some brand new Nichicon electrolytics at 120 hZ, no comparison there, the MRC's all tested exponentially better on D factor than an electrolytic.
I dont know of what value all this was for me, and I'd like to get some high end caps other than the Solens I have on hand to test. But I will probably be using measurement of the D factor on the LCR to tie break what cap to use in the future.
- Solen MKP 0.1 uf - D = .00020 (note a 1.0uf Solen I had measured at an amazing .00004) but all the 0.1's came in around .00020
- Orange Drop 600V 0.1uf - D = .00031
- Mallory 150's 0.1 uf - D = .00504
- Dark Green Russian PIO 0.1 uf - D = .00864
The Russian PIO tangent was off considerably.
That was all the 0.1 new caps I had on hand so I tested a few others randomly...
I recently bought a bag of surplus .75 uf capacitors I had a hunch might be good and at least for D factor they tested 4 times better that the above Solen at an amazing .00005 D! If I need a .75 I'll definitely try these someday.
These are the ones, a bag of 20:
G19608A - (Pkg 20) 0.75uF 400VAC Film Capacitor
Other random ones from best to worst:
- Unbranded surplus yellow axial also from the above store 1.1 uf - D = .00020 (as good as the Solen)
- A Chinese 1uf yellow axial with the brand CAYYI on it - D = .00445
- A 2.2 uf numbered F1773-522-2000 (Vishay) also bag surplus from the above store (wow these cost over $11.00 at Mouser now) - D = .00460
I also compared D factor of some random motor run capacitors to some brand new Nichicon electrolytics at 120 hZ, no comparison there, the MRC's all tested exponentially better on D factor than an electrolytic.
I dont know of what value all this was for me, and I'd like to get some high end caps other than the Solens I have on hand to test. But I will probably be using measurement of the D factor on the LCR to tie break what cap to use in the future.
Burnedfingers as you can see your Orange Drops do test damn good for D factor on the LCR. The Solen that tested just above it is about $2.60 Orange Drops are about $1.50. At least on D factor you wouldnt be moving backwards for the extra $1.10 for a Solen.
The exact part number series printed on it is CDE716P600V
Then printed is 104J (for .1 uf) and the number 1821 by itself. So it looks like it is the 716 series. I bought about 200 or so in all values from tubesandmore.com last year to recap guitar amps, never knew they would test near Solens at .00031 and be 16 times better D than Mallory 150's at .00504!
A friend never found différences so after a coupling cap fail in her big Cayin kt88, I changed only one side because the other side cap mesured good.
I put à cactus cap.
I came back soon after with a good wine bottle and asked for a change of the remaining cap for ‘security’ he said hehehe.....
I put à cactus cap.
I came back soon after with a good wine bottle and asked for a change of the remaining cap for ‘security’ he said hehehe.....
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Windcrest:
You might want to test a few of the Cornel-Dubilier 940 and 942 series caps. They are meant for pulse duty but have a bit of an (price conscious) audiophile following. Not expensive and available from Mouser.
S.
You might want to test a few of the Cornel-Dubilier 940 and 942 series caps. They are meant for pulse duty but have a bit of an (price conscious) audiophile following. Not expensive and available from Mouser.
S.
I'll order a a few and maybe others and do this all over again. Curios about those too after people mentioned them.
Solen MKP 0,1uf is not for serious amp
Orange 0.1uf very good for Chinese amp.
FT3 Teflon not bad, detailed but not comfortable
PIO K-40, comfortable but not detailed, grain in HF, and bass liquid.
MBM sound very good, better than the all before, only need careful fugue 0,5V dc
The best on reasonable price, Miflex and Audyn copper.
Orange 0.1uf very good for Chinese amp.
FT3 Teflon not bad, detailed but not comfortable
PIO K-40, comfortable but not detailed, grain in HF, and bass liquid.
MBM sound very good, better than the all before, only need careful fugue 0,5V dc
The best on reasonable price, Miflex and Audyn copper.