You could do a quick experiment with yourself as the test subject. Temporarily tack-solder a new capacitor in parallel with the left channel cartridge loading capacitor you're using in your Pearl 3. Choose this new capacitor to be about 10% of the value of the cartridge loading capacitor. Now you've introduced a 10% cartridge loading mismatch between the left channel of your Pearl 3 and the right (unmodified) channel. Listen to your favorite music and see whether this cartridge loading mismatch has affected the sound. Is it better? same-no-change-at-all? worse? I don't know whether diyAudio members would consider your results "a verifiable opinion" . . . . but YOU would, and maybe that's the only thing that matters.
It can never hurt to be precise. I'm guilty of doing the same thing at times. But I have learned to not spend time on things that don't return clear results worth the effort or money.
Yes that could be a fun test mark, I hope someone here tries it our and report back, ocd or not, this pearl in my audio chain will not be culprit, of that I made certain.
Any thoughts on a decent coupling capacitor?
Any thoughts on a decent coupling capacitor?
I've been having fantastic results using the Panasonic ECW-FE Series polypropylene capacitors. Very happy, they sound fantastic.
Thanks great, will look it up, pitch 15mm allowance gives not much room for a quick step
Hello amplidude,
your efforts on matching the parts for the PEARL 3 so closely are worth some respect. If it is necessary...
You will hear...
You could test different caps in the C1 and C12 position. The advice of 6L6 to try the Panasonic ECW-FE-series is good. You can also try bigger ones (film caps) by soldering two short wires into your pcb in the C1 and C12 -
position and you could solder / clip different caps to the wires - only for testing. Let your ears decide.
I did something similar...
What I can tell you for sure: your PEARL 3 will give you a smile on your face... 🙂
Also if you are used to listen to pretty expensive commercial phono pres.
Have fun!
Cheers
Dirk
your efforts on matching the parts for the PEARL 3 so closely are worth some respect. If it is necessary...
You will hear...
You could test different caps in the C1 and C12 position. The advice of 6L6 to try the Panasonic ECW-FE-series is good. You can also try bigger ones (film caps) by soldering two short wires into your pcb in the C1 and C12 -
position and you could solder / clip different caps to the wires - only for testing. Let your ears decide.
I did something similar...
What I can tell you for sure: your PEARL 3 will give you a smile on your face... 🙂
Also if you are used to listen to pretty expensive commercial phono pres.
Have fun!
Cheers
Dirk
Great dirk, I actually thought about setting up a small test, I do have a nice collection of various candidates, but all bigger, my chassis could accommodate larger caps if necessary, but larger caps could yield noise issues. Most do some listening
C1 and C12 are interstage coupling caps, not in the EQ.
I miss SY being here on our forum...
https://www.syclotron.com/why-are-people-obsessed-with-coupling-caps/
I miss SY being here on our forum...
https://www.syclotron.com/why-are-people-obsessed-with-coupling-caps/
To be OCD accurate it would need to be a MONO recording to evaluate any possible difference in sound. 🙂
Thanks 6L6.
Nice article will take some time to digest it, but this graph says more than a thousand words
Nice article will take some time to digest it, but this graph says more than a thousand words
I'm obsessed with MKC
matter of choice - choose one, ignore other as generic ones, and obsession easily transgress in cozy stubbornness
even writing a word - stubbornness - is fun
The yellow ones I have in right now are actually polycarbonate fkc3, I do have some hundreds of each, would you prefer those over styroflex?.? If I really dig in I could find some good matches.
stubbornness stubbornness stubbornness stubbornness....
stubbornness stubbornness stubbornness stubbornness....
My hearing is bad after years in heavy industry, and my lack of common sense to use ear protection.
So red green blue purple caps, I can not hear it, but the building process I like.
I started matching th e rest today, using polycarbonates, would like to say praise to the hantek lcr meter,
Its sorting function is really great, it does not only say good/bad but tells you the percentage calculated on your reference part.
Ps my test socket for transistors is perfect here, easy in easy out.
So red green blue purple caps, I can not hear it, but the building process I like.
I started matching th e rest today, using polycarbonates, would like to say praise to the hantek lcr meter,
Its sorting function is really great, it does not only say good/bad but tells you the percentage calculated on your reference part.
Ps my test socket for transistors is perfect here, easy in easy out.
With this setup I find many good matches, and I do have many capacitors in those small values, many others with different dielectrics.
If anybody want to avoid buying large quantities and match, I can find some good sets and mail them.
I only ask to be compensated for posting and parts prices.
If anybody want to avoid buying large quantities and match, I can find some good sets and mail them.
I only ask to be compensated for posting and parts prices.
I am pondering over the psu, looked through my stuff and found two transformers that deliver 15 volt, I am thinking of some CLCLC followed by 7818 7918 regulators, so sending +/÷ 18 volt up to the pearl 3, this is a sanity check.
I would like dual mono, and pearl 3 present only 200 ohm load, I have a variety of small bobbing that could fit the bill.
Ps the transformers have glue on them, but some sandpaper and hard work should clean it up nicely.
I would like dual mono, and pearl 3 present only 200 ohm load, I have a variety of small bobbing that could fit the bill.
Ps the transformers have glue on them, but some sandpaper and hard work should clean it up nicely.