Disappointing experience in SLT
I visited S'pore in October last year and went looking for some components you (almost) never get in Bombay (e.g. MKP/MKT caps, high-end linear power transistors for OPS of discrete power amps) in retail quantities. And when you do, you never know whether that MJE15003 is a 2N3055 with the new part number silk-screen printed on it. These Lamington Road thieves do this trickery for chips as inexpensive as LM3914/15 (see Rod Elliot's article where he mentions this).
My experience with Sim Lim Towers (that's the only place I had been told about) was very depressing; most of the shops sell only (what appears to be) used cheap components for repairing hundred-rupee and thousand-rupee (SGD 40) transistor radios. Only one shop had MKP/MKT caps (they were the only one who had even heard the term) and here, I was served by an old lady. I wonder now, was this the same shop you're talking about? She knew about voltage ratings of caps and quickly produced two 15uF 250V MKP (or was it MKT) caps for SGD 9.00 each.
My questions:
And my addition to your list: check Leda Resources for some passives and speaker drivers. Very small outfit, no showroom, deals on the phone, willing to deliver to your doorstep in S'pore without any delivery charge. They are listed as the official dealers for Vifa/Scanspeak for S'pore.
TIA and regards,
Tarun
I visited S'pore in October last year and went looking for some components you (almost) never get in Bombay (e.g. MKP/MKT caps, high-end linear power transistors for OPS of discrete power amps) in retail quantities. And when you do, you never know whether that MJE15003 is a 2N3055 with the new part number silk-screen printed on it. These Lamington Road thieves do this trickery for chips as inexpensive as LM3914/15 (see Rod Elliot's article where he mentions this).
My experience with Sim Lim Towers (that's the only place I had been told about) was very depressing; most of the shops sell only (what appears to be) used cheap components for repairing hundred-rupee and thousand-rupee (SGD 40) transistor radios. Only one shop had MKP/MKT caps (they were the only one who had even heard the term) and here, I was served by an old lady. I wonder now, was this the same shop you're talking about? She knew about voltage ratings of caps and quickly produced two 15uF 250V MKP (or was it MKT) caps for SGD 9.00 each.
My questions:
- Where do you get these passive and discrete components, other than the places all of you have already listed, if any? Just making a "complete" list.
- Are they genuine at these places? I'm not asking about Lowther drivers and tubes, but more about things like a few LM3875 or 2SA1943/2SC5200. (Last time, I bought them from Digikey USA and got them shipped to my friend's place in S'pore. And carried them in with personal baggage.)
And my addition to your list: check Leda Resources for some passives and speaker drivers. Very small outfit, no showroom, deals on the phone, willing to deliver to your doorstep in S'pore without any delivery charge. They are listed as the official dealers for Vifa/Scanspeak for S'pore.
TIA and regards,
Tarun
I'm not really sure where to get nice caps...other than from RS...at
www.rswww.co.uk
or Farnell
www.farnell.com
I'm sure they can ship to your country...just look around or ask the support department...I always get those caps from there...
www.rswww.co.uk
or Farnell
www.farnell.com
I'm sure they can ship to your country...just look around or ask the support department...I always get those caps from there...
MKP caps etc.
Hi Tarun,
There are many plastic film cap manufacturers in India. One of the most popular ones I think is CTR. DEC is another company.
My Rogers - GS1 speaker had a CTR cap in the crossover. So I guess it must be good as they would have checked out its performance. While CTR is not cheap , it is far cheaper than the ones you get abroad. Not all film caps are rectangular boxes. Check out Solen , AuriCap etc. The round yellow DEC or CTR cap may look soft but it is not. It's dipped in Epoxy and is hard - only the outer covering is a plastic foil.
DEC I think is Delton Capacitors from Delhi and CTR is a subsidiary of Crompton Greaves. I would prefer CTR over DEC
( Delhi make you know !!).
Try out the Philips 'orange' film caps. They are good. Don't be fooled by the cost. I have never compared them with very expensive caps but as I get very good sound ( as compared to top of the line equipment my friends have) I did not want to spend mega bucks on them. I spent the extra bucks on more power devices , beefier power supplies and better speaker drivers! But one of these day's I will make a comparison - especially Black Gates !
Did you check out the basement in SimLim Tower ? They are loaded with semiconductors. You will find some on the ground floor also. Sim Lim Square also has a few shops. You need to walk around the shops in the inner row.
Rs160 for a 10uF /100V cap in India is too much I think. I had bought these sometime ago and I am quite sure that it did not cost so much. CTR used to be the most expensive brand. I am not sure if that is true now. I will check this week end . Your DEC/MER is probably a Metallised polyester cap. The dealer will have a catalog of the caps. Ask him to show it to you. Or look for DEC in the annual issue of Electronics For You magazine. It will be listed there and they may have a web site now. DEC's web site does not function- I checked it just now.
Cheers.
Hi Tarun,
There are many plastic film cap manufacturers in India. One of the most popular ones I think is CTR. DEC is another company.
My Rogers - GS1 speaker had a CTR cap in the crossover. So I guess it must be good as they would have checked out its performance. While CTR is not cheap , it is far cheaper than the ones you get abroad. Not all film caps are rectangular boxes. Check out Solen , AuriCap etc. The round yellow DEC or CTR cap may look soft but it is not. It's dipped in Epoxy and is hard - only the outer covering is a plastic foil.
DEC I think is Delton Capacitors from Delhi and CTR is a subsidiary of Crompton Greaves. I would prefer CTR over DEC
( Delhi make you know !!).
Try out the Philips 'orange' film caps. They are good. Don't be fooled by the cost. I have never compared them with very expensive caps but as I get very good sound ( as compared to top of the line equipment my friends have) I did not want to spend mega bucks on them. I spent the extra bucks on more power devices , beefier power supplies and better speaker drivers! But one of these day's I will make a comparison - especially Black Gates !
Did you check out the basement in SimLim Tower ? They are loaded with semiconductors. You will find some on the ground floor also. Sim Lim Square also has a few shops. You need to walk around the shops in the inner row.
Rs160 for a 10uF /100V cap in India is too much I think. I had bought these sometime ago and I am quite sure that it did not cost so much. CTR used to be the most expensive brand. I am not sure if that is true now. I will check this week end . Your DEC/MER is probably a Metallised polyester cap. The dealer will have a catalog of the caps. Ask him to show it to you. Or look for DEC in the annual issue of Electronics For You magazine. It will be listed there and they may have a web site now. DEC's web site does not function- I checked it just now.
Cheers.
SLT has a little radio shop...called YH Radio..that has a wall to celling cabinet thingy ...full of it and full of parts...you might want to check there if you can't find the SS part you are trying to locate...if not...approach the Semi-conductor Co. for help..RS also stocks many of em...albeilt at a high Price...try to get samples...hehehe
Re: MKP caps etc.
I'll keep your remarks about CTR in mind. If I can't find them in L.Rd, I'll ask friends in Delhi to pick them up for me... they seem to be available there.
And my experiences in walking through the inner corridors of Sim Lim Towers were not very enlightening. Maybe I didn't look thoroughly enough. The sales chaps there are also a bit discouraging.
I found great connectors and stuff in Sim Lim Square, back lanes, third and fourth floors. Things like good quality RCA plugs and sockets, banana plugs/ sockets, etc. Inexpensive, lots of choice. I picked up quite a bit. Can't get them in L.Rd easily.
Tarun
Thanks for the helpful details.ashok said:
I'll keep your remarks about CTR in mind. If I can't find them in L.Rd, I'll ask friends in Delhi to pick them up for me... they seem to be available there.
And my experiences in walking through the inner corridors of Sim Lim Towers were not very enlightening. Maybe I didn't look thoroughly enough. The sales chaps there are also a bit discouraging.
I found great connectors and stuff in Sim Lim Square, back lanes, third and fourth floors. Things like good quality RCA plugs and sockets, banana plugs/ sockets, etc. Inexpensive, lots of choice. I picked up quite a bit. Can't get them in L.Rd easily.
Tarun
Hallo Jay,
I searched for the same purpose as you did and finally landed here.
I need to buy some good driver such as Lowther, but I'm rather worry to bring it to jakarta too. Since you said that you want to buy a driver too, I presume you have already did it.
So, was it any difficulties passing "bandara S-H duane"?
One more thing, you said that you found apt. with rate S$40/night, may I have the address of that apt?
Terima kasih.
I searched for the same purpose as you did and finally landed here.
I need to buy some good driver such as Lowther, but I'm rather worry to bring it to jakarta too. Since you said that you want to buy a driver too, I presume you have already did it.
So, was it any difficulties passing "bandara S-H duane"?
One more thing, you said that you found apt. with rate S$40/night, may I have the address of that apt?
Terima kasih.
Hello hello...
I walked the small country from west to east, from south to north, bringing a city map
Well I think you can find more DIY stuffs in Jakarta than in Singapore. But I found that the commercial audio stuffs (speaker for example) are cheaper (in Adelphi).
I went to Martin Electronic and Well Audiolabs. Both are in Burlington Square on Bencoolen Street. I don't think you can find Lowther in Singapore other than in Martin Electronics. The owners of this shop are great people.
Mrs Wong (of the Martin) offered me a displayed Lowther EX2 for a very special price. I didn't take it because I didn't like the paper coloration and the difficulty to get a low bass from it. I think I should have bought them because I know many guys in jakarta are willing to buy this stuff for a high price
From experience, the probability that the duane will check your stuff is almost zero, unless your appearance is like a businessman or you are a white man. I look like a computer professional with a bag of IBM laptop hung on my shoulder But you are required to declare your belonging only if you bring more than US$200 stuff.
I stayed at Peony Mansion on Bencoolen Street #46 (across an Islamic centre which was being constructed). Costed me S$26 a day! I got a good room next to the owner at 7th floor. It doesn't look like an apartment (you know what I mean?) but I had no problem. Across the road next to the Islamic Centre is a Bencoolen Hotel (S$75/night). I couldn't find better place for under S$75!
I didn't bring a cc and only bring cash at S$8000 so I couldn't buy the Lundahl (The Lundahl costs Rp.300.000 cheaper than what you can find in jakarta). I only bought Vocal and Dynaudio drivers at a special price from Mrs Wong
At home I have an old power transformer and a pair of OT for a push pull 7189A (18W). Also a complete (unused) kit for Jadis 220 pre-amp. I'm not a tube fan anyway
Oh, I have a problem. One of my CDP has a broken PCM1816E Burr-Brown DAC. Do anyone of you know where I should go to replace this?
Thanks
I walked the small country from west to east, from south to north, bringing a city map
Well I think you can find more DIY stuffs in Jakarta than in Singapore. But I found that the commercial audio stuffs (speaker for example) are cheaper (in Adelphi).
I went to Martin Electronic and Well Audiolabs. Both are in Burlington Square on Bencoolen Street. I don't think you can find Lowther in Singapore other than in Martin Electronics. The owners of this shop are great people.
Mrs Wong (of the Martin) offered me a displayed Lowther EX2 for a very special price. I didn't take it because I didn't like the paper coloration and the difficulty to get a low bass from it. I think I should have bought them because I know many guys in jakarta are willing to buy this stuff for a high price
From experience, the probability that the duane will check your stuff is almost zero, unless your appearance is like a businessman or you are a white man. I look like a computer professional with a bag of IBM laptop hung on my shoulder
But you are required to declare your belonging only if you bring more than US$200 stuff.I stayed at Peony Mansion on Bencoolen Street #46 (across an Islamic centre which was being constructed). Costed me S$26 a day! I got a good room next to the owner at 7th floor. It doesn't look like an apartment (you know what I mean?) but I had no problem. Across the road next to the Islamic Centre is a Bencoolen Hotel (S$75/night). I couldn't find better place for under S$75!
I didn't bring a cc and only bring cash at S$8000 so I couldn't buy the Lundahl (The Lundahl costs Rp.300.000 cheaper than what you can find in jakarta). I only bought Vocal and Dynaudio drivers at a special price from Mrs Wong
At home I have an old power transformer and a pair of OT for a push pull 7189A (18W). Also a complete (unused) kit for Jadis 220 pre-amp. I'm not a tube fan anyway
Oh, I have a problem. One of my CDP has a broken PCM1816E Burr-Brown DAC. Do anyone of you know where I should go to replace this?
Thanks
Thanks Jay,
what type of enclosure do you want to build for the driver? and don't forget to post your work in the loudspeaker forum.
Anyway, do you know the best shop for buying good el. stuff in Jkt? (best price & quality)
Happy New Year 2004 for all you guys, may the audio be with you!
Gunawan.
what type of enclosure do you want to build for the driver? and don't forget to post your work in the loudspeaker forum.
Anyway, do you know the best shop for buying good el. stuff in Jkt? (best price & quality)
Happy New Year 2004 for all you guys, may the audio be with you!
Gunawan.
My sticky fingers. It is 1716E. I think I will need that one, sma. Do you know where I should go to mount and dismount the chips? I cannot do it by myself. Too small pins
I didn't use the vocal midwoofers. They are 5-1/4-inch 5W4211s. I have examined this driver and don't think that they are good enough for my preference. There are frequencies in the midrange where resonance cannot be tolerated. Even if this can be fixed with LC network (like Seas Excel), they still have the most serious problem, which is the absence of "IMPACT" in midbass. They do have good dynamics (or sensitivity in the midbass?) but that is not everything to my preference. I non-activate the 5W4211 because I don't think they will rival a cheap Vifa P17WJ which is good at midrange and has a good bass impact (poor dynamic though).
The best speaker on the net using similar woofer is DALINE 3.1. That is probably because of the TL enclosure. Someday I will build this and sell it if possible.
Harco Glodok, for components and low ends
Harco Mangga Dua, for low ends and components
Glodok Plaza, for hi-ends
Mangga Dua Plaza, for hi-ends
Kembang Sepatu Senen, mmmmhhh...
Beng@HarcoGlodok, for chips
HS@HarcoGlodok, for components
LeisureSound@HarcoGlodok, for hi-end components (another one at the 2nd floor)
Monalisa@HarcoManggaDua, for components (the owner is a tube fan doing lamps business)
...@GlodokPlaza, is the best shop for price and quality hi-ends. Sorry I don't remember the name
There's a small pathway across harco Glodok (kacapiring?). At the end of this pathway, at the corner, you can find used speakers and audio stuffs (McIntosh and the like).
I didn't use the vocal midwoofers. They are 5-1/4-inch 5W4211s. I have examined this driver and don't think that they are good enough for my preference. There are frequencies in the midrange where resonance cannot be tolerated. Even if this can be fixed with LC network (like Seas Excel), they still have the most serious problem, which is the absence of "IMPACT" in midbass. They do have good dynamics (or sensitivity in the midbass?) but that is not everything to my preference. I non-activate the 5W4211 because I don't think they will rival a cheap Vifa P17WJ which is good at midrange and has a good bass impact (poor dynamic though).
The best speaker on the net using similar woofer is DALINE 3.1. That is probably because of the TL enclosure. Someday I will build this and sell it if possible.
Harco Glodok, for components and low ends
Harco Mangga Dua, for low ends and components
Glodok Plaza, for hi-ends
Mangga Dua Plaza, for hi-ends
Kembang Sepatu Senen, mmmmhhh...
Beng@HarcoGlodok, for chips
HS@HarcoGlodok, for components
LeisureSound@HarcoGlodok, for hi-end components (another one at the 2nd floor)
Monalisa@HarcoManggaDua, for components (the owner is a tube fan doing lamps business)
...@GlodokPlaza, is the best shop for price and quality hi-ends. Sorry I don't remember the name
There's a small pathway across harco Glodok (kacapiring?). At the end of this pathway, at the corner, you can find used speakers and audio stuffs (McIntosh and the like).
DEC/MER
(Long bump up - just thought I'd get this info archived for Indian DIYers)
DEC is Desai Electronics, who manufacture a wide variety of film caps. Here's a link to their website: http://www.deccapacitors.com/
I too got MERs when I asked for metalized polypropylene - a 2.2uF/250V for Rs.10. It turns out that MER is metalized polyester, but DEC also make several polypropylene series: MPB, MPD, MPR, MPS, PPB, PPD. The good news is that they have dealers in Bangalore (and generally every metro) - Amar Radio and Texonic, among others on S.P.Road., so it looks like there's going to be no difficulty sourcing genuine DEC metalized polypropylene. You just have to ask specifically by the series name - the shop guys have no clue what MER or MPB is, but they know if it's in stock or where to get it from, if it isn't.
Another brand of genuine MPP caps in B'lore is EPCOS (formerly Siemens), which has an Indian subsidiary, EPCOS India Pvt. Ltd. They make a range of AC power-factor correction caps in the range from 1 uF - 50 uF and above, 440 VAC. I bought a couple of 4 uF/440 VAC EPCOS MPP caps for Rs.25 each - I see no reason why they can't be used for audio input coupling. EPCOS MPP caps are readily available at Arihant and Vishal, among other stores on S.P.Road.
(Long bump up - just thought I'd get this info archived for Indian DIYers)
DEC is Desai Electronics, who manufacture a wide variety of film caps. Here's a link to their website: http://www.deccapacitors.com/
I too got MERs when I asked for metalized polypropylene - a 2.2uF/250V for Rs.10. It turns out that MER is metalized polyester, but DEC also make several polypropylene series: MPB, MPD, MPR, MPS, PPB, PPD. The good news is that they have dealers in Bangalore (and generally every metro) - Amar Radio and Texonic, among others on S.P.Road., so it looks like there's going to be no difficulty sourcing genuine DEC metalized polypropylene. You just have to ask specifically by the series name - the shop guys have no clue what MER or MPB is, but they know if it's in stock or where to get it from, if it isn't.
Another brand of genuine MPP caps in B'lore is EPCOS (formerly Siemens), which has an Indian subsidiary, EPCOS India Pvt. Ltd. They make a range of AC power-factor correction caps in the range from 1 uF - 50 uF and above, 440 VAC. I bought a couple of 4 uF/440 VAC EPCOS MPP caps for Rs.25 each - I see no reason why they can't be used for audio input coupling. EPCOS MPP caps are readily available at Arihant and Vishal, among other stores on S.P.Road.