NPO/COG is the way to go for values up to 50 nF
The dielectric is as close to perfect as you can get and they are general available in 2% or even 1% tolerance
I have not seen the issues others have with these I have to say. I only use these devices from Mouser - so Kemet, AVX etc
Here's what make MLCC dielectrics different | KEMET
http://datasheets.avx.com/C0GNP0-Dielectric.pdf
The dielectric is as close to perfect as you can get and they are general available in 2% or even 1% tolerance
I have not seen the issues others have with these I have to say. I only use these devices from Mouser - so Kemet, AVX etc
Here's what make MLCC dielectrics different | KEMET
http://datasheets.avx.com/C0GNP0-Dielectric.pdf
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But usually while sitting on a big stash of NOS parts and glossing that nothing could replace them without degrading the sound. Yet another unobtanium type of differentiator, common in high end audio.
Hardly an argument with you, but I do remember Victor looking at his oscillator performance with an smd film of somethingoranother vs a good name-brand C0G/NP0 and seeing a material difference in performance. Mind you this is a -150 db error oscillator we're talking...
It's buried somewhere in the low-distortion oscillator thread.
Scott -- I have my very few grammar nazi things, and this is unfortunately one I did wrong for a long time so I cannot look past it. Again, totally friendly, and half-self deprecating my pedantry.
And for light relief. Scientists have discovered a room temperature superconductor, problem is it needs a pressure of 10^11Pa. hmmm useful that.
Superconductors: Material raises hope of energy revolution - BBC News
Superconductors: Material raises hope of energy revolution - BBC News
As far as I understand, the dadod uses these capacitors in the feedback loop in the power amplifier as correction capacitors. Most likely, 40 years ago, your colleagues did not conduct such experiments. Since his technique has improved somewhat and the necessary equipment is already in place, his experience will be interesting. I don't see any problems with melting the dielectric of these capacitors. To be sure of the result, a low-melting solder can be used in this place. As far as I know, polystyrene capacitors are now produced in UK, Russia and Hong Kong.
As for low distortion in microphones, this is also not the case. It's pretty easy to overload them with a unique powerful voice or the sound of a powerful instrument.
Nevaton BPT vs. AKG C12 vs. Neumann M149 vs. Neumann TLM170 - YouTube
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A search for "polystyrene capacitor" on eBay returns 867 results, plenty good enough for the DIYer/amateur (this is the DIYaudio forum, right?).
There is even in Croatia.
Iskra, in my opinion, is it a Yugoslav enterprise? Maybe it's in Croatia now.
ISKRA NOS blue Polystyrene Capacitors 105nF 1% 250V KSC 4PCS | eBay
Look at what interesting conclusions the capacitors are, maybe they have low inductance. 2x Suflex Polystyrene Axial Capacitor 56nF 125v 1% Milspec plus free caps | eBay
Iskra, in my opinion, is it a Yugoslav enterprise? Maybe it's in Croatia now.
ISKRA NOS blue Polystyrene Capacitors 105nF 1% 250V KSC 4PCS | eBay
Look at what interesting conclusions the capacitors are, maybe they have low inductance. 2x Suflex Polystyrene Axial Capacitor 56nF 125v 1% Milspec plus free caps | eBay
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I have seen really big ones from Johanson Dielectrics, they were the size
of multiple sugar cubes, built from stacks of large chips:
< High Voltage Capacitors and Power Resistors | Johanson Dielectrics >
These are only the components for the stacks. I don't want to search the arrays now.
< High Voltage Capacitors and Power Resistors | Johanson Dielectrics >
Cheers, Gerhard
Fusible solder can also be used to strip solder from points soldered with regular refractory solder if you are worried about damaging the board.
After few unsoldering and soldering the same position you can't be sure not to damage the board, it already happened to me, and that was finished amp and I don't want to redo whole board.
It must be horrible if your greatest claim to fame is not based on reality.
Does it make one a fictional scientist?
Yes, this is for the future. Since this is not a rocket, and in general for household purposes on a board, it may be better to use low-melting solders. Of course, if this place does not heat up during operation. This is better for both parts and the board, and for subsequent testing and selection of the correct parts, and even for a soldering iron, it is also better, it will just last longer.
Earlier I did not attach importance to the choice of parts, since there was not much choice either. And because even cables have a huge impact on the final result, choosing the right parts in the right place can also give an excellent result, much more than you might expect.
It doesn't sound like an advertisement, but it is said that it is at Naim Audio that close attention is paid to the selection of the right parts, and they listen carefully to them in their amplifiers. And judging by their choice, for example capacitors, this seems to be true.
Regarding Parasound amplifiers, I have not heard such beautiful stories, but I read about numerous complaints regarding poorly working volume controls and defects in the power supply in a power amplifier, a bad preamplifier, and in general the reviews are not as rosy as about Naim Audio products.
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For what it's worth, if I need to mess with some parts, I solder pins to the board, then the parts to the pins. Attached is a pic of a RIAA network; the Philips 1% polystyrenes can also be seen.
Attachments
I can recommend solder wick. It’s not cheap, but it works much better than a desolder gun which I find after a few component changes in the same position can lift tracks.
The other good trick for removing solder in vias and component holes is the ‘smack’ method. You get the solder flowing and then whack the board on the bench - the solder shoots out. Something to do with one of Newton’s laws
The other good trick for removing solder in vias and component holes is the ‘smack’ method. You get the solder flowing and then whack the board on the bench - the solder shoots out. Something to do with one of Newton’s laws
The first people (to my knowledge) who did the majority of work in problems with caps, were those associated with ANALOG COMPUTERS in the early 1950's. They even found notable problems with polystyrene caps! This is because you could actually SEE the problem of DA in caps in the results. Most of this research was forgotten for a few decades, until some people noted problems with sample and hold circuits when using 'typical' caps, and later, audio designers, who found problems in the mid 70's.
Polystyrene caps are still being made, now they use Chinese film rather than German.
Polystyrene caps are still being made, now they use Chinese film rather than German.