I am looking to buy M-Caps by Mundorf, 22uF 250V for my Beryllium tweeter protection. Where do I get them at good price? Also, what do you think about the Nichicon MUSE BP Electrolytic Audio Capacitors?
Thanks!
Thanks!
I personally wouldn't be spending a fortune on them.
Electrolytics from a trusted main stream vendor would suffice.
Get electrolytics with a decent life span.
Electrolytics from a trusted main stream vendor would suffice.
Get electrolytics with a decent life span.
Thanks Nigel, I think I should not empty my pockets on capacitors 🙂
A friend told me, what ever comes in the audio path, it affects it.. This is why I wanted to spend something on it, I was using 10 cents electrolytic caps, I think one of them is blocking the music as well, feel sound is low on left side from one tweeter. It could be dead or something.
A friend told me, what ever comes in the audio path, it affects it.. This is why I wanted to spend something on it, I was using 10 cents electrolytic caps, I think one of them is blocking the music as well, feel sound is low on left side from one tweeter. It could be dead or something.
Can you be more specific, there are a lot of options on their website. I just need something in 22uF.
The capacitor in a passive crossover usually works as a filter.
For such a duty it needs to be suitable, i.e. low distortion when there is significant signal across it.
A good bipolar from a reputable supplier is the minimum standard,
Next up would be an MKT/MKS plastic film capacitor. These have lower distortion than the bipolar.
The highest grade would be polypropylene for lowest distortion, but get very big and very expensive.
Motor run capacitors are probably the cheapest of the big plastic film type.
They come in at least two voltage ratings 250Vac and 440Vac.
Do not buy motor start capacitors and do not buy the electrolytic type.
For such a duty it needs to be suitable, i.e. low distortion when there is significant signal across it.
A good bipolar from a reputable supplier is the minimum standard,
Next up would be an MKT/MKS plastic film capacitor. These have lower distortion than the bipolar.
The highest grade would be polypropylene for lowest distortion, but get very big and very expensive.
Motor run capacitors are probably the cheapest of the big plastic film type.
They come in at least two voltage ratings 250Vac and 440Vac.
Do not buy motor start capacitors and do not buy the electrolytic type.
A 22uf MKP shouldn't break the bank. If it does, you're buying the wrong capacitors. As a rule, I don't buy 'audio' capacitors, unless it's something like a Dayton (which is probably a Bennic or something similar) in a specific value I need, or it's a surplus buyout. Any time you attach the name 'audio' to something, it adds price. Any time you add the name 'audio' and features you don't need like silver wire it adds even more. You can pay as much as you want for an MKP, but at the end of the day, and at the end of the speaker wire, it's just an MKP. A generic MKP from any reputable capacitor maker is all that's needed. If it happens to be marketed for audio, fine, as long as the price isn't out of line.
Motor run capacitors in the old days used to be electrolytic. Modern motors use MKP because the cost is reasonable and they never go bad unless there is a lighning strike. And they show up on the surplus market often. Two or three bucks for soemthing in the 20uf range is not uncommon.
Motor run capacitors in the old days used to be electrolytic. Modern motors use MKP because the cost is reasonable and they never go bad unless there is a lighning strike. And they show up on the surplus market often. Two or three bucks for soemthing in the 20uf range is not uncommon.
From a quick online search beryllium tweeters start at $300, Protecting them with anything but a film cap regardless of your feelings about audibility is false economy.
Agreed. A good quality film-and-foil cap from a reputable manufacturer like Wima is the only thing I'd trust with a $300 tweeter.
Presumably, it would be mounted inside the speaker enclosure, where it's not likley that somebody could drop a brick on the cap and short it out. Another good feature of motor run caps - often they are potted inside a hard pastic case, with flexible stranded wire insulated leads. All for mechanical reliability (where a short might result in a fire).
Metalised foil should be good enough.
The ultra high dV/dT of metal foil and film should never be required for a speaker capacitor.
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That's likely to work, and my speakers mostly use them, but if the cap handles any significant current, foil rather than metallized might be advantageous. The few dollars of cost difference is negligible compared with the driver cost here.
I've blown many an electrlytic playing music too loud. I'd like to see the tweeter that can survive the current that kills an MKP cap. I want a dozen or so - for my next 150dB capable rave PA system.
Heck, I once designed a voice PA system for a military gunnery range that had a 137dB maximum level. What is it that you are trying to achieve? Permanent disability?
150dB/1m = 120dB/100 feet. I'm about 10dB short of that using 2" exit drivers. Need something with some more kick.
And for a minute, I though SY might have found them for me 🙂 In any case, we're a couple of orders of magnitude higher than what would send a $300 beryllium tweeter to the landfill. Oh, waitaminute - you can't do that....
And for a minute, I though SY might have found them for me 🙂 In any case, we're a couple of orders of magnitude higher than what would send a $300 beryllium tweeter to the landfill. Oh, waitaminute - you can't do that....
Hi Andrew re:#7, could elaborate on the distinction between motor RUN and motor START caps pls? Why the preference?
Cheers, Jonathan
Cheers, Jonathan
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