xover capacitor sources

[JoeBob]

I need a 100uF cap for my crossovers and can't find any polyester or polypropelene locally, 200v+ is preferable. Does anyone know of a place to order these? I'd rather polyester due to it being cheaper, although if anyone knows of cheap polyprops I wouldn't mind. Some places these cost intense expensive, I'd like something affordable.

 

[JoeBob]

Or would I be better off using 100uf electrolytic bi-polar and using a poly bypass cap? I'm not sure on the quality of using such a combination, anyone care to comment?

 

[Damon Hill]

http://www.partsexpress.com

http://www.percyaudio.com

I've ordered from both sources and was pleased with their
service and prices.

I used Solen polypropylenes in a rebuild of a pair of Acoustic
Research AR--11s (original) that I picked up at Goodwill for
$18; new surrounds and caps (midrange and tweeters) probably boosted my total investment to around $100.

Parts Express now stocks their own line of film and film/foil caps at reasonable prices; use them for tweeter and bypass.

 

[GRollins]

I suspect, but do not know, that the caps Parts Express sells are OEM Solens.
Thumbs up from me on Solen in the large value/high voltage polypropylene category.
Note that Digikey has pp caps available in smaller values and voltages. No, I haven't done comparative listening between the two, hence have no opinion as to which sounds best.

Grey

 

[ThomasW]

JoeBob

If cost is an issue then going with a nonpolarized electrolytic by-passed with a small high quality film cap will sound better than the electrolytic by itself. The best sound as others have posted will be achieved with poly film caps

 

[JoeBob]

Well, my passive xovers will just be temparary until my DIY amp is completed, then I'll bi-amp. So if electrolytics bypassed aren't bad sounding I'd rather go that route instead of throwing cash away on something that'll be replaced soon, but if they aren't worth it then I'd be forced to go the pricy solen route

 

[paulb]

Joebob, I'm doing the same as you, temporary crossover until my bi-amp project is done. My crossover uses a 47 uF bipolar electrolytic bypassed with a film cap, same as Thomas suggests.
Parts Express have these handy 8-post terminal blocks that will let me bypass the crossover when I'm ready.