Best electrolytic capacitors

I do believe that the usage of the cap is more important, in most cases, than the brand. For me, I mostly buy based on my perception of brand quality, specifically avoiding cheap. I like Nichicon and Chemicon (v. favourable impression in my TGM8 on-board power supply). I favour the use of bipolar in signal coupling or decoupling at high gain signal-sensitive points. I favour the use of higher voltage ratings than simple de-rating might suggest. I keep my caps away from heat. Generally I avoid vibration for all my electronics but don’t take much in the way of special precautions.
 
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Recently a friend used Nichicon UDB non polar caps meant for speaker crossovers in a Sony KA6ES cassette deck for replacing few back to back polar original signal path capacitors. He tells me they are very nice.


Despite they have a bad ESR for a modern lythic BP,( especially smooth foils ones that have today low esr, axial caps for speakers crossover I mean), they are indeed a lot good testimonies about them... better ESL perhaps... 'radial casing ?)


I'm not very in love with the little BP muse flashy green, though the olds one of the 80s' (with mat green casing) were fabulous... certainly more THD than the nowadays that are very low... but level of THD don't say all about the quality of the sounding... that's the problem with guys that makes devices with just the datasheet : it works electrically, all the spec are sota like the 80s' big japanese brands that made amps for mass market... but it sounded not o good despite the excelent numbers on the ads !
 
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Is it meaning anything ?


Between a smooth and rough foil lytic BP, I have seen the changes are at higher frequencies from the datasheets :

you want more to look at 5k, 10k, 20k :smooth foil BP exhibit almost the same loss factor than at low frequencies... but the rough foils increase more.


Now iirc the UDB are made for speaker filter and are more bulkier than the little green with fine leads made for the devices pcbs... I don't know if the dielectric is the same too ?
Both rough foil at seing the loss fator number. See axial BP lytics with smooth foils, the loss factor is twice better and at all ears audioband frequencies. Alcap, F&T, Mundorfs, Jantzen have nice smooth foils BP for speaker filters, although the Nichicons UDB are said to sound nice with less good loss factor number !



I assume the behavior with curent is not the same too, the speaker cap should be stronger here ?
 
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I'm not very in love with the little BP muse flashy green...

This is the trouble when choices are to be made on subjective listening. I had the best sound I’ve ever experienced from any SS amplifier using these green caps (if we’re indeed referring to the same thing); the bass was outstanding, the highs as good as a tube amp. But your results were different. It means that we must each judge for ourselves.
 
Cerafine does not sound smooth simply because your using the wrong voltage if its for decoupling try 50v type & share with use your thoughts. KZ highs no good sizzles to my ears. FG & KZ better then BG !!!!!! My experience with BG is they bring realism into many instruments which other caps cannot but having said that its not very transparent so back to what I commented last, there's no such thing as best cap it is always a combination of different varieties to achieve the sound that one is looking for.

Cheers


Black gate non polars- no razor sharp high frequency resolution, bass is bloated a bit, lower midrange uper bass elevated(similar to slmic I) nichicon kz beats its hands down. however. never ever any other caps have such timbre and efortless dynamics which is absolutely smooth. those two properties never comes together in other caps. I cant listen most females arias without BG N louder than 85db. with BG 100db+ easily. there is something special with BG. but they sound best in very transparent/clynical lean and (most important) very airy sounding electronics/speakers(otherwise is a bit dull) you can tune system /components to BG but you cant tune other caps to system perform like BG performs. my best sonic memories is with BG.
 

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This is the trouble when choices are to be made on subjective listening. I had the best sound I’ve ever experienced from any SS amplifier using these green caps (if we’re indeed referring to the same thing); the bass was outstanding, the highs as good as a tube amp. But your results were different. It means that we must each judge for ourselves.


This is the trouble when choices are to be made on subjective listening. I had the best sound I’ve ever experienced from any SS amplifier using these green caps (if we’re indeed referring to the same thing); the bass was outstanding, the highs as good as a tube amp. But your results were different. It means that we must each judge for ourselves.


I don't think some caps are ALWAYS better than others. I think one have to experiment to find the cap that suits in the device he is listening according its own system.


To rephrase it, I can live with this green cap in the right area in the device that needs it and if better than an other cap. I'm sure, despite there is variation between people with audition and subjective tastes (not saying also listening room, etc) I will find the Muse here to perform exactly like you describe it.


I have thousand of caps just because it's a game for me like some others could construct cathedrals with matches. I don't rank the caps between the always better in a list writen on marble that can not be changed - for instance as Humblehomemadehifi does with speakers film caps). It just doesn't work like this, while it's true some caps are better than others. Caps are chosen to find the best equilibrium in a particular area of a device in a particular system, and as you say for a particular person which at the end is listening the sum of the devices. When it's good however, most than one agree about the result.


Jut some caps react often the same and that's why many of the guys that are liking to play that game, agree most of the time about their sonic behavior.


Nothing wrong with the BP green Muse, I often don't like them, but I'm ok with them when it's ok in the device where they perform best than an other BP.


The most difficult is to find an equilibrium that can suit many system, very few brands play that game because it's a long process that costs a lot. However some do. What is good with caps is you can EQ your system(s) at your taste without changing the main design and layout.


Diminishing return, but when you have the habit of that game, it can be sometimes fast and worth it. Plus if you enjoy it as a hobby, nothing wrong.


It's just bad to say a particular cap is the best. Though some are always bad performers... and many if not most give the same result... that's why maybe people talk often of the cap that can be heard, they have a signature.


It becomes very interresting when you recap a complete device (refurbishing) and play with all sort of caps you know well to create and hopefully enhance (for your own taste or system) what the former sound was.
 
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Hey Diyiggy, so far I believe there's no more then 5 of us in diy audio that eats caps, resistors etc for breakfast, lunch & dinner. Lol. For myself with a terrible compulsion to test components its provides me a inside of their sound signature. This helps me lots when I think of trying to achieve a certain sound but like you said it doesn't work on all circuits so have to test first.

Cheers
 
Hi Bigun,
Thankfully Im not an EE with ability to design, for not the design will never ever be completed. lol. I prefer to purchase well proven designed kits & start experimenting from there. Re Muse suggestion that I mentioned go give it a try.

Cheers

with the exception of maybe JC, engineers are less likely to fall for these subjectivist anecdotes.....but hey, even engineers would like to get the best materials money can buy in their builds....but maybe for another reason....
engineering economics is a subject that is thought in engineering schools....

of course you have all the right to experiment which caps suits your tastes and make your ears happy, i am not bothered by it, neither am i swayed..... :D