I've use a number of different coupling caps in tube builds without hearing a significant difference between reputable brands. Never tried the exotic gold ones, too cheap but do not think I would hear any difference other than the pleasant rolling off of the highs. Decent ESR and quality build matters much more than subjective snake oil.
I've probably said this here before but here I go again. I build two B1s: one with "good" caps and one with "superior" caps. Did the superior capped B1 sound better? Subjectively it did. Was it worth the $600 to $800 in caps and other parts? It depends on the person buying and listening. The "good" capped B1 was very good sounding too.
BTW- the "superiror" capped B1 also used naked Vishay resistors in the signal path.
A friend had the option of buying one or the other from me. He liked the "superior" B1, but bought the "good" B1, citing that the "good" B1 was perfectly fine. He couldn't justify several hundred dollars more for the sound improvement.
He originally wanted to go with the B1 because he felt the sound didn't irritate him, because a lot of gear's sound does irritate him, as he put it. So the "good" B1 did the job, even for a person with a particular sensitivity.
BTW- the "superiror" capped B1 also used naked Vishay resistors in the signal path.
A friend had the option of buying one or the other from me. He liked the "superior" B1, but bought the "good" B1, citing that the "good" B1 was perfectly fine. He couldn't justify several hundred dollars more for the sound improvement.
He originally wanted to go with the B1 because he felt the sound didn't irritate him, because a lot of gear's sound does irritate him, as he put it. So the "good" B1 did the job, even for a person with a particular sensitivity.
Good, measurable, repeatable information on coupling caps -
SYclotron Audio | Why are people obsessed with coupling caps?
SYclotron Audio | Why are people obsessed with coupling caps? Part 2
SYclotron Audio | Why are people obsessed with coupling caps?
SYclotron Audio | Why are people obsessed with coupling caps? Part 2
Aluminum foil separated by some kind of dielectric. Again not rocket science but like Nelson says nothing wrong with buying gold parts if you choose to. My limited knowledge in using an electrolytic as a coupling cap in tube amplifiers is that all electrolytic s have a slight amount of leakage which the grids of tubes do not like. In the B1 many use the Similac electrolytic as output caps but then a slight amount of leakage is not a problem there. I tried the Similac's in my first B1 build and it did work fine but I found a good decent film cap sound better.
That's serious money for caps. I was debating between the Jantzen Standard Caps for like 4 bucks and the Jantzen Superior for like 14
That's serious money for caps. I was debating between the Jantzen Standard Caps for like 4 bucks and the Jantzen Superior for like 14
You are better off.
Someone asked me to build it with expensive parts, then decided to not keep it.
I bought it for a fraction of the cost. Still have it.
you beat me to it Zen Mod!
off course that is an overkill
here is something little more practical
BF862 based SE Class A Headamp without the HEAT
off course that is an overkill
here is something little more practical
BF862 based SE Class A Headamp without the HEAT