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Crossover Capacitors for Accuton Tweeters - Solen -> ClarityCap -> Jupiter -> Duelund

I've got Coincident Pure Reference Extremes with an Accuton ceramic tweeter and have moved through four different capacitors to provide my high pass filtering.  The speakers only have one 4.7uF capacitor in the crossover (no resistors or other components), so it was pretty easy to hear the sound of each cap. 

Started with stock Solen's, then tried Clarity Cap CMR, then Jupiter Copper Foil & Wax, and finally Duelund Tinned Copper CAST.  Just installed the Duelunds on Monday and despite not being broken in, they sound absolutely amazing.  Smooth, sweet, and detailed without any grain or harshness.  Just really spectacular, they let me hear more details while also preventing the tweeters from being aggressive, which has been a problem I've had to work hard on ever since owning the speakers.  

To comment lightly about the other caps I heard, I actually thought the stock Solens were pretty good.  They had a nice sense of color... when I changed out to the clarity cap, things got a little clearer, but felt too neutral.  I read that they are "ruler flat" and found that a good description.  I liked the cleanness, but missed some of the tone & color from the Solens... felt like I got a good combination of those two traits when upgrading to the Jupiter Copper Foils.  After about 6 months of the Jupiters I finally bought the Duelunds as a self-birthday present, and they completely lived up to my (very high) expectations.  Just beautiful, organic music.  Can't wait to see where they go over the next 200 hours.  Only have 10 to 20 on them so far.  

If you've got an accuton tweeter and can handle the stupid cost (and size), I concur with everyone else's recommendations (thanks humblehifi, jeff's place, @charles1dad, & @grannyring), they will make your speakers sound better.
128x128cal3713

Showing 9 responses by charles1dad

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,222 posts
 

Bill (brownsfan)I  agree with you. This IMO was a language/communication issue.  I realized this after reading Raul's 2nd clarifying post on this thread.

Charles

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,222 posts
 
Hi Bill,
I like your "rants" they’re grounded in logic and stimulate thought. Given the gist of Raul’s 2nd post I believe he’d agree with you. No room, system or component is without fault and we as listeners choose and live with our accepted/inevitable compromises. A couple of years ago I heard jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove perform at a local jazz club. My table was at the very front of the stage. I could have reached out and touched his horn. While playing some ballads with his fugelhorn the tone was  utterly full, warm and saturated with beautiful richness. Just sheer beauty. This is what I hear, I can’t speak for what others may hear. In my humble opinion many components strip away this very real warmth and harmonic richness in the chase for so called accuracy and detail.

A live vibraphone, tenor saxophone or cello for example are just undeniably rich and tull of color and richness in my live listening experiences. It seems in current High End audio these qualities are to be shunned and have taken on a negative connotation. This mindset doesn’t work for me. For me a good 300b amp doesn’t add color, it preserves it.
Charles
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,222 posts
 
Hello Raul,
I appreciate your last post and the clarification of your stance. I do not disagree with anything that you have just written. My only point was This topic/area is by default purely subjective. Each one of us will pursue what we think sounds right/best based on our respective perspectives.

Sweet and smooth is  not part of your music listening vocabulary and I can respect that as it is simply based on “Your” Live music listening experiences. Ironically sweet and smooth are characteristics I immediately notice in the presence of live musicians playing un-amplified instruments. As you note it's quite possible that these terms have different connotations to us individually. 

You and I are just an example of two music lovers with extensive exposure to live music who perceive things differently. I appreciate your contributions to this site.
Sincerely,
Charles
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,222 posts
 
Erik,
I agree with your statement about "added sparkle" not heard in the presence of live instruments. I became aware of this effect from personal experience many years ago and realized that so called hyper detail is simply added upper frequency tilting or emphasis. I’m not knocking those who prefer that type of presentation (individuality must be factored in). Personally I do not hear this emphasis (however other listeners may )  even when in close proximity to live music performances. You final sentence sums it up nicely.
Charles
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,222 posts
 
Bill (brownsfan),
I had the pleasure of using a professionally built Nelson Pass D.I.Y. designed S.I,T 2 push pull version that is 40 watts per channel for about 3 weeks (thanks to a generous Audiogon member loan). I can tell you it was a ’VERY’ good sounding amplifier without question. It is a solid state amplifier I could happily live with.

Quite competitive with the Frankenstein in many ways. Both are very open and transparent. Ultimately I preferred the Frankenstein as it was a bit more tactile, 3 dimensional and had just a bit more tonal/harmonic fullness/richness. More humanity if you know what I mean.   But again the PP S.I.T. 2 was excellent. Your speakers require a little more power and current than my speakers so I believe that they’d be a good match for you.

I certainly can’t say you’d choose them over your Atma-sphere amps but I think you’d find them legitimate competitors.
Charles
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,222 posts
 
Rodman99999,
Very well stated. For Raul to suggest that his system/approach gets it right and cal3713's results  are merely pleasant distortion and coloration is the height of arrogance and condescension. 
Charles 
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,222 posts
 

Cal3713,

Your speakers are a tougher load than my Coincident Total Eclipse II so I can understand the need for a better matching power amplifier. The Frankenstein has been ideal for my needs. Given your teriffic results with the First Watt F4s I suspect you'll love the S.I.T.3 mono blocks.

Charles

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,222 posts
 

Very interesting comments regarding listening preferences. Truth is they will differ
with each individual. I can tell you I’ve listened to live unamplified music in small intimate jazz venues (2 feet from the stage sometimes) and peformances in private homes (very up close at times) for many happy years. When I use to practice with my trumpet (can’t get  any closer than that) my ears have just become accustomed to the sound of live acoustic instruments.

I find myself in agreement with grannyring in thaat the Duelund is hardly colored. In fact what so strongly attracted me to it’s performance is just how dynamic, natural and realistic it captured the pure tone, vitality and harmonics of acoustic instruments so convincingly. I understand we all hear and interpret sound in our own unique ways. The Duelund CAST is outstanding in my opinion. Jupiter copper foil are excellent but I like the Duelund even more.

One man’s natural/organic is another man’s colored.

One man’s neutral is another man’s analytical/sterile.

Absolutes in regard to sound quality and perception don’t exist.

Charles

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,222 posts
 

Hi cal3713,

I’m happy to read of your very fine outcome with the Duelund  CAST copper foil capacitors.I have always felt comfortable recommending these superb products. I have them in my speakers and DAC and they improved what were already excellent sounding components. Just as you described, beautifully natural, organic and alive.Worth every penny in my opinion.

Charles

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