Interesting. I know amp caps wear and eventually need replacement, but didn’t think much about voicing and keeping the voicing consistent for possible resale value.
AirTight ATM-300 - new Coupling Caps
So I want to replace the coupling caps in my Airtight 300B amp. The original ones are $5 Sprague orange drops. 0,1uF interstage caps between input tube (12AU7) and driver tube (12BH7A) and 0,47uF between driver tube and 300B.
I love the amplifier, it is very resolving and airy with great soundstage separation. However I miss some body and fullness, and tighter bass, hope new coupling caps can help with this. I like a natural sound with lots of body and texture, good detail and a tight and deep low end.
I have read alot of forum posts and narrowed my choices down to these 3;
Duelund CAST cu sn tinned copper
Jupiter copper foil paper and wax
V-cap ODAM
I have read that some capacitors are best used in lower voltage applications and others are better in higher voltage applications, so I am open to using different brands in interstage/300B coupling.
Please share your experiences, impressions and recommendations. Not necessarily with the Airtight, but preferably used as a coupling cap.
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It depends. On the one hand, a recapped 70s Kenwood receiver will probably command a premium. On the other hand, an amp that largely derives its value from the careful voicing imparted upon it by a respected designer will surely lose a significant chunk of cash as a result of being modded by a random owner. If the mod were designed and executed by the designer itself or a known marque expert, it might be different. |
Dear @salectric : The tone issue resides in tube technology. Sprague is a good one cap but as several other gentlemans you like more the added colorations/distortions that does the boutique caps or boutique resistors as the Duelund ones. I owned an all tube electronic system for around 10 years till I learned and I swith to SS and even we designed/builded a Phonolinepreamp and modified my Levinson monoblocks.
As I said in film caps Wima is the standard in the industry:
If you builded your amps then you understand that caps true caps can't show colorations by it self but those colorations comes from th electronics: that's it.
R. |
Dear @rubjel @salectric : This Dartzeel is over 40K electronics and those red caps came from Wima but if you take Dan'gostino 270K monobloks is full of Wima caps not " boutique " caps.
Munich Preview Exclusive: Gryphon Diablo 120 Amplifier and Mojo S Loudspeaker system - hi-fi+ again those red caps are Wima caps.
CH Precision M1 and A1.5 - The Audio Beat - www.TheAudioBeat.com
The small ones are Wima.
So all those first class designers in cluding the Swiss made CH are foolish or ignorant?
Well, I think is enough.
R. |
- 58 posts total