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.
This is gold @johnss, exactly the kind of info I'm looking for! So better quality input PS caps will also provide better SQ, this will get expensive :) Your comment about Jupiter and Duelund being more organic than V-Cap is very valuable, as this trait sits high on my priority list! Just to be sure, the Duelund CAST was the tinned copper or the regular copper? Very encouraging words, I can't wait to install new caps :) |
MultiCap has now become Reliable Capacitors now owned by Wilson Audio (https://www.reliablecapacitors.com) MultiCap is a special design of capacitor - each individual capacitor being a bundle of smaller capacitors. Wilson Audio obviously is a big user. Sound improvement was denser while at the same time also being more detailed. |
Dear @salectric : And what about the ones in crossover of speakers? I don't know what is your point but a cap must be totally neutral. Please read the link I posted where explain everything about caps.
Signal coupling caps or crossover has no meaning the cap it will makes its same job.
At the input of my monoblocks amps that along coupling function as high pass filter I changed the Cu Teflon V-caps for FKP1 and just hands down the V-caps.
All is about knowledge levels.
R. |
@rubjel The Copper V-Cap (CuTF model) is an excellent coupling cap in tube electronics, and this applies to any coupling application—-input, interstage and output. I haven’t used it in a bypass position or in a power supply application so I limit my recommendation to coupling applications. I also have never used a V-Cap with solid state gear. CuTF caps have strong bass with excellent dynamics and excellent detail. The only other caps I would consider as signal couplers in tube electronics are Audio Note copper foil and silver foil and possibly Jupiter copper foil. I say “possibly” because I haven’t used Jupiters in my own equipment although I have heard them in other preamps and DACs. @rauliruegas Crossover caps are a very different application. I understand you preferred FKP over CuTF in your amps, and that’s fine. Everyone has their own tastes. No capacitors is perfect. |
I generally agree with your points, and I'm no speaker designer, but I wonder how crossover caps could always be totally neutral. For instance, if you replace a factory electrolytic with an equivalent film cap, won't the film cap's lower ESR by definition give the frequency band it's in a slight boost?
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