[stvnharr]

Hello All,
Here's a report on the Sonic Platinum caps:

I installed the Platinum 1 uf caps at C1 last week.  I’m now up to about 100 hours on them, so thought it time for a post.   It’s easy to keep track of the hours as I sometimes just leave a disc in on repeat overnight.  With the cap location at the GK-1 input and the attenuator after the SS section, can just turn attenuator all the way down, and leave amp off.  I’ve done similar measures in the past to break in some cables and a cd player, and it works very well.
I’m quite aware of all the messages about teflon caps taking a few hundred hours of break-in.  But things seem pretty settled at the moment, and if dramatic results occur later on, I can always post again.

Before deciding on the Platinum caps I consulted Jeff Glowacky of Soniccraft for his opinion on cap options.  He also sells about every high quality cap other than Chris VH’s caps.  Jeff’s recommendation was 1uf, and 1 – Platinum, or 2 – Mundorf Silver/Oil.   After some thought I decided the Platinums were not going to get any cheaper no matter how much longer I thought about it, and………hoped it was a good choice.  After all, I’m quite pleased with their performance at the input to tube grid.

The caps themselves were a bit larger and heavier than I’d imagined.  I installed them direct into the holes of C1.  I used some teflon tubing around the leads and just bent things around.  I also had to ream out the holes a little bit, as the leads are large too.  Once installed on the board, they look like big cancerous tumours growing on it, as they are so much larger than anything else.  Fortunately they are no larger, as they seem to rest on the case bottom when I inverted the board and mounted it back in its place in the case.  I think I may eventually remount the caps and just run them direct from the source switch, but things seem well for now.

Inspite of all the break in reports, things have seemed pretty much the same from the get go.  Immediately I found the top end to be improved, one of the strengths of teflon caps.  I found increased detail, clarity, and much increased speed.  There was no detriment to anything in the bass.  The bass seem to benefit from the increase in speed.

Most of my listening is classical sacd’s, and has been for some time now.  I’m already getting increased detail, clarity, and bass, just from my discs.  But the Platinums have increased the detail and clarity much further.  Thus, the high instruments of the orchestra, like piccolo, flute, and violins are more distinct and clear now, and very natural in tonal quality.  This does tend to vary with the piece of music and the recording, of course.  But I’ve done a lot of listening since installing these caps, and I notice the above quite regularly.

Then I happened to put on an rbcd.  This is where I found real major improvements in most everything.  Sacd’s give an increase in sound width, soundstage if you must, but now I’m getting much the same with rbcd’s.  I don’t often listen to my classical rbcd’s as they just tend to sound small and congested, amongst other things, and after only a few minutes the disc goes off.  But not any more!
And since I do have music other than classical, these sound much improved now!

Well, next in line is the C21 output cap.  Currently I’ve got the .47uf Dynamicap in there.  The music sounds so good, that I could just leave it in place.  However, I may reinstall the 1uf Auricap, to see if the larger cap makes any difference.  Then I may think about any possible changes, like perhaps the Mundorf silver/oil or V cap OIMP, as it can be had in a 250v size and fit on the board.

As to the cost of the Platinum, well, at 97.60 USD ea. they are not cheap. That’s a fair bit of money for a cap.  I don’t know if there is a cheaper alternative that performs as well, as I have no experience with anything other than the blackgates at C1.  But I do know that the Platinum is a top performer.
If one thinks of the installation of the Platinums as a product upgrade of significant proportions, as I think it is, then the money spent on a pair of these caps is quite a reasonable sum for a product upgrade.

As I look back at all the modifications I’ve done to my GK-1, the Platinum caps at C-1 and C-19 are the only ones to really bring an increase in performance.  The NOS 7308 tubes brought a difference of “flavor” that I like, but performance is another matter.  While it’s nice to have the nice attenuator, and all the blackgates, rubycons, and os-cons on the board, the Platinums are the ones that made a difference.

Also one has to bear in mind that the power of suggestion can be quite great.  Spend a lot of money on modifications, and ones powers of perception seem to increase geometrically.  So, just bear that in mind here.  Everyone hears different, listens different, likes different music, has a different room, has a different system, etc.  However, I think the Platinums do make a performance increase, as I’ve described.

Steve

[DSK]

  Must resist ..... must resist .... must resist .... 

[andyr]

Hello All,
Here's a report on the Sonic Platinum caps:

I installed the Platinum 1 uf caps at C1 last week. 

While it’s nice to have the nice attenuator ....

Steve

Hi Steve,

Nice to hear that they make such a worthwhile improvement.  It's something I will bear in mind for my next "tweak session" with my GK-1 ... but right now I just want to have 6 months solid listening to what I've got, to make up for being without it for so long!  

I don't know what "nice attenuator" you have but if you don't have the TKD then ya don'y know what you're missing out on!!  

Regards,

Andy

[jules]

Great report Steve ... thanks.

c'mon Andy, there's a whole range of truly beautifully made attenutaors out there  . For some reason it seems to attract detail obsessed designers ... to our advantage.

Jules

[fajimr]

thanks steve... i love how this 'simple' tweak has become anything but 

It's all great info- I'll just have to come back and sift through the pages when I get ready to build mine 

jim

[AKSA]

Thanks Steve,

Boy, have I got a surprise for you guys coming up!!     (But NOT a Platinum, it offends my abstemious nature...... )

Cheers,

Hugh

[jules]

You really are a shocker Hugh ... 

I count that as three "surprises" already today and now ... ANOTHER!

I'm quite relieved that you're only "20%" on the "sliding bias" idea. It gives us all some time to catch up

jules

[AKSA]

Hi Jules,

The intellectual challenge of this stuff is very exciting - but the problem of bringing it to market, organising sourcing, subbies, materials, appropriate standards of finish, marketing, administration, stock control, that's really hard work, and not exciting, at least to me.  There are moments I feel like Frankenstein, but I desperately need Igor to help with the hard yards!

It took about 15 years to learn the finer points of this trade, it's pretty tough going, particularly for a math illiterate like me.  But that actually put more emphasis on understanding the mechanisms, rather than the math models, and while my approach has not been very scientific (that's the 'wannabe' talking!) it has eventually brought results because it has been unrelenting.  Fortunately I've taken time out for the other big things - family, good coffee, cars and my stunning Kawasaki, so I don't feel deprived.  But when the Queen Mary II comes to town, I do gaze at the ship wistfully (I am passionate about ship propulsive systems, they just fascinate me, and the diesels in ships are about an order of magnitude more sophisticated than the impressive diesels in large trucks).  I do wish I could take a cruise along the coast of Alaska.....   

I'd like a '66 Olds Toronado 425CID two door, too, thank you.   

Life is so short, it's a great pity....

I've just got a 100LF up and running for a loyal friend here in Melbourne.  I've indulged myself a little, made a few tweaks, and I'd have to say this is the best amp I've made yet.....  yeah, yeah, I will incorporate the tweaks in future Lifeforces!!

Cheers,

Hugh

[Rom]

I've just got a 100LF up and running for a loyal friend here in Melbourne.  I've indulged myself a little, made a few tweaks, and I'd have to say this is the best amp I've made yet.....  yeah, yeah, I will incorporate the tweaks in future Lifeforces!!

Cheers,

Hugh

Hugh,

Stop teasing us with this, it's already unbearable not to have the present LF at this stage.

 
ooopppps Off topic 

cheers
rom

[MikeC]

I am passionate about ship propulsive systems, they just fascinate me, and the diesels in ships are about an order of magnitude more sophisticated than the impressive diesels in large trucks

I know it's off-topic, but I spent four years working on ships before I decided it wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. There is nothing quite like standing on the piston while grinding the lip off the liner to remove the piston for maintenance. The biggest engine I worked with was around 900mm bore by 1800mm stroke. At 8 cylinders, it had a capacity of 9 160 litres. There were two main engines on this big container ship, and they peaked at about 110 RPM. It was a full days work for a team to change the rings in one piston - obviously, each piston was scheduled for maintenance at different times.

Not sure of the power output, but the V-16 auxiliary generators had an output of about 2.5MW.

Mike

[AKSA]

Mike,

That would have been a Sulzer, perhaps?  These were the predecessor to the R96 Flex series, which are 960mm bore and 2200mm stroke, rated at 7800 hp per cylinder at 99 rpm.

Ships engineer, huh?  You've had a really interesting life!

Just fascinating the varied experience people bring to our forum, thanks Mike!

Cheers,

Hugh

[fos]

If you are looking for fancy marine propulsion plant, I dont think you can get much better than the Queen Mary 2. A good friend of mine is 1st engineer on board atm.

She has 2x 30MW gas turbines and im not sure if there is 4 or 8 16MW V16 Sulzer medium speed engines as well. She can cruise at well over 30 knots, although burns 250 tonnes of fuel per day at that speed. All electric propulsion.

Her diesel engines are very similar to the Spirit of Tasmania ferries although they are earlier and only put out 10.5MW each.

Hugh, not more tweaks......I havent finished the case yet!

[AKSA]

Guys,

Fos is a Ships Engineer - hi Fos - works in the oil industry off West Australia, and knows a thing or two.  Farmers son, like me!!

Fos, 32 knots is lineball 60 kph - that means the QM2 plies the seas at the metropolitan speed limit!!

That means a 3000 km sea journey - 1875 miles, say the Atlantic crossing - would be around 55 hours, shore to shore, a tad over two days.  Incredible.......  What is impressive is that ships like the Titanic, back in 1911, were sailing at 23 knots, or 43 kph, and using 825 tons of coal a day, compared to 250 tonnes of fuel for QM2!!  And the Titanic, in fact, used two four cylinder triple expansion steam engines, 77rpm - the best in their day - AND a Parsons low speed steam turbine of 16000 hp.  Things have advanced, but chiefly in the area of efficiency.

Cheers,

Hugh

[stvnharr]

[
I don't know what "nice attenuator" you have but if you don't have the TKD then ya don'y know what you're missing out on!!  

Regards,

Andy
[/quote]

Andy,
I have a shunt attenuator with Vishays and a couple Caddocks.  The shunt resistor is Vishay 102.  Shunt is not the proper way to go in electronic interface, but it's what I have.  I've never heard any improved sound from it over the stock unit however, or it was so subtle that I failed to notice.

For about the same money as a TKD, you can get Platinums for C1 and C19 and have a full product upgrade.

After posting my report yesterday I put on a couple of real old favorite cd's that I had not listened to in some time, and not since installing any of the platinum caps.  The difference was not subtle!!  Probably the top end improvement that seems to happen is that more music in the "presence" region of 2-3khz. gets through, yet everything remains in complete musical balance.

[MikeC]

That would have been a Sulzer, perhaps?

Yup, they were Sulzers. I'm a bit fuzzy because it was a long time ago, but the bore was probably 960mm. They weren't quite as big as the new ones are now, and were certainly not as efficient. Those engines would have been built around 30 years go, or more. This thread is bringing back memories, we used to measure heavy fuel consumption in tonnes per hour. I never worked on a passenger ship, but they wouldn't use a slow speed engine because of the vibration transmission, hence the turbines and electric propulsion. I have also sailed on a triple expansion steam engined vessel. Not that I'm that old, I just got a chance to see the engine room and sail across the harbour on the country's oldest tug before it was finally decommissioned.

Hi Fos - I would love to go round the engine room on something like the QM2, not that I'm likely to get the chance. I left the sea after realising that any notion of romance ended with the advent of containers. Seven European ports in eight 16 hour plus days will do that to you.

I just received my 4.7uF output caps and the 22nF TFT's to install at C19, so they should go in this weekend.

Hugh, please pass on your secret so I can prioritise now.

Cheers

Mike

[fajimr]

Hugh, please pass on your secret so I can prioritise now.

and the crowd does deafly silent waiting for the response................

[AKSA]

Hmmm, Bluebottle thimks..........

Mike, Jim, I'm about to stare at white lines for five hours en route to SA.

The tweak has to do with power supplies on all Aspen 100LF amps.  After more star gazing at my favourite cafe I realised it was possible to separate power supply charge pulses and speaker earth return currents, thus reducing intermodulation and noise.  For the last month I've been doing the tests, mulling it over.  Now it's confirmed.

I'll include this change on all 100LF amps sold from this point forward, and let each existing LF100 owner know individually of the change.  It will also be included for all N+ 100W AKSA owners;  email me privately in the next week or so!

One more reason to buy a Lifeforce!!

Cheers,

Hugh

[Jens]

And what about those of us who "only" have an LF55? 

[andyr]

And what about those of us who "only" have an LF55? 

Sorry Jens ... it's only for us "big boys" with the "big toys"!!      

Regards,

Andy

[AKSA]

Jens,

I will need to upgrade the PS pcb for the 55s - unfortunate, but there it is......

Gotta rush......

Cheers,

Hugh