My Capacitor comparisons: Mundorfs, VCap, Sonicap Platinum, Auricap, etc

Rclark · « **Reply #640 on:** 13 Jan 2012, 10:45 pm »

Am probably 50-60 hours burning in Jupiter Beeswax flats bypassed with Mundorf Silver in Oil on my speakers. It has been rough but there are times like now where it's just gorgeous. Looking forward though to the 400 plus hour mark thanks to comments in this thread. Already a very spacious and lush sound.

serengetiplains · « **Reply #641 on:** 2 Feb 2012, 01:36 am »

Here's some reading for those interested. Psvane "teflon" capacitors are mylar ... but with teflon insulated leads. It was the leads, you see, insulated with audiophile teflon. Get it?

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?htech&1327073472&&&/Psvane-Teflon-capacitors-real-or-fakes-

Jon L · « **Reply #642 on:** 2 Feb 2012, 02:18 am »

Quote from: serengetiplains on 2 Feb 2012, 01:36 am

Here's some reading for those interested. Psvane "teflon" capacitors are mylar ... but with teflon insulated leads. It was the leads, you see, insulated with audiophile teflon. Get it?

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?htech&1327073472&&&/Psvane-Teflon-capacitors-real-or-fakes-

You've GOT to be kidding me

Davey · « **Reply #643 on:** 2 Feb 2012, 01:24 pm »

Snake oil and false advertising in the audiophile capacitor business? Oh my gosh, say it isn't so.

Dave.

*Scotty* · « **Reply #644 on:** 2 Feb 2012, 02:34 pm »

Nevermind.

ChrisVH · « **Reply #645 on:** 2 Feb 2012, 05:37 pm »

Have a closer look, Scotty. Here are some search results for the topic in question: http://goo.gl/9ZvYa. Simply click on the "cached" link, to view each page, which is a few days older. They just changed the descriptions, after this <ahem> minor little translation oversight was uncovered.

I’d made numerous e-mail requests to both Grant and Psvane (since September of 2011) to stop using the V-Cap trademark CuTF. Grant did acknowledge, and took down from their site (although forum posts still remain). Psvane didn’t remove until a few days ago, around the time they posted their official "Mylar" response at Audiogon: http://goo.gl/fhJtX

Perhaps Psvane would have felt differently about trademark use if a competitor borrowed the term “Treasure” to market its own tube line – and this competitor purported to use similar materials to Psvane’s line of tubes. Can’t help but wonder if Psvane would consider this an attempt to "copy", or at the very least an attempt to dilute their brand, as well as unfairly harvest search engine queries for Psvane's product trademark? As many know, there is little hope for trademark protection enforcement with Chinese companies- especially when you're a smaller operation, with little budget to go after large companies. Audiophiles, as a group, are a smart bunch

– they can come to their own conclusions on what’s really happened here: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vendors-bazaar/194521-psvane-teflon-film-copper-foil-caps-600v-rating-starting-99-pair.html

BTW- I had responded to the Audiogon thread Wednesday morning, but it would appear the moderators didn’t feel appropriate to post. Update: Audiogon did finally post my response early this morning (2-3-2012).

jtwrace · « **Reply #646 on:** 2 Feb 2012, 05:50 pm »

WOW.

*Scotty* · « **Reply #647 on:** 2 Feb 2012, 06:20 pm »

And now we have the rest of the story, Thanks Chris.
It's enough to make you wary of buying parts sourced from China.
Scotty

Jerrin · « **Reply #648 on:** 22 Feb 2012, 03:34 am »

Any thoughts on the Duelund Alexanders or the V-cap cuTF? I need some caps for my tube amp and I'm trying to decide which way to go. I'm curious as to what each of these excel in compared to the other.

Anyone have any experience?

madisonears · « **Reply #649 on:** 15 Apr 2012, 12:40 am »

I have a new champion cap, at least in my system as DC blocking input caps on my DIY monoblock power amps.

These are nearly the highest rated caps in Tony Gee's comprehensive review of caps in crossover duty. Since I was looking for something less expensive than the best Mundorf, VCap, Dueland, etc., I thought I'd give these a try.

Intertechnik Audyn True Copper is not available from a US distributor, so I ordered directly from the factory in Germany. If someone is smart, they'll snap up the distribution rights in North America. Although they're relatively inexpensive compared to other premium caps, shipping alone added more than $20.

Still worth every penny. In fact, they might be the best bargain in caps out there, being the lowest price cap I could find that uses polypro film and true copper foil. They are very dense. These are the best caps I've heard in my system, including Mundorf Silver/Gold. They are tonally pure, with excellent spatial representation and startling dynamics. Midrange is clear and accurate, very present yet an integral part of the complete sonic image. Vocals are uncannily realistic. Highs are sweet yet detailed, with no coloration at any frequency that I can detect. Nothing sounds forward or emphasized. I hear only a totally realistic presentation of music, projected from a real space into a thoroughly convincing sphere of a soundstage.

If anyone cares to experiment, I'd like corroboration of this cap's superiority to most others available.

Peace,
Tom E

scutterflux · « **Reply #650 on:** 12 Jun 2012, 04:48 pm »

Hi

Fantastic reviews and discussion, my favorite thread of the past couple months!

So the SCR/Solen/Obligato Tin Foil Teflon has been out for a few years now and it's not very well reviewed anywhere, does anybody here have any experience with it and could they possibly write a bit of a description? All I've found is "very detailed" and "sounds better than ___ pp cap", there is this one guy who chose it over V-cap tftf and Mundorf s/g/o and the only reason he gave was he missed "A" or "B" depending which one he was listening to, so he chose niether and went with the SCR teflon.

Also my teflon experience right now is with ft-3's and 1's and I hear "slippery polish," is there a favorite remedy for this? maybe like a pio bypass? Does that work?

And is there any favorite cap for a snappy organic live drum sound?

driguy · « **Reply #651 on:** 13 Jun 2012, 10:21 pm »

I realize that this is mostly a thread about coupling and crossover caps. That being said I wanted to pass on some info about a relative newcomer in the power supply cap arena. I recently built a tubed headphone amp that required high voltage on the plate (~400V). I have been using the Mundorf M-Tube caps for the last couple of builds and have been very happy with the results especially in comparison to the electrolytics (yes, Blackgates) that were in one of the amps to start with. The M-Tube caps are really a nice step up if you have the room and I still recommend them.
Recently ClarityCap has introduced the TC series of high voltage Polypropylene capacitors. I was curious about the potential sound so I ordered a pair even though I had a pair of the M-Tube caps broken in and ready to go from a previous project. The power supply is basically a tube rectified CLCLC design. Nothing too special but as most folks know, the last cap is essentially in the signal path so the quality there is very important and apparent. I had the circuit breadboarded so it was pretty easy to change the caps out and I was very close to the final layout so the sound differences will not have changed. I have only changed the cathode resistance a little.
So, how do they sound? Well, the Mundorfs are very smooth yet detailed with none of the grain or haze that can come with electrolytics. IMO that haze comes across as a loss of air, space, soundstaging and a dulling of leading edges and decays. Once I put in the ClarityCap TC series though things opened up even more. There did not seem to be an accentuation of any particular frequency band. Everything just opened up and not by a small amount. Please remember though that I am listening through headphones. The ClarityCaps are not misnamed in this case. Most folks here will pretty much get what I am saying as they have heard similar things happen with the other caps they use in other parts of their systems.
Pricing is in the ballpark of the Mundorfs. Let me also state that my system design goals are for a relatively uncolored sound. I do not like overdetailed "in your face" sound but I do want to hear what is there. Therefore I try not to editorialize the sound. I use VH-Audio CuTF caps as couplers in my 300b amp and Dueland VSF as output caps for my DAC and my speaker crossover so you can judge my taste by that.
I am still using the M-Tube Caps for the first two capacitor stages as I had them already. I still like them very much and I listen to them in my main amps all the time but if starting from scratch I would choose the TC caps.

poseidonsvoice · « **Reply #652 on:** 14 Jun 2012, 01:25 am »

driguy,

Thank you for that. Great review. And nice that you compared it with a known type of power supply cap, i.e. the Mundorf M-Tube types.

Will look into Clarity Cap TC series.

Best,
Anand.

scutterflux · « **Reply #653 on:** 17 Jun 2012, 09:46 am »

Hi driguy,

so when you say the last cap in the power section is most important, that would mean if you had 4 caps in series then the one closest the B+ is the most important one, and bassed on what I think you're saying is that a markable improvment will be made by replacing that one alone?

Also I might add there's huge improvement to be had when bypassing electrolytic power caps with russian teflon.

Also I went ahead and ordered the solen tftf caps after I finally found an excellent review/comparison that touted V-cap as markedly better than rel-cap, however the solen being much closer to V-cap and very hard to tell the difference was this guys #2 recomended cap, but a close #2.

Maybe I could throw down a review comparing them to FT-3's. I have a feeling the teflon will bring the snap back I lost when I swapped for mundorf sio's, and ampohm copper, I guess I just followed those natural and textured tone mods down deep into the soundstage and lost the bite on the snare drum. It was in an opposite response from the forward FT-3's that seemed to push me back in my chair that had me searching for depth. Now to just take one steps back in the capacitor department, but maybe not back to the FT-3. Although judging by how the power section mellowed with time after I used these as bypass makes me think they hadn't competely burned in yet. I did make a hack burn in rig and gave them at least 200hrs, but maybe there was to low current in my rig, I think I'll use an old amp and a 4ohm resistor to do the solens for at least 200hrs.

Speedskater · « **Reply #654 on:** 18 Jun 2012, 02:39 pm »

With power supply caps, the cap nearest whatever device is receiving the DC power is the most important cap. This last cap should be as near to this tube, transistor or op-amp as practicable.

driguy · « **Reply #655 on:** 18 Jun 2012, 06:18 pm »

Quote from: scutterflux on 17 Jun 2012, 09:46 am

Hi driguy,

so when you say the last cap in the power section is most important, that would mean if you had 4 caps in series then the one closest the B+ is the most important one, and bassed on what I think you're saying is that a markable improvment will be made by replacing that one alone?

Yes, changing the last cap is the most important. I only changed the last cap in the amp I was building to get the results described. Also, the previous post about it's location is important as well. It should be pretty close to the tube if at all possible.
Now I am not certain about what you mean about 4 caps in series though. The voltage rating of these caps should eliminate the need to series connect the caps. If they are in parallel to add capacitance, you may want to think about using just one well made cap of a moderate size appropriate to the purpose. Personally, I do not build tube gear power supplies without chokes. You can really knock down the ripple with even one stage being choke loaded, i.e. CLC. If you have not done it that way yet then I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the results. Caps alone even on a preamp to get rid of A/C ripple is not the best way IMO. Plus, it gets very expensive to get away from electrolytics using that methodology.
Regards,
Tony

scutterflux · « **Reply #656 on:** 20 Jun 2012, 04:22 am »

B+ is 950V on my amp, so series is good for the electrolytics here. I believe there is a choke in there somewhere after the 300B but before the 805.

Anyway, I recieved the Solens, and immediatly hooked them up across the 4 electrolytics for 950V burn in, and wow off the bat detail and speed was noticed sound was good and tight but a little bright/thin/detail but still good. Only an hour into listening and they had become sibalant/harsh and then only another hour after that they mellowed out and became smooth but appeared to retain the detail, and opened up as well as a little more body. It was a very quickly running through tone changes in the power section, but the amp is very hot and there was 950V and probably a good share of the current so burn in appeard to be happening quickly. Anyway I've done this before with the russian teflon and silver mica and have come back to the amp the next day only to have to start over. Although on this early next morning when I turn on the amp, Crack! Sp.p.p.p.p.arkkk! What the??? Cap shorted and took out a resistor. So I'll be a little late with any words about it's use in coupling position which is where they are to end up. BTW Partsconnexion is going to replace it, as it was used within spec. It was the rated at 1000V model and died rather quickly, I think it's just a defect exposed. I got the 1000V one because if I din't like them in coupling position maybe I would in bypass, and so far I did after they mellowed a bit.

In bypass mode I can't say anything for certain when compared to the FT-3's yet, other than very similar burning in sound experience.

Speedskater · « **Reply #657 on:** 20 Jun 2012, 01:11 pm »

Wow, a 950 Volt power supply! In this case a voltage dividing capacitor/resistor network is appropriate. From an electronics point of view, in a series circuit there is no difference in the order of the capacitors. But in a voltage dividing circuit they all need to be the same model number and value.

mboxler · « **Reply #658 on:** 20 Jun 2012, 04:00 pm »

Hi

As a learning experience, I'm building the Decware ZKIT1 (SE84C). I ordered and received the website's recommended parts.

The coupling (and Hazen mod) caps are Cornell Dubilier (part # 150104J400EC... $.75 each). I have some Tone Factory Vitamin-Q caps (from a failed project

) of the same values.

Which, if either, would be the best choice for the coupling caps?

Thanks, Mike

DaveC113 · « **Reply #659 on:** 20 Jun 2012, 04:17 pm »

Quote from: mboxler on 20 Jun 2012, 04:00 pm

Hi

As a learning experience, I'm building the Decware ZKIT1 (SE84C). I ordered and received the website's recommended parts.

The coupling (and Hazen mod) caps are Cornell Dubilier (part # 150104J400EC... $.75 each). I have some Tone Factory Vitamin-Q caps (from a failed project ) of the same values.

Which, if either, would be the best choice for the coupling caps?

Thanks, Mike

You'd have to try both and see. I would expect them to sound different being PIO vs Polyester film.