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It's been an interesting time since I last posted this thread . My caps came in from rutubes , they sent me k42's instead of k40's . I'm trying to get them switched to what I ordered . I also had a Massive Heart attack on 6-6-08 and spent 5 days in the ccu , 4 blockages ,2 stents and 1 more to go in a few weeks . The had to shock me back 3 times (defib is a bitch). Suddenly , I have less interest in the last nuance of reproduced music and more in developing a more healthy lifesyle . I'm sure the quest for better sound will eventially resume , But right now I would rather play with the grandkids or kiss my wife . Joey B
Good luck Joey, This is only an hobby, should be quite low among life's priorities...
Quote from: lowrider on 26 Jun 2008, 11:24 amGood luck Joey, This is only an hobby, should be quite low among life's priorities... Thank you AntonioI'm finding , it's all about balance . No Reply from Rutubes on the k40's . Did I really think they would respond ? The old Joe would be plenty angry , the new Joe shrugs , it's not that important . Think I'll go do that relaxation thingy . Joey B
Russian FT3 Teflon CapacitorRussian K72 Teflon CapacitorProbably the most hyped AND maligned cap out there. Some praise it while others despise it and write it off completely. It is my understanding that FT3 and K72 caps are internally the same.FT3 uses aluminum casing and thin tabs as leadouts while K72 uses thicker steel casing with solid poles as leadouts. FT3 is glass-encapsulated while K72 is hermetically sealed, and due to the thick steel case, K72 is even heavier than FT3. One huge caveat to comparing K72 and FT3 is that the largest value of K72 available seems to be 0.056uF, while FT3 is predominantly available in 0.1 and 0.22uF. My loaned K72 was the customary 0.056uF and FT3 0.22uF, and yes, the larger cap is “supposed” to be more bassy. Lo and behold, FT3 does seem to be a little richer in the bass region; however, it was not a huge difference, and there is no way to tell how much of this is due to the uF difference or just the way these caps sound. This cannot be answered today b/c K72 does not come in 0.1 or 0.22uF and FT3 does not come in 0.056uF. These caps do sound similar, but after doing A-B-A-B comparisons using music with and without bass, I can say they do have differences. K72 adds a pinch of spice and “kick” to the proceedings. Middle midrange to somewhere in upper midrange seems to sound bit more obviously “detailed” with K72; this leads to a little more tension in the listener’s shoulders when playing poorly-recorded material, i.e. the vast majority of today’s compressed and hotly EQ’d modern fare. Some may even call it extra grain, glaze, or hardness compared to FT3’s relative softer rendering. However, with clean recordings, I can see some people even preferring K72 for its more assertive, forward stance. Combining that little highlighting with a bit tighter control, K72 comes across as hair more dynamic and fun. Which Teflon cap should you purchase? Well, both are cheap enough that I think you should try both, but do consider if you wish for a little more smoothness vs. forwardness from current setup. P.S. When you tap the stiff steel case of K72, you can hear and feel a hollow “ping” resonance. I tried applying a strip of EAR Isodamp material, covering about 1/3 of the surface area, which attenuated the sparkle and “detail” just a tad. I’m not saying one is better than the other, but depending on your tastes, a bit of damping may have a role.
Hello Jon, Nice write-up on ETM. I would have to say I agree with 95% of everything you wrote about the capacitors I have experience with which is all of them other than the Russians. The other 5% is simply due to subjective opion and even moreso different applications. I will be eager to hear your thoughts on the Penta Labs Teflon caps. A few years back, I had the two designers come to my shop and pay me a visit in person with a handfull of these before they even started production and were still under a different name. They wanted me to evaluate them. I won't comment on them (don't read into that too deep) as they may have changed a bit since the original prototypes. The only thing I will say is that they were very similar to one of the other Teflon caps in Jon's writings.
95%? That's pretty good b/c I can't hardly agree with my own impressions 95% of the time
What's even more interesting is I now have some Audience Aura-T teflon caps strapped to my cap cooker
Fluorinert-Injected Russian K72 Teflon capacitor What Fluorinert does seem to do is smooth out the upper ranges somewhat while subduing the vividness and spice a dash. For those who feel K72 is way too forward and brash for their tastes (I don’t...much), this will bring a welcome change, especially if your system has too much sibilance with the stock K72. The changes brought on by Fluorinert remind me of the sort of changes one hears when applying damping material to equipment chassis. In fact, the changes are in the similar direction as when I applied EAR isodamp material to the outside of the K72, though Fluorinert seems to have even greater effect.
