Changes to caps used in modifications

Bill Baker · « **on:** 22 Mar 2004, 10:27 pm »

Over the past few months, I have been experimenting with various capacitors to use in future tube amp mods. At this time, it looks like there will be a few changes from what have been used in the past.

Once I get caught up and start taking in further units again, there will be a new coupling capacitor to be used as a standard in all our amps and modifications.

Standard coupling capacitor will now be the Sonicraft Sonicap. The reason for this is as follows. In caparison to the AuriCap and AudioCap, I have found the Sonicap to be a bit more neutral, allowing more midrange and upper end inner detail retreival and transparency.

Since I still find the Audience AuriCap and Theta Audiocap to be exceptional pieces, I will still offer these to those who wish to have them in their products.

I beleive most people will want the following:

All Antique Sound Labs and Jolida 302:
In my opinion, these products would benefit more from the Sonicap. I find these products to be a bit on the "softer" side in comparison with the 6550/KT88 based products I have been working with for so many years. The Sonicap seems to bring these to life a bit more than the others. There will obviously be many who will still prefer the smooth, warmer sound of either the Auris or Thetas in these products also.

Jolida 502 and 801:
I could live with any one of the mentioned capacitors in these amps. I have tried them all and any one of them provides a very detailed and coherent presentation. For those who want the most detail retreival and upper end airiness, the Sonic will be the way to go. For those looking to tame the more aggressive nature of the 6550/KT88 tube, without sacrificying detail and resolution, then the Theta would be the choice.

Jolida 102B:
Hhmmmm.... I need to experiment with this little gem some more. So far, I have found the Theta to be a great match with the EL84 tubes but I have not yet experimented with the Sonics in this piece.

Ming-Da Preamps
I will be using only the Sonicap in these products. They really bring the MC3-R and MC7-R alive.

After getting caught up, I plan on building a personal reference system which will consist of the following main components:

Amp: Jolida SE801A with 100% Sonicaps and also a direct input to be used as a power amp. Modified power supply, EH KT90 power tubes, ????? 6SN7 drivers
Preamp: Highly modified Ming-Da MC7-R
Source: RAM Signature CD25 (of course)
Speakers: Modified Usher CP-7388
Cabling: Clarity Labs Emberglow speaker cable, Foxfire interconnects

If anyone has any comments on my opinions and finding with these capacitors, I would be most interested in hearing your thoughts before I make my final decission.

Bill Baker · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 Mar 2004, 10:44 pm »

A quick follow up.
I don't want anybody to think these are the only caps I have experimented with. I have had a large veriety of capacitors in these amps over the past several months with some of them actually prefered over my final choices but cost restrictions did not justify these pieces in the price point of the amplifiers I work with. This is not to say you will not see some exotic pieces in some of the more pricier units to show up. We will have an Extreme modification available for the ASL Hurricane 200DT mono blocs. Look for more details on this to appear on my site in the next 2-3 weeks as we finish up a custom pair.

Scott F. · « **Reply #2 on:** 23 Mar 2004, 04:10 am »

Hiya Bill,

Haven't listened to the Sonicaps yet but curious...have you tried them in speakers yet?

_scotty_ · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 Mar 2004, 04:38 am »

Bill you should probably look into the Mundorf line of products for xover
applications. http://www.e-speakers.com/products/mundorf.html
These appear to be very well engineered products and I have reliable testimony that these products also sound very good.

StevenACNJ · « **Reply #4 on:** 24 Mar 2004, 11:13 am »

This is a very interesting read on cap comparisons

http://home.hetnet.nl/~geenius/Cap.html

Bill Baker · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 Mar 2004, 01:06 pm »

Interesting results. Without getting into the more expensive Teflon caps, I have found the Sonicap to be the most revealing capacitor of all I have used in the past. This cap will reveal everything that all the components in the system have to offer. I know what you're thinking, "This is not always a good thing", you are correct.

I realize there will be people that do not want the extremely revealing characteristics of the Sonicap in their amplifiers. For this reason, I will be also using the Theta Audiocap as an option for those looking for a bit of a warmer, more involving sound. I have found the Theta to be an excellent performer in coupling applications offering very good detail, transparency and resolution while also having a bit more fullness in the upper bass and lower midrange. I currently have the Thetas in my personal highly modified and custom Jolida 502.

Please not that 95% of my capacitor use is in tube amp coupling stages with very little, at this time, in speaker mods. Maybe this is due to the fact that most people, especially DIY'ers, can perform capacitor upgrades in speakers on their own.

I have not yet installed them into my speakers but do plan on rebuilding the x-overs in my Usher CP-7388 speakers using Sonicaps for the mid and tweeter sections. Seeing as how they use a "decent" capacitor in these speakers to begin with, I may just bypass the caps in the lower region with Sonics

Exotic Teflon capacitors?? We'll talk again.

Bill Baker · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 Mar 2004, 01:07 pm »

Interesting results. Without getting into the more expensive Teflon caps, I have found the Sonicap to be the most revealing capacitor of all I have used in the past. This cap will reveal everything that all the components in the system have to offer. I know what you're thinking, "This is not always a good thing", you are correct.

I realize there will be people that do not want the extremely revealing characteristics of the Sonicap in their amplifiers. For this reason, I will be also using the Theta Audiocap as an option for those looking for a bit of a warmer, more involving sound. I have found the Theta to be an excellent performer in coupling applications offering very good detail, transparency and resolution while also having a bit more fullness in the upper bass and lower midrange. I currently have the Thetas in my personal highly modified and custom Jolida 502.

Please not that 95% of my capacitor use is in tube amp coupling stages with very little, at this time, in speaker mods. Maybe this is due to the fact that most people, especially DIY'ers, can perform capacitor upgrades in speakers on their own.

I have not yet installed them into my speakers but do plan on rebuilding the x-overs in my Usher CP-7388 speakers using Sonicaps for the mid and tweeter sections. Seeing as how they use a "decent" capacitor in these speakers to begin with, I may just bypass the caps in the lower region with Sonics

Exotic Teflon capacitors?? We'll talk again.

jeffreybehr · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 Aug 2005, 08:01 pm »

Bill, I see above that you're using the EH KT90 now instead of the Ei '90. I've read of the inconsistencies in the Eis; is that why you're now using EHs?