Salectric,
I'm looking forward to your findings with the speaker capacitor change and its impact on your fine system.
Regards, |
Volley, the conditioner is a passive type. It has 4 digital outlets. 4 preamp outlets. 2 amp outlets. 5 duos in all, 2 digital, 2 pre, 1 amp. These r the orange, hospital grade type that offer a good solid copper connection. Nothing too exotic. It is divided into two input sections. The digital
and the preamp sections r fronted by their own CMCs, (common mode chokes).
Each input has its own ground. The amp section shares a ground w/the preamp, but is not fronted by the CMC. Those chokes must be properly sized for the amplifier used... If the CMC was too small it effects the amps performance.
The 'bypass' you mention, is simply to connect the capacitor on the outlets from
neutral to ground. The Yamaha A-S2000, & CDS-2000 floats the ground. There r no ground pins, only hot & neutral, so by filtering the neutral to ground on the input, the amps only see a clean, filtered neutral.
Whatever 'type' of cap one uses, you can easily id its 'signature' sound downstream. Frankly to an astonishing extent. The conditioner offers an easily
accessible test bed to rotate & test this out. I have 3 dedicated 10g lines from
a subpanel for my audio system. So I use two of these to feed each the digital &
the amp/pre sections of the conditioner.
Cautions apply. Use caps that are rated high enough for the voltage required.
Foil type caps, like the CuTf & Dueland r supposed no-no's, as they won't 'fail'
properly. If one attempts to filter, from hot to neutral, & one uses a cap 'too large', anything over 'somewhere' around 3 or 4uf (take your pick), heat can become an issue and a cap can 'fail', explode. Filtering neutral to ground you don't have this problem, & quiet frankly sounds more effective. Do this & I would not think you would have any problems. It's easy & the impact upon ones
system is pretty dramatic... in a good sense. Blacker backgrounds, wider & deeper soundstage, more separation of instruments, more focus, less 'hash', ect... I started out using .22s I had rolled into my pramp over the yrs.
Caps 'colour' ones system in a similar way as different tube type 'colour' ones
components. Flavor to taste. What led me down this road, was borrowing a
conditioner from a friend & putting the unit on my mac mini music server downstairs on a different floor from my main rig. Within a day or two, the system developed a 'metallic oil sheen' throughout the whole frequency range.
When I brought the conditioner back to my friend & we opened it up, there was
a large oil in metal cap following the CMC to the outlets. So a music server, on a
different floor, connected wirelessly to the Transporter, effected everything downstream in the listening room. That, for me, was quite a 'rabbit hole' to tumble down.
You get the idea...
After that I opened up the larger conditioner on the main rig upstairs &
removed the little .01uf caps I found on the outlets & replaced them w/the
larger, various caps on hand, a bunch of .22s. Results; one can easily change the character of say, a dac, pre, or amplifier by rolling the appropriate cap, on the outlet, that feeds the component. Go figure...
As 'Uncle Jerry' said, "... what a long strange trip it's been." |
My pair of 7.5uf CAST caps arrived today right on schedule. I will be trying them out this weekend as the main high-pass crossover cap in my high-efficiency speakers. It will replace a blend of 6.8uf Mundorf Supreme and 1.0uf Duelund CAST. That blend has been the best sounding cap to date in that spot, but I am hoping that the single large value CAST will be even better.
I was surprised by how big the cap is---6.5" in diameter and a little over 1" in height. Pictures don't quite do it justice. |
Regismc
In your power conditioner I assume you used each of these caps as bypass caps?
Your post has really got me thinking...
When I had the vintage amp installed with a ASC poly caps in the power supply the "signature" was easily discernible. I was quite shocked. I am getting that amp re-checked by technician and will listen again. When I replaced the vintage power supply cap with the Jensen again very noticeable. I know this could upset people but putting in the Jensen electrolytic cap literally made me feel getting all the Duelund parts would not have been worth it without the right sounding power supply cap. (the vintage in this case)
I said at the time I think that the power supply cap may be the most important of all caps yet almost felt crazy saying so as it is not even in the signal path. How could it be? Now you are saying even in the power conditioner? (without a doubt not in the signal path)
Your post has got me thinking caps exert a "signature" somehow right on to the supply of electricity?
For a long time I have hoped someone on this thread would do a paper in oil power supply. Apparently Leak did this years ago to great success. |
Regismc
The conditioner... Well now I feel much better saying I could really hear the first cap in the power supply...
Interesting about the VCaps Cuft I have them as well and they are lightening fast but not sure where to put them. I have not sold them but do not know what to do with them? I was thinking a bypass cap on the power supply? |
Thank you very much for the detailed comparison of the caps....very helpful. |
I also have Duelands Cast in my preamp. The JFX r small & lite. They
have slam & extension at both ends. They r spacious & airy. They may
lack the ultimate body of the Cast. For me, they seem a bit to 'literal' fronting my digital source, a Modwright Transporter. Hence I prefer the
'vocal prescience' of the Mundorf S/G/O. They do seem 'natural' & musical,
They pass what is fed 'em & instruments seem easily discernable within the
mix.
I lived w/all of the mentioned caps in my preamp. When I started to mod the conditioner, I used what I had. It was surprisingly easy to ID each caps
'signature', even though they r b4 the audio signal.
The Modwright Transporter runs both balanced transformer coupled out, &
capacitor coupled RCAs. I get the sense that the Transporter into pre w/Duelands caps via RCAs sounds much like the transformer balanced outs direct into my amp, a Yamaha A-S2000.
I've pretty much given up on getting the CuTF V-Caps to exhibit any sense
of air. Excellent tone & body but I haven't found a place where I think they
shine. I like the Sonicap Platinums as very musical & easy to listen, but
perhaps not as ultimately resolving as others. Clarity MRs r darn good,
neutral & well balanced, airy, but I didn't have enough room in the conditioner to pursue installing the larger values.
One needs to understand I compared all of theses, except the Duelands, in
the power conditioner. I mixed, matched, & rotated these 'dogs' over several months time. As I came to understand the tonal inflections &
character each brought to the filter/feeding of the digital, preamp, & amp
sections, I simply feel S/G/O 'plays well' on digital sources. It's a great cap. Killer vocals. Great soundstage. The JFXs take that & send it out via pre & amp w/aplomb. Now the Duelands may do that ever more so, but i already owned the Mundorfs & the JFXs size & cost made an easy choice for the larger values. They have an incisive spacious sound w/very good attack & decay, require little break in & represent exceptional value. |
Also does anyone know what Jimmy is talking about with this new electrolytic cap???
http://jimmyauw.com/2013/06/06/no-name-capacitor-revision-2/
Is it Jensen coming out with a new line? Electrolytic wrapped in paper? Anyone know anything? |
Regismc,
You say you compared the JBX caps with Clarity MRs, Sonicap Platinums, CuTF V-Caps. Well, How do they sound compared to them? What does "play well" mean? |
Tom
Maybe I have misunderstood? I thought you meant amp designs that did not use coupling capacitors at all and used an interstage transformer?
Jimmy's page talking about what he preferred.
http://jimmyauw.com/2010/08/16/battle-of-three-capacitors/ |
Volleyguy1
Mechanical coupling is just that and generally has no design bearing on capacitors other than maybe how they are wound and most importantly under the context of resonance control..how they are mounted. Direct mechanical coupling is a method where devices are hard mounted and coupled without the use of glues or soft mounting insulating materials. Tom |
theaudiotweak
Tom I have heard that many times from people. I have not compared CAST to mechanical coupling. Have you?
Just back from a friends house hearing his speakers which are Khorns.
The difference is dramatic, grain, slow, plastic sound nowhere near same tone but polite. He is going to hook up a tube amp same as the one I have for better comparison. A huge difference in dynamics.
There was a post on here a while back from someone getting Tinnitus after getting CAST caps. I for one do not doubt it. In putting on a Rock concert video it is weird even though the total volume is not any louder the contrasts are extreme. When those mics are right into the drum set it is loud! Your ears ring like a real concert. VERY powerful. Maybe as one poster said almost to much or at least be careful!
I know Audio Note on there higher end amps uses no caps. I think Jimmy compared CAST to Mechanical coupling did he not? and is there differences in mechanical coupling quality. |
Same is true for direct mechanical coupling. You will have much greater dynamic contrast as well as a measurable increase in spl. Tom |
Grannyring
I have not actually bought any parts lately. The Duelund tweeter inductor I had. The Duelund CAST to use on the power supply I have.
Part of me needs to know why those caps would be so good? I am not saying they are not just why?
I can see them competing against
the "Clarity MRs, Sonicap Platinums, CuTF V-Caps. They 'play well' w/the Mundorfs"
That would make them a great bargain for sure as those caps mentioned are much more expensive.
The friend came over with the Khorns to hear the system. The first thing he did was get out his iPhone to test SPL thinking it was louder... It is the dynamics. It is no comparison to his. He has poly caps regular Sonicaps or origials.
I am somewhat surprised that it is not mentioned more about the CAST incredible dynamics. The ratio of the signal turning to mush is astonishingly low. |
I like em.... But I put them in a couple of 'unusual' uses. First I've got a pr.
of JBL Pro 'slot' super tweeters. These had a 1.0 uf Dayton cap, but required a 1.7 so I put in a pr. of 1.0 & .68s. Instant upgrade as you could
hear the extended reach, particularly 'lower down' for a fuller & more fleshed out treble.
The 'other' way I used them is inside my power conditioner. A passive filtering type unit w/separate digital & amplifier inputs with matching outlets,
fronted by CMCs. I used prs. of 4.7s & 3.0s on the neutral to ground outlets of the amp & preamp sections. I prefer Mundorf S/G/O on the
digital section outlets. A pr, of 3.3s.
As Grannyring states the caps r very good. They r physically small, but
I've compared them against others I'm familiar with, Clarity MRs, Sonicap
Platinums, CuTF V-Caps. They 'play well' w/the Mundorfs. |
Volley, you really do need to try those JBXCAPS the premium film ones from Just Radios. They are darn good a crazy low priced.
You will be amazed I am confident. |
Plus a re-test of my Duelund VSF in series tweeter inductor...
This was the only Duelund part I could not use before. Now with all Duelund caps in the amp it is much quieter.
Last time I knew the Duelund inductor was technically superior to the vintage wax paper inductor which deadened the sound and choked off much signal but Duelund tilted the balance of the speaker.
My speakers are now slightly dark. |
Tests coming up.
1 ASC poly caps as power supply vs. vintage. The amp will be worked on again to get up to snuff.
2. Plastic vs. paper bobbin in the autoformer in the speaker crossover. (friend has bought a new autoformer same specs)(if I can borrow)
3. Duelund CAST as a bypass cap in the power supply.
Nice to know all tubes and amps completely tested now. |
Helping a friend wire in a new crossover for his 1990 Khorns.
He is currently using a SS amp (trying to get him to throw it out!) and his crossover has poly caps in it for the new crossover and original. To be honest I can not really hear any difference from either original poly or new ones. (both not good)
The tone is radically different from mine!...
He does have a vintage tube amp though with foil caps. I have loaned him some of the original Aerovox foil Klipsch caps for the speaker crossover which are surprising good in the midrange. (not really a big deal different from Duelund VSF in the midrange) He does not have Alnico magnets though.
His amp has the vintage German Vishay Ero Fol II. In tests to me they sound exactly like Tony Gee rated 11+ Ampohm caps. I have both.
I am going to set up friends Khorns with a vintage caps (my old ones) vs. the poly to see what "he" thinks. (in the crossover)
More tests to come with a local amp builder to work on my gear this is great! He does a lot of guitar amp work as well. So he deals with the tone crowd all the time. It is nice to have everything tested first class.
Many discussions with him and his vintage guitar amp customers. (about tone what matters and what doesn't)
He fixed my amp that caught fire explaining to me what happened and how the circuit is not stable. One bad tube and everything melts down but it does sound great!
I have set it up in an all vintage office system speakers and amp. (Linn Karik and Numerik for CD)(no expensive Duelund parts to keep a reference)
Looking forward to trying Duelund CAST as a bypass on the power supply of main system. |
Eherdian
It was the vintage electrolytic that smoked the new one... The old electrolytic was bigger heavier and sounded much better. The new small light Jensen Electrolytic sounded dry. It was like liquid vs. dry and the difference was VERY big in favour of the vintage. I am going to get around to doing a paper in oil power supply some day.
With the amp builder who is a great guy I am asking a ton of questions. If as I understand in an EL 84 circuit the first electrolytic is in the power supply then this would make sense to sound quality...
A comment from someone else talking about old electrolytics in the power supply. I am not aware that I am in any occult?
http://lenardaudio.com/education/14_valve_amps_6.html
"When occult audiophileism evolved during the 1980s, science and technology was replaced with mysticism and many occult followers believed the old rectifier valve and old Electrolytic capacitors contributed to the magical sound of pre 1960 valve amps. Some valve amp manufacturers today, who cater to the occult market, use rectifier valves and old style electros". |
Volleyguy,
When you compared vintage electrolytic caps with a new one, was the vintage one wasn't dried up? I've been told by my friend that the dried up electrolytic caps sounds distorted |
Eherdian
Interesting you mention that about the Audio Note Caps. When at the amp repair shop he was working on an Audio Note 300b amp and it was one of the coupling caps that went. The copper foil in Mylar type.
I am going to guess it was one of the older Audio Note amps.
Nice sounding amp though. I am glad they are taking care of you. |
I just got response email from Martin AN UK, he says that the AN caps I got from PCX was from the very first batch which some of that has troublesome.
So I have to send it back to AN UK and got pair of current production caps for replacement. :) |
Hi volleyguy,thanks for the comment, at last I have decided to buy jensen paper tube to replace audionote mylar copper in oil which is shorted suddenly during playing music. Only 6 months of use...
Did you guys ever experience such this thing? I've check the voltage etc, everything normal and right now I use jensen alu tube for a moment.
I write complain to AN uk but no response.
I tempting to try duelund or vcap cutf but they out of my budget right now hehe
You can check on PCX - today they start to launch duelund silver foil 630v with whooping price...I'll wait dor someone here who dare to try it |
Eherdian
I have not heard the Copper tube but would expect similiar to paper tube.
The VCapcuft is altogether different.
I was getting some work done on the amp today from a local tube amp builder and repair guy. (great guy)
The amp that caught fire a long time ago.
We were talking about the very subject of what is different in a vintage amp?
1 Carbon resistors. He is not a fan as they drift.
2 Capacitors are foil vs. poly.
3 Paper bobbins vs. plastic in the new output transformers
4 Vintage tubes themselves.
5 Vintage Electrolytics in the power supply.
This can total up to be quite a big difference in sound...
I have not directly compared 1 and 3 directly but have done 2, 4 and 5 and 2 I like the vintage or Duelund or Jensen and 5 I have not bested vintage.
Oddly #4 the tubes themselves (the one everyone goes nuts over) I would like to hear more of but maybe the new tubes are better? This may not be strange though as there is no plastic in either tube!
Maybe the issue is plastic? 2 and 3 for sure it does. |
has anybody here tried Jensen Copper Tube?
how's that compare to Paper Tube version or to V-Cap CuTF?
I only get this information from Jimmy's page, I want to hear other's opinion
thanks |
On Jeff's place doing the Duelund crossover for the Tannoy Westminster's they had hooked the speakers up to to a vintage amp. They were shocked at how good the vintage amp was.
http://jeffsplace.me/wordpress/?p=4121
The reasons? Hmmmm.
My guess is the vintage is foil caps... I had also mentioned on here before the vintage power supply smoked and I mean smoked the Jensen Electrolytic in the power supply. It was like like liquid vs. dry...
I have been really hoping someone would do a Duelund paper in oil power supply. Leak was using paper in oil in the power supply many years ago...
My gut tells me even a VSF power supply would be very good. I have a full Duleund chain except one vintage cap in the phono stage I am still testing and will finish off with another CAST.
You can mix and match caps as long as they are of the same type with not much problem just energy and dynamic differences.
This thread started off years ago trying to best the vintage caps (in the speakers) and it was not as easy as I thought it would be... |
No plans to make autoformers at present...
We can scale the CAST Mylars to higher voltage, currently, they are 250 volts. |
Hello Duelund
I have been reading the thread on the Tannoy Westminster's.
http://jeffsplace.me/wordpress/?p=3794
Tannoy speakers use an autoformer same as mine. I assume the Tannoy autoformer is of similiar construction as mine a thin gauge wire wrapped in wax paper. Is this a part you could make? I know if have asked this before.
My understanding on the autoformer is the taps are set for each driver. My autoformer is of similiar construction as the vintage woofer inductor, wax paper wrapped wire some resonance control but not great... Does the wax dry out in time as well? (especially at the edges)
In testing that I done years ago on the vintage wax paper woofer inductor it was better at noise control than a new air core inductor with no way of dealing with resonance. The Duelund VSF inductor was even much better at noise control and I wish I tried CAST but oh well only so much money.
So I guess two questions.
1 Can you make autoformers out of flat wire? (my gut tells me this is a area of weakness in my crossover)
2 The new CAST Mylar caps will they be in higher voltages and suitable for power supply?
I have not yet found a better power supply cap than the vintage electrolytics but I would like to and suspect CAST would be very quiet? I hope someone tries them. |
Volleyguy,
We've had a lot of questions regarding a CAST high uF cap, that wouldn't be prohibitively expensive or large. We stumbled on some Mylar film we hadn't tried before, which gave rather nice results when used in impedance correction and the like, as long as we CASTed the foils. |
On the post
"Frederik pointed out to me that many people mistakenly think inductors arent as important as other circuit components because they typically deal with lower frequencies.
He said, In fact its the total opposite, the lower registers are far more resonant in nature than high frequencies, which means resonance control becomes even more important. People are always slow to try the inductors, but when they eventually do, they are always amazed at the difference."
I have to admit to agree with this. Maybe because most inductors are garbage that the difference is so big?
I have tried to get someone on here to do a Duelund power supply. I am so curious to what is possible. If a vintage electrolytic is so much better what is a top notch power supply like? |
Grannyring
I might have to try these caps.
On the Duelund Facebook page.
http://jeffsplace.me/wordpress/?p=3701
There is mention about someone thinking the VSF was more musical. I do not know if I would say that, the CAST is clearly the superior cap technically but I for sure am not afraid to use some VSF and have done so.
What I am really intrigued about is what is the new cap for a 200uf Mylar CAST for the Tannoy Westminster?
Frederik any word? A power supply cap maybe?
I was reading on one website about how some tube amp makers (for fanatics) using only vintage electrolytics in the power supply. The site went on to poke fun at these users of vintage electrolytics as belonging to "the occult".
Last I checked I was not in any occult but do agree vintage electrolytics in the power supply smoked the Jensen electrolytics. I took out the Jensen and put back in the vintage and wayyyyyyy better!
Yet some of my vintage electrolytics are wearing out and a replacement with as good of sound is needed. |
Reporting back on these JB JFX caps and they are wonderful folks. I can't say it more clearly. They compete with any cap and I don't care of the cost.
I have used them in two different preamps and one amp. All tubed units. I used them as coupling caps with great results.
They are sleepers are dirt cheap. |
Hello Grannyring
I have some small values that I might replace in the phono stage not even sure how much difference these would make. I had thought about some of the Duelund Alexander for this as I have not heard them...
VPN it will be in pounds that cap!
On 12AX7's and resonance. Tubes could make someone crazy. It is a flavouring that one can get that is system based and I can see how guitar guys look for a certain type (of tube) based on a sound they want to "create". The new Gold Lions are bigger beefier and sound that way over the vintage I have. (which is quite a few)(more testing to do)
They resonate less than the vintage ones therefore sound better across the spectrum. If one is focused at a certain freq. they could sound not as full but the vintage tube makes that freq. fuller but at the expense of the rest of the spectrum. I was just going to say I would not go nuts looking for a certain vintage hard to find big $$$ tube over changing caps to CAST.
Grannyring this comes back to under what grounds (technically) should these caps be so good? Not saying they do not just why? Is your whole amp foil caps? (Duelund or other) as well as the speaker crossover?
I did find in the crossover you get "some" natural sound if you mix and match foil with poly caps but not all it could be and I am not saying just with Duelund but even vintage or other foil caps. |
No idea, it just does. Give it 50 hours of break in and see for yourself. Just sounds like music. |
Hello Volleyguy1, I don't know what is their weight, they are currently being manufactured. I should receive in 5 to 6 weeks the whole set of capacitors, inductors and resistors.
Hello BarrySandy, yes, I noticed that about the orientation of the inductors, quite nice the way they are positioned in the original crossovers. I will make sure the new crossovers have inductors in a similar way.
Cheers,
VPN |
VPN
That's huge! How much does it weigh?
Grannyring
What makes this cap sound so good? |
Oh yes the name ......JB JFX Premium caps. |
Ok gang, I have been using a cap that is so good that I'm afraid when you hear the price most will disregard my comments. Keep in mind I compared it to the best - Duelund CAST copper.
This cap came very close to the CAST and offers a richer sound it is also more expansive sounding. The bass is more full bodied. It lacks the ultimate degree of detail of the Duelund. The Duelund is a tad more resolving and in the end is still the king. However, you must try this cap out as you will be amazed. I would use it ahead of any Mundorf as well as most every other cap aside of CAST.
It is my cap of choice based on sound quality and price. I have only tried it in tube amps and preamps mind you.
They cost under $10 for values under 7uf. Yes, this cheap and darn good. Yes, metalized film.....Yes, it still is this good.....
Several other Aphiles have heard them and also agree 100%.
You can get them at Just Radios in Canada. They are Chinese made. Don't worry about that either as they sound great.
Ok, there it is. |
VN101606 Wow. That cap is huge. Whatever board you end building the new crossover on, mount the inductors on different planes so there's no magnetic interference (note the orientation of the inductors on your board now).
My 17 uF cap is shown in my pics. I played the system with the new XO for over 200 hours - still needed the cable cooker to open things up. |
Hello BarrySandy,
The largest CAST capacitor I bought is 56uF, and the largest CAST inductor I bought 6.8mH, so I figured that I needed a cable cooker based on what was written here. Thanks for confirming.
Cheers,
VPN |
Resonance
It is common thought at least on this thread that the best of today's capacitors exceed what was available in the past.
It has been known for decades that bigger beefier caps were more dynamic and were in many companies better amps.
What is better today? Resonance or better control of it. What is bad about resonance? Resonance fills out a frequency giving perceived liquidity. (sounds good) The bad part is this is not done across the spectrum but at the frequency the part resonates at...
In all the cap testing I have done it is the middle upper to upper frequency that parts resonate with loss of clarity and detail at the extremes.
Tubes. Vintage capacitors do not have the same following or held in the same regard as vintage tubes. It seems no tube can be as good as a tube made many years ago in North America or Europe from the "tube era"...
Here is a review not of a capacitor but of a new tube (Northern Electric) vs. vintage. (KT88's)
The reviewer does not know it (I think) but is talking about resonance. I feel I could have wrote this comparing vintage caps to Duelund CAST.
"Compared to a pair of NOS tubes that I had on hand, the only area where the NOS tubes excelled was in imparting a noticeable liquid quality to upper mid-range and lower treble. However, this small gain was at the expense of considerable bass control, definition and detail, especially given the single-ended application in which these tubes were used. While the NOS tubes imparted a romanticized character to the sound, the NE tubes conveyed a confidence that the listener was hearing more of the source material and with greater accuracy".
Tomorrow I am going to test the vintage 12AX7's tubes vs. the new Gold Lions.
Selection of tubes is an extensive list of Telefunken, U.S. and British made tubes.
Even before the test I was quite shocked when the Gold Lions went in. They exhibited all the same characteristics of putting in CAST caps...
Low resonance increased detail I had not heard more and better controlled bass.
Looking forward to trying some of today's better tubes. |
Haven't looked at the Dunlavy's parts values and you might not need it but.... Most people here have not used big caps or inductors in their crossover. If the caps are really big, especially if > 15uF, the Cable Cooker is essential or it will take a verrrry long time to break them in. Burn in both the caps and inductors although the latter are less critical. While you're at it, burn in all your cables even if used and you'll be surprised at the difference (less impact on PCs). It was certainly a revelation to me. |
The Q match is a good idea..who measured the Q. Cryo all the parts especially a coil of wire. Freeze only do not heat temper. Tom |
VPN
I do not think you need a cooker on Duelund.
I found CAST overpowering at first but settle in fairly quickly and quickly they should exceed what you had... I bet you are most surprised by the inductors... Good Luck!
Let us know.
On tubes.
I am at somewhat of a loss for words on the Gold Lion 12AX7's vs. the vintage tubes that were in... I have a sneaky feeling these tubes are VERY low resonance. The difference in sound was shocking vs. vintage and on the same lines of vintage caps to CAST. This is the first "new" production 12AX7 I have tried with all these vintage amps I have I had a pile of good testing old tubes that most covet. I did not expect the GL's to sound so different? I keep hearing how new tubes are somehow substandard to NOS big names...
Not sure what to make of this but the Gold Lions are for sure quieter with smaller separated imaging and maybe dark (again like they look) as they do not glow much...
I feel they are likely going to be loved or ditched... Just so different. |
Hello Theaudiotweak,
I ordered all the Duelund CAST componentes for the upgraded SC-VI crossovers. The inductors are custom made so they match the Q of the original inductors.
I am really looking forward to this major upgrade. Also bought a Cable Cooker Aniversary to speed up the burn-in of the Duelunds. Only the capacitors need burn-in, or the inductors and resistors too?
Cheers,
VPN |
Gold Lion 12AX7 clearly a low resonance tube.... |
Ordered new tubes.
7189 (used for 6BQ5's) Prefered Series (tubestore)
12Ax7's new Gold Lions.
I only have one set of vintage 6BQ5's left so want to know how they compare to new tubes. |
More info to come but I have revised where I would spend money first on caps...
I said tweeter caps before but now have changed that to phono stage.
I am reading a voltage increase of 400 to 1,000 on even moving magnet and 10 times that on MC cartridges.
The CAST caps difference here is just jaw dropping. To the point I am ordering new power tubes just to be sure.
To a great extent it makes sense. This is a very fragile signal. A not stellar cap will lose info... This is an area where you DO NOT want a high resonance cap!
Duelund CAST in the phono to me is a slam dunk!
More info to follow on comparing to a modern Audio Note 300b that was at the repair shop... |
By co-incidence I found a local tube amp builder and repair shop. He does repairs from all over North America...
My amp had a tube starting to arc. He checked over the amp and did not redo my soldering, which I thought he might.
He also has a customers Audio Note 300b in for repair and I hope he calls me when he sound tests that amp after repair...
For testing reasons he can make sure any amp I have is up to snuff. Already he found on testing some Raytheon tubes (EL84) that were in one amp I tested (and shelved) that I had a ASC poly cap power supply installed that the tubes were defective. They tested good on the tester but distortion appeared when volume was turned up... (tested good sounded bad)
I will be able to get back to that test ASC power supply. Reason I want to know what power supply cap matters? That test would be ASC vs. vintage which is the best I have had so far...
In his amp builds he uses no electrolytics.
Now I can get push pull or triode options of newer used or custom made with power supply caps of choice... I know it will be Duelund CAST in the coupling but not sure about style of amp or power supply.
On getting back the amp and hours piling on in the phono stage. I am also running a hard drive to the Oppo with 24bit high res music coming in. Early testing but even high res digital is not as good as analog in realism...
The Duelund CAST phono stage caps might have moved the vinyl playback beyond digital in the sense of realism. Before caps were changed in the amp all the way through digital sounded better.... |
