2. amps-preamps
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Preamp Caps?Auricap,Mundorf, Hovland, jensen,solen

Hello,
I have a preamp with only 2 Signal caps directly in front of two tubes shot right out to the amps, extreme simplicity and excellent sound. This is the first preamp that came stock with Auricap's I have owned or heard, most in the past have always had Multicaps, Kimber caps in my previous pre's. I can say I think the Auricaps are quite a bit better but not that expensive or the end all-be all that I understand. Now I have had some crossovers and a Preamp with Solen fastcaps in it, and they are the best in Bass I have heard out of all of them, not that it makes them superior just an observation. I have also purchased Jensens oil and put them in Tube equipment in the past, not bad but did not blow my doors off.. And Finally Hovlands, not my Cup if you know what I mean, I found them the most expensive and the least impressive, could be the mix of component used in, but whatever too dry for me. Mundorf is a little newer on the scene to me and I thought the Hovlands were pretty obscene in cost, however these are the new Cost and hype leaders from what I can tell today. I am considering trying the Mundorf Silver in oil supreme caps at no small cost to see if they are gonna create more magic than the Auricaps. . What is the character of this cap? I want very 3d and open yet still have some intimate warmth and very powerful bass. Is this a cap worth venturing over all the other explanations I left here? Needs a liquid sound, and get that fairly deep bass solen seems to be capable of for only a couple dollars a cap, cause I do not want to soften the already slightly soft Tube bass. Thanks to all that know about this tweaking and expereance with these caps . . Again its only 2 Caps, very easy to install so its hard to keep my hands off, but do not want to go backwards or waste the cause if its not gonna be very significant in this specific application, Anybody know of any good tube equipment or preamps using these mundorf super caps? By the way my tubes are Mullards NOS. Preamp manufacture would seem to be irrelevant here and yes I am pretty dang happy with the sound for the money already, but there is always more right 
undertow

Showing 7 responses by undertow

undertow OP
1,033 posts
 
Atmasphere, Yeah the V-cap forgot about that bad boy, could be a good choice and actually a little better pricing maybe, thanks.

Jeffreybehr,, There is Qty.2 (2.2 mF) 200 volt auricaps in there, not huge, pretty common value and easy to get it seems... Umm, Resistor... Not sure? Did not see anything in the way of resistors right there, but have some for setting the impeadance on the MC phono section in another part of the preamp... I believe the Output impeadance of the PReamp is 1000 ohm(yeah a little high I understand) and the amps are of solid state breed at 10,000 ohm input... I was originally concerned myself with Gain because its only exacly 10 times difference between the 2 and have heard the Times 10x rule, but I have had excellent results and never could ask for more gain so taking the risk paid off it seems even with the slightly high output impeadance. I have no problems in the functioning of the system at all, so new caps are just going overboard to see how much juice we can squeeze out of this rock.
undertow OP
1,033 posts
 
Edit: Opps nevermind V-cap is out of control cost, I did not think anybody had a cap that high in cost at such low values, okay... I don't know how big they are either, might not have any kind of space for them especially since I would probably have to use (4) 1 mF stacked up and that would cost more than most preamps...

Atmasphere, Yeah the V-cap forgot about that bad boy, could be a good choice and actually a little better pricing maybe, thanks.

Jeffreybehr,, There is Qty.2 (2.2 mF) 200 volt auricaps in there, not huge, pretty common value and easy to get it seems... Umm, Resistor... Not sure? Did not see anything in the way of resistors right there, but have some for setting the impeadance on the MC phono section in another part of the preamp... I believe the Output impeadance of the PReamp is 1000 ohm(yeah a little high I understand) and the amps are of solid state breed at 10,000 ohm input... I was originally concerned myself with Gain because its only exacly 10 times difference between the 2 and have heard the Times 10x rule, but I have had excellent results and never could ask for more gain so taking the risk paid off it seems even with the slightly high output impeadance. I have no problems in the functioning of the system at all, so new caps are just going overboard to see how much juice we can squeeze out of this rock.
undertow OP
1,033 posts
 
Are the cardas not teflon? Well for affording them I don't have that issue as much as diminishing returns at some point, I have a fishey feeling they would not be double the performance of some of these caps costing half the price already at 100 bucks a pop . . But again I could see benefits, but honestly for that cost in a Capacitor I would absolutly have to hear an A-B test with identicle equipment head to head with another good Cap to consider blowing that kinda money on a fairly basic and not super criticle but important upgrade move. And I know I won't get that A-B and never may know, but yeah that is very pricey for the risk I am willing to experement with here.
undertow OP
1,033 posts
 
How about these? PPT Theta AudioCap, look pretty good too.

Most of these types only come in 2.0 uF so would I need to buy 2 of these and then use a .22 uF in parallel?

What is the best way to attach the cap to the board physically, Silicon, Double sided tape, Blue tac, or one sided weather stripping to just set the cap on to reduce vibration?

Right now the caps in the unit do not have anything under them, not sure if I should correct this or not when going in there to do this.
undertow OP
1,033 posts
 
Jeffrey, I really appreciate your time!
I am not a pro and I am finding now this might be super effective upgrade because:

#1- I threw in the new mullard tubes last night after I received them, Wow night and day! Big difference in bass and space, very smooth and warm. So obviously the 2 Capacitors hooked to those 2 tubes going straight out the RCA's will be fairly effective to the final sound, Kinda excited now about this upgrade just to see.. (or hear)


#2- I emailed the companies link you gave me, they replied below:
--The Auricaps are not bad, but there are better caps at a price. Either,
the Cardas or the Mundorf S/O would do better. However, you are
looking for more bass first. I would start by going to a 3.3uF cap.
This will slow thing just a tad, so you will want to bypass with a
0.1uF. My selection would be based on your budget. At the top, a S/O
3.3 bypassed with a Sonicap Platinum 0.1uF. At the bottom, a Sonicap
3.3 bypassed with a Cardas 0.1uF.

Remember, a single pair of caps can not make your system...........so we
should never look for it to.

Regards,
Jeff--

So Know I gotta be honest, although simple, Stacking and accidently burning caps together and fitting them correctly might be beyond the scope of my original comfort doing it myself. .Plus you give a bit different approch than they do in what to use value wise and all that.. For the few dollars in labor who would do this the right way to send it out? I hate shipping for this, but I live in Illinois, anybody got a suggestion.
undertow OP
1,033 posts
 
Ha, yeah wow... totally dug this one up from the grave! Big changes over the years, now I totally tear apart and do everything myself, far simpler and way cheaper once you have some skill's and tools to do it, oh and ears that can find the right mix!

Yes best cap and newest over these spoken about back then are in fact the Clarity cap MR's as Sherod points out... Best cap for the money available today. Duelunds are great too, much better than mundorfs, but pretty pricey and very hard to get a hold of.
undertow OP
1,033 posts
 
No problem, yeah they are also nice because they have a high voltage rating to be used universally to and extent over some of the exotic caps only good for crossovers.
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