I have read that capacitors last around 20 years. So, do you just have caps replaced as they go bad, or at what point do you replace all the caps in an amp? Do resistors or other parts (other than tubes) degrade, so replacing caps will just lead to some other failure? Is it like trying to keep an old car running?
Asking because I still enjoy the tube amp (Baron) I've had for 16 years. Not the best, but American made, still supported by Mesa, and I am not convinced that newer is better re: tube amps, or at least, not within semi-rational budgetary constraints. Equivalent performance from new production could cost dearly.
Smoffatt the thermal grease is not an insulator in case you got that from Minorl's comments. But if it is dried out, heat will not transfer and so the transistor can overheat and possibly short.
The best kind of grease is white. There is a clear variety also, but the white grease seems to be more efficient. It should be applied with as little as can do the job; a very thin but even coat on both sides of the insulator seems to work best. One of the better compounds is made by AOS Thermal Compounds, part number 520221E, although that part number is for a one pound jar, which takes a very long time to go through even if you are replacing power transistors every day. I am sure they sell it in lesser quantities.
I'll get back to you shortly on this. However, the older transistor amps have very old non-linear transistors. The best of their day, but much has changed since then. Several companies have come through with much better sounding, much more linear high power transistors. It depends on the transistor package. TO3, etc. and whether they are available in that package or what other transistors would fit that meet or better the specs and would sound great. People have spent years swaping tubes and found that there are many that are better than the stock tubes. While it is very easy (although expensive) to do this with tubes, the homework has already been done. But, people don't really swap transistors on newer amps because, hopefully the designer has already done their homework and selected the best transistors they could find. Not always the case. However, in the case of older amps, the field is wide open. If I'm going to open it up and upgrade the power supply or some such anyway, then I check the specs on the transistors and if there are some better ones, I replace them also, rebias, add the threshold type heat sinks if they are seriously lacking proper heatsinking and they are wonderful. I upgraded a bedini 250/250 recently by making two power supplies (one for each channel, including rectifier diode brides, capacitors, transformers, etc.), then replacing the older output and pre-driver transistors with newer, more linear ones,added Threshold type heat sinks, got rid of the speaker fuses, upgraded the internal wiring with Cardas wiring, upgraded the smaller caps to much better ones and this amp seriously blew away most others I compared it with. If I add a regulator, it would be a monster.
I'll get back to you soon on the transistors, but first tell me which ones you have in your amp.
The silicon grease will dry out and causes the transistor body to come into direct contact with the heat sink and shorts out the transistor and may cause a cascade effect with the other output drivers. For TO3 type metal can transistors there is a rubber or mica, or really cheap plastic insulator between the transistor and the heat sink and silicon insulating grease is applied between the device and the heat sink. the cheap insulators will crack causing a short to the heat sink also. So, I typically take all the output drivers off and replace them with more linear better transistors and replace the insulators and the silicon grease, check the capacitors for signs of leakage and replace if necessary. More detailed upgrades can turn a very good amp into a really great amp.
A qualified technician can apply a variac and reform the caps over time if they have been sitting for awhile. However, the tech must first inspect the caps to see if leakage has occured. Caps can be different. There are paper caps, oil filled caps, etc. So, they will age and fail differently. This is why the best caps are stupidly expensive vs. cheaper caps. Personally, for a device that has sat unused for many years, I would apply a variac and slowly bring up the voltage over a period of days to reform the caps and see if some other component has failed. If everything is okay, I would not change the caps unless they are leaking or won't reform. Also, another area people absolutely don't know about or forget is that power transistors typically use silicon transistor heat sink grease between the transistor insulator and the heat sinks. This grease definitely hardens and fails over time and for older amps is the main reason (other than the owner switching interconnect or speaker cables without turning it off first) why amps blow. For a really nice older amp, I typically will test all the pre-driver and output driver transitors, see if they are within spec and if not replace them (or replace them on general principle with newer more linear transistors) and absolutely replace the silicon grease. Of course I am an Electrical Engineer and also work on amps/components and upgrade them all the time. However, a good technician can do this also. Again, if you manage to grab a Mark Levinson ML3, 23.5, Bedini, etc. amps absolutely check the caps and change the silicon grease. But, if the caps reform and aren't leaking, I wouln't replace them just yet.
Resistors are inert and don't really change over time (they can drift in value from thermal stress, but that's another matter).
Capacitors are a different story. Electrolytic capacitors are the ones to change; film types tend to last a very long time and rarely need to be changed. Electrolytics contain a semi-liquid dielectric compound that dries out over time (used or not) leading to catastrophic failure. Electrolytics tend to be larger in value (over a couple of microfarads); film type caps tend be much smaller in value (under 1 microfarad).
i replace them if they re crap caps. I like v-caps if you have room, the REL RT, or Theta caps. Big sound difference over stock caps if they used junkers.
Elizabeth, Thank you for your reply. Seeing your name on a posting here on Audiogon is cause enough to check out the words of wisdom and experienced opinion to be discovered.
Thanks. Will plan on doing it before long. Naturally, I want better capacitors than the manufacturer would use, at least in some spots, so a third party will be needed.
Elizabeth, Does a stored or "retired" component experience aging of the capacitors and resistors at the same rate of speed as a component actually being used over the years?
You must have a verified phone number and physical address in order to post in the Audiogon Forums. Please return to Audiogon.com and complete this step. If you have any questions please contact Support.
