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Question About Capacitor Upgrade in Tube Amp

Hi,

I am preparing to do a coupling capacitor upgrade on a recently purchased tube integrated amp. The two 0.22uF on the preamp tubes are fairly straight forward. But I noticed another similar model 0.33uF cap on the large filter capacitor for the B+ supply that is installed across the hot lead to ground.

Does this cap on the B+ just block high frequency noise from the power supply or does it have any effect on the amp tone? Is there any reason to "upgrade" this cap?

I know it may be hard to tell exactly what is going on without a schematic.

Also any recommendations on a good cap to use in the upgrade of the coupling caps? I was looking at Mundorf SilverGoldOil for the quality at not too crazy a price. The amp already sounds good but lacks a little clarity that I think a coupling cap swap will help with. It is SET 300B amp.

Thank you!

 

calieng
zipost's avatar
zipost
197 posts
 

On SET amps the key here is not just Caps, resistors and etc but the trannies are the keys elements which will make the amps sound best.   To me it doesn’t make sense to put a $500 caps ( duelund)  on a $1k amp, You are not going take or make that amps sound like a $10k amp. Yes improvement, for sure there would improve compare to the original parts but to what extent, cost and time?  So to summarize it up i personally would not spend so much on caps upgrade unless i know what trannies that are fitted on the unit.  

zipost's avatar
zipost
197 posts
 

Alex 

Does anyone compared directly:

1. Vcap CuTf vs Mundorf Supreme Silver Gold Oil?

 

Vcap Cutf is in the class by itself if untilizing in electronics application. If you are using it for speakers then the Mundorf SGO is a much better cap on speakers. 

calieng OP
144 posts
 

i personally would not spend so much on caps upgrade unless i know what trannies that are fitted on the unit.  

The amp comes out of the same factory a Cayin and PrimaLuna. I have seen it reported that there is some amount of sharing of parts. The transformers are indeed decent.

For the Muzishare amps they are made in the Line Magnetic factory. And once again some comments online and photos indicating identical components being used.

Electrolytics are Nichicon so just for the Willsenton they cheaped out on the coupling capacitors.

terry9
2,253 posts
 

In a break-out box, I have compared V-caps with Solen teflon f&f  and Relcap teflon f&f. The latter are good and quite similar IMO, and the V-caps are bright. To my ears, in my system, in my comparison. YMMV.

liquidsound's avatar
liquidsound
146 posts
 

Lots of great recommendations and suggestions on upgrading.  I for one really believe in it.  I went from Janzens to Duelund copper CAST coupling capacitors in my tube-preamp and at first, I thought not such a good upgrade, but after ~100-hours of break-in, wow...  Increased inner detail and for lack of a better term, body in the music. My good friend has a pair of Welborne 300-B SET's that we're going to do a component upgrade to sometime next year.  They sound surprisingly great for their cost and what they are.  Simple circuit and all...  I believe they will sound notably better with these upgrades.  As many have said, please don't judge the switch until you've given some time for break-in !  

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