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The hunt for a good High Voltage output cap - Page 2

post #16 of 30
10/24/09 at 12:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by qusp View Post
300uf, sounds perfect for you
In spite of their size, those Duelunds are beautiful!

Looks like he has them epoxied into paper/phenolic tubes.

se
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post #17 of 30
10/24/09 at 12:46am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by luvdunhill View Post
What caps have you tried? Anyways, perhaps it's not the caps that sound bad, but the designs themselves? That's what I'd wager at least.
It is more principle than practice. I have not tried an extensive range of output capacitors to be a good judge of their characteristics. In principle I believe that a cheap output cap to an incredible design will not sound as pleasant as a good cap to the same design. In that regard, I am looking to for a good output cap while working within the limitations of a few certain designs I've seen (such as the "fixed" SinglePower MPX3 I have).

This is certainly not to imply that the SinglePower MPX3 is a good design, once reverse-engineered, it looks simple and not very well done.

I have tested a few different caps in the MPX3 such as the stock, Pansonic TS-UP, BG NH, bypassed by Auricap and Vitamin Q. I also tested the "Jeff Rossell" BOM of the Bijou and thought it was seriously lacking. Having also played with the Millett MAX (many versions of it), I noticed that the output caps play a very large role in the sound and this is where my view takes a stand.
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post #18 of 30
10/24/09 at 12:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by FallenAngel View Post
It is more principle than practice. I have not tried an extensive range of output capacitors to be a good judge of their characteristics. In principle I believe that a cheap output cap to an incredible design will not sound as pleasant as a good cap to the same design. In that regard, I am looking to for a good output cap while working within the limitations of a few certain designs I've seen (such as the "fixed" SinglePower MPX3 I have).

This is certainly not to imply that the SinglePower MPX3 is a good design, once reverse-engineered, it looks simple and not very well done.

I have tested a few different caps in the MPX3 such as the stock, Pansonic TS-UP, BG NH, bypassed by Auricap and Vitamin Q. I also tested the "Jeff Rossell" BOM of the Bijou and thought it was seriously lacking. Having also played with the Millett MAX (many versions of it), I noticed that the output caps play a very large role in the sound and this is where my view takes a stand.
right, but perhaps the issue is capacitor-coupled designs all together? If you've never found a great sounding cap to use as an output cap in a OTL amp, perhaps all OTL amps sound bad? Surely you see my point!

Me thinks it's think to get away from OTL and build a DC-coupled amp, or a transformer coupled amp
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post #19 of 30
10/24/09 at 3:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Koyaan I. Sqatsi View Post
In spite of their size, those Duelunds are beautiful!

Looks like he has them epoxied into paper/phenolic tubes.

se
indeed they are, and likely 100% organic and guilt-free. no doubt about any of his caps IMO, simply the best sounding caps I have ever heard, but the $$..oh the $$ dropping some 3.9uf into my VALAB but thats another story

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Gilmore
I have some even bigger ones, 1000uf/1000v
teflon and probably copper foil...
hehe of course you do, wow @ a teflon cap of that size

Quote:
Originally Posted by luvdunhill
right, but perhaps the issue is capacitor-coupled designs all together? If you've never found a great sounding cap to use as an output cap in a OTL amp, perhaps all OTL amps sound bad? Surely you see my point!

Me thinks it's think to get away from OTL and build a DC-coupled amp, or a transformer coupled amp
yeah i'm really liking the idea of building a transformer coupled design for my next build. the idea of transformer coupling my buffalo32 has been playing on my mind as well

so FallenAngel any closer to making a choice?? still think the mundorf is in the lead of the caps yo wouldnt have top sell your kidney for
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post #20 of 30
10/24/09 at 1:19pm
Just offhand, I do have a box (75 or so) of the Rubycon photoflash caps, 300v 410uF that are .75" x 1.5" or so. I also have some Aerovox 350v 1500uF (about 75% the diameter of a soda can), in addition to all sorts of 370v motor run caps (ASC, China Motors, etc).

Might also look at Obbligato, which is really reasonable for the $$$.
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post #21 of 30
10/25/09 at 5:00pm
what do commercial OTL amps use for output caps?
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post #22 of 30
10/25/09 at 7:03pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by nullstring View Post
what do commercial OTL amps use for output caps?
Either crap or $3 Panasonic TS series.
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post #23 of 30
10/25/09 at 7:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by nullstring View Post
what do commercial OTL amps use for output caps?
Craig puts a custom soybean oil impregnated output cap in the Zana. But I think they're very expensive, something like $60 or $70 each. They sound wonderful.
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post #24 of 30
10/25/09 at 7:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by nullstring View Post
what do commercial OTL amps use for output caps?
Audiovalve uses BC snap in caps.

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post #25 of 30
10/25/09 at 9:09pm
With multiple power supplies you can remove the output cap on
every single OTL technology...
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post #26 of 30
10/26/09 at 12:16pm
jensen 4 poles or blackgates nh
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post #27 of 30
10/26/09 at 2:23pm
Electrolytic Capacitor Catalog - SMD Film Capacitors, Radial-Leaded Film Capacitors and Electrolytic Capacitors from Evox Rifa.
How about Evox?

I've seen their non-polarized film caps in some fantastic DIY tube preamp circuits. Haven't heard comments on the electrolytics though.

Good hunting.
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post #28 of 30
10/26/09 at 5:57pm
I've got a bunch of ASC 600uF 500v poly caps. I may be willing to part with a pair.
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post #29 of 30
10/26/09 at 6:35pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by angchuck View Post
jensen 4 poles or blackgates nh
Experience or hear-say?

Quote:
Originally Posted by whitelabrat View Post
I've got a bunch of ASC 600uF 500v poly caps. I may be willing to part with a pair.
As long as they're not monstrous in size, I would absolutely love a few.
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post #30 of 30
10/26/09 at 6:52pm
Would you like keg beer or Texas crude with your meal sir? =]
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