CHansen
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2010
- Posts
- 28
- Likes
- 16
Originally Posted by madwolf /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Wow, Madwolf!
Outstanding work! Thank you so much for your dedication and also sharing your observations.
One thing I have found is that 99% of all capacitors have copper-plated steel leads. This ruins any hope for good sound. It is difficult to find capacitors with pure copper leads. There are a few that you have missed:
Nippon Chemi-Con -- Neither model is listed in the US catalog, but the Japanese catalog lists both the ASH and AVH series as using copper leads. May be hard to find. The ASF series you tested has steel leads, even though it is part of their "audio" series.
Panasonic -- Both the FM and FC have steel leads and are not really contenders. In their brochures for their Blu-ray players, they brag a lot about the PZ series, also called "Pureism", which has copper leads. Oddly enough, they are not listed on either the US nor the Japanese websites. However, if you do a search on eBay you will find several vendors selling them. They come from China, so you have to cross your fingers and hope they are not fakes. But they are only a few dollars. When you get them, check the leads with magnet. If they are non-magnetic, they are probably genuine.
Toshin -- These are unheard of outside of Japan, despite the company being 48 years old! They have an audio line-up, but only the top model (UTSF) uses copper leads. So if you liked the USTJ, then the top model should be very good indeed. Steel leads make the sound very rough and grainy.
Sanyo OS-CON -- Here we have a sad story. For many, many years, they made an audio series with copper leads (through-hole only). But they have just re-organized (and simplified) their lineup. The copper leaded version has disappeared. They were the SP series, which you tested. As you were unimpressed, the newer ones are probably much worse.
Again, great, great work! Hopefully you will have a few extra dollars and a few extra hours to test some of these other interesting capacitors!
Thanks,
Charlie
Wow, Madwolf!
Outstanding work! Thank you so much for your dedication and also sharing your observations.
One thing I have found is that 99% of all capacitors have copper-plated steel leads. This ruins any hope for good sound. It is difficult to find capacitors with pure copper leads. There are a few that you have missed:
Nippon Chemi-Con -- Neither model is listed in the US catalog, but the Japanese catalog lists both the ASH and AVH series as using copper leads. May be hard to find. The ASF series you tested has steel leads, even though it is part of their "audio" series.
Panasonic -- Both the FM and FC have steel leads and are not really contenders. In their brochures for their Blu-ray players, they brag a lot about the PZ series, also called "Pureism", which has copper leads. Oddly enough, they are not listed on either the US nor the Japanese websites. However, if you do a search on eBay you will find several vendors selling them. They come from China, so you have to cross your fingers and hope they are not fakes. But they are only a few dollars. When you get them, check the leads with magnet. If they are non-magnetic, they are probably genuine.
Toshin -- These are unheard of outside of Japan, despite the company being 48 years old! They have an audio line-up, but only the top model (UTSF) uses copper leads. So if you liked the USTJ, then the top model should be very good indeed. Steel leads make the sound very rough and grainy.
Sanyo OS-CON -- Here we have a sad story. For many, many years, they made an audio series with copper leads (through-hole only). But they have just re-organized (and simplified) their lineup. The copper leaded version has disappeared. They were the SP series, which you tested. As you were unimpressed, the newer ones are probably much worse.
Again, great, great work! Hopefully you will have a few extra dollars and a few extra hours to test some of these other interesting capacitors!
Thanks,
Charlie
