[Alcaudon]

Just wondering if anyone has ever used Elna Starget caps. Are they better than Panasonic FM?? According to the price they should, but............. Seems like Elna is not making them anymore (They are no ROHS compliant), and I´m thinking of getting a few now that they are still available.

Oh!, and I know that there are better choices, but those are just for non signal path positions, I can't afford Black Gates or SilmicII everywhere

Thanks!!!!!!

 

[kipman725]

non signal path get the cheapest that you are sure will not blow up (both of them are good capacitor brands). Non ROHS parts are fine.. you just cant mass produce things and sell products that don't need them (so only companies need worry about it).

 

[mono]

Is the Starget a special formulation? Elna doesn't necessarily make inherantly "better" caps than everybody else within same type of cap, regardless of price, but if they chose a special formulation (like Cerafine) it is just a result of that which could make it better for some purposes.

I vaguely recall Starget isn't very low ESR so it may be worse than the Panasonic FM, or it may not matter (you didn't mention the application).

 

[balou]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kipman725 /img/forum/go_quote.gif non signal path get the cheapest that you are sure will not blow up (both of them are good capacitor brands).

did you mean the cheapest of the two or the cheapeast you could find? because I surely wouldn't get the cheapest high ESR, 2000h max lifetime, off-brand capacitor...

 

[Alcaudon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by balou /img/forum/go_quote.gif did you mean the cheapest of the two or the cheapeast you could find? because I surely wouldn't get the cheapest high ESR, 2000h max lifetime, off-brand capacitor...

That's exactly what I mean. I`m not sure if the Starget are good enough for signal path, (never tried them, I prefer cerafines) but surely they perform better than off-brand caps in no signal positions (I think that capacitors in the power supply affect sound). The question is: are they worth or should I stick with FM's?

 

[mono]

You are missing the point in that in power rail positions, depending on your needs, Panasonic FMs outperform, are MUCH better than Stargets if the difference matters at all.

So the real question is do you want a good cap like the Panasonic FM (which is not an "off brand") or is there a reason to deliberately choose a worse one (aiming for higher ESR). Do not think of the FM as a generic cap there are plenty of general purpose caps in Panasonic and other lines the FM is so popular because it is not a generic rather a mission-specific good candidate.

In other words, Alcaudon you need to "unlearn" what you thought you knew. Of the two, Stargets are inferior but in some cases stability is effected positively by choosing an inferior cap.

 

[erin]

deleted post

 

[here7423]

Haven't tried the FM. Stargets:bass thick and fast. vocals sweet,highs soft.