[Born2bwire]

My MG Head OTL is in the shop to replace a defective and while it's being worked on, I'm looking into having some of the stuff modded. Primarily, that damn powerline is going to be replaced by a shielded one and the tech opted to upgrade the Jensen Multicaps on the amp. However, he's recommending some cheaper GE capacitors. I haven't heard anyone rave about them before but he seems to swear by them. What's your take on these caps or should I go with a different brand, and if so, which ones would you recommend he install?

 

[puppyslugg]

GE polypropylenes? polyesters?

 

[Born2bwire]

Good question. I'll have to find out that on Tuesday, the guy's only in on Tuesday *grumble*. Is it too much to ask your impressions on both of them?

 

[puppyslugg]

Hi Born2wire,

I don't know much about the composition of the Jensen Multicaps. They may be better than the GE caps. If you are going to change them to the GE's, use the polypropylenes. Ask for the Jensen caps from the tech., in case the GE's don't work out.

I never used the GE's, so I can't really give you an impression. But generally speaking, polyprops usually are the choice of diyers. Some are better than others. The Jensen 'Mulitcap', to me, implies that it may be a bunch of smaller caps wired in parallel to obtain the desired value. As such, they don't need to be bypassed by a small value cap. But I would still bypass them anyway. That's probably just me.

BTW: What was being repaired on your MG?

 

[Budgie]

Thats what I have been using! I have a small supply of GE caps that use polypropelene in a non-pcb oil that GE calls "Dielektrol 4". The sound is simply the best I have heard from any cap.

 

[puppyslugg]

Budgie,
Quote:

...polypropelene in a non-pcb oil that GE calls "Dielektrol 4". The sound is simply the best I have heard from any cap.

That's very interesting. Are they still available? Source?

Thx.

 

[Budgie]

I have a few left, that I bought from a surplus outlet here in Portland, Or. The biggest problem is the size. These are not small at 2 inches wide by 2 3/4 tall and 1 1/2 deep. I will post a picture.

 

[Born2bwire]

The main point that the tech made was something along the lines that the leads were part of the dielectric or the material of the capacitor instead of being soldered on or attached to the capacitor, or something like that.

 

[Budgie]

Those sound different from what I am using, but I am very interested in finding out what the part number or description of those caps is.

Mine look like this-
http://www.spiritone.com/~bdg/IMGP0008.JPG

The first place I used them was in my speaker crossovers, they are so much better then the Solens I had used that it was incredible. I have sinced also used them for coupling caps with excellent results too. They sound better then the MIT's multicaps I had used before. Smoother and much more naturel sounding. In the past I had tried N.O.S. paper in oil caps and they sounded kinda fuzzy and rolled off to me, so I wasn't expecting much, but now I will use them any where I can fit them.

 

[puppyslugg]

Budgie,

Thanks for the link. They look like serious caps! They don't appear to be for board mounting.

Wouldn't mind having a couple.

 

[puppyslugg]

Born2bwire,

If the tech are using the ones Budgie have, you may something going on.

I read your bio:

Biography: Yeah, I watch it all the time on A&E.

Cute! Kids! (shaking my head)

 

[Born2bwire]

Hmmm, if they're that size, I doubt it, this is on a PC board. Eh, I'll just have to talk to him on Tuesday (so evil being only in on one day).

 

[Born2bwire]

Quote:

Originally posted by puppyslugg BTW: What was being repaired on your MG?

I just saw this. Both Orpheus' and mine have defective volume pots. The balance is skewed at low volumes, and I listen in this region but if you test it at like a 12 oclock position, the levels are even. Taking bleeding forever to get fixed though.

Edit: I just looked at my original post, wow, talk about dropping a necessary noun. Sorry.

 

[Born2bwire]

Ok, got the amp back, still got some grumblings about it, but that's a different post. The caps don't look new (i.e. modern), their rather plain looking, white with red lettering. I believe the model is 40L6222, though there's another number on it, 90-2100. Any revelations with this piece of info?

 

[gdahl]

Many of the GE oil/poly caps sound superb. They tend to be pretty darn expensive brand new. Depending upon value and voltage rating, they are often in the $35 - $100 range! They are designed for a variety of specific purposes, such as motor start, motor run, SCR snubbers, etc. When you can find values you need through surplus channels, they can be a real bargain. I have used them in power supplies and speaker crossovers. In some cases they also can be good for coupling.

The oil seems to provide some mechanical damping, which results in less "capacitor sound". People who experiment with various types of capacitors and listen carefully to the sonic results report fairly consistently that each type of material (plastic film, oil/paper, etc.) has its own "sound". There is less agreement on which of these sounds is preferable; it seems to depend on taste and synergy with one's system.

Apparently not all oil/poly caps are created equal. I bought some oil/poly caps (non-GE) that are currently easy to obtain from popular suppliers of parts to builders of tube equipment. They didn't sound good at all, and as a matter of fact were quite microphonic! When doing frequency sweeps with a test signal on the tube amp in which they were installed (in the power supply), the caps actually "sang" mechanically in the 5-6kHz region! Needless to say, we got rid of those caps promptly.

But for some reason, the GE's seem to work especially well.