[Andrew Pielet]

http://www.audionote.co.uk/

 

[aos]

We've already discussed that a few months ago. Apparently, our money is not good enough for them any more. They want more. Corporate greed knows no bounds.

 

[TheReaper]

A damn shame. Maybe this is a marketing ploy?

 

[aos]

Quote:

A damn shame. Maybe this is a marketing ploy?

That's one of the theories. Apparently they have done similar things in the past, according to some people in the other post. It's greed either way.

 

[Andrew Pielet]

I guess I am a bit behind in the DIY world. I just picked up 18 to recap all caps in both my Audiovalve monos. I thought I lucked out, but I guess they are just rounding up some more buyers. I didn't hear about it until yesterday.

 

[Earwax]

Are Black Gates really that good compared to Muse or Cerafines or ordinary low ESR Nichicon or Panasonics?

 

[dokebi]

What i'm worried about is the chance of fakes popping up after they're all gone due to demand. Bootlegging a black and gold label shouldnt be hard. A fake blackgate 470uf 16v label on a cheap 1000uf 16v cap.

 

[aos]

They are probably the most useable in signal path, as I'm not aware of other high end non-polar capacitors. As for power supply bypassing, other caps might work just fine. I don't think it's that noticeable but some people dissagree.

The other issue is that no other audiophile type of electrolytic cap is readily available in small DIY quantities. I might be wrong though, but your only other choice is to order e.g. Cerafines from your local supplier but you'll have to order in large quantities or do a group buys.

And there is the "fire and forget" status of these caps - i.e. if you wanted to make sure you've topped up whatever thing you were making, you'd just routinely stuff it with Black Gates and be "sure" it's "maxed out" (note the quotes, they mean "in somebody's opinion"). Now people have to figure out what is the new "king".

On the other hand, lack of overpriced and overhyped capacitors can mean lower cost of DIY...

 

[drewd]

I kind of look on the announcement with a little suspicion because I've been buying them from Takeda Machinery for the past few months and they haven't said anything to me about discontinuing the line. But who knows, maybe I'm just small potatoes, so they're not wasting too much time with me.

BTW, I can't hear a difference between Black Gates and Cerafines or Tonerexes as a power supply, nor can I hear a difference between Black Gates or good polypropylene caps. But I build with them for people who claim they can, or people who want to make a statement (sometimes I think they are one and the same).

-Drew

 

[Garbz]

Now i remember seing that anoucement ages ago. Since then i've bought black gates from THL audio. THey don't seem to be having troubles sourceing them.

This is all stupid marketing ploy and if audionote were in Australia i would have sent the ACCC a few nasty messages and AudioNote would have been slapped with many a $75000 fines for breach of Trade Practices Act.

Also do you honestly think that even if Rubycon wen't bankrupt tomorrow that the supply of black gates would stop? Would Jelmax just sit on one of their finest products covered with many patents? No the would approach or more likely be approced by the likes of ELNA etc.