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Anyone compared ASC Oils vs. Clarity Cap TCs? Or other suggestions

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Posted on June 24, 2016 at 14:13:56
banpuku
Audiophile

Posts: 1008
Joined: January 19, 2006
 I currently have 50uF ASC Oils caps in my power supply. Wondering how they would compare to Clarity Cap TCs or other alternatives. If ASC Oils are the ticket, then please let me know and I will quit worrying about them as a potential upgrade component.

Here is the power supply schematic. Any input would be appreciated.



 

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RE: Anyone compared ASC Oils vs. Clarity Cap TCs? Or other suggestions, posted on June 25, 2016 at 10:56:33
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 Pat
What are you building here? I'd like to see you power those ESL63s with a 2A3 SET amp.. As far as PS caps go,the ASC motor-runs are as good as anyone elses because you are using them in the power supply to filter 120hz.They spec very well and sound very good and they are oil caps..The ASC are mass marketed in industrial applications so some will say they can't perform as well as a cap that is made to cater to audio and that just isn't true.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: Anyone compared ASC Oils vs. Clarity Cap TCs? Or other suggestions, posted on June 26, 2016 at 10:53:25
DAK
Audiophile

Posts: 2712
Location: PACIFIC
Joined: August 8, 2010
 It seems to me that you should replace the Sprague Atom in the C1 position. IME, your best quality cap should go there. At the least a film cap like Solen or Panasonic DC link would be a step up from the Sprague. They are almost the same size too.

 

RE: Anyone compared ASC Oils vs. Clarity Cap TCs? Or other suggestions, posted on June 27, 2016 at 05:32:44
jetrexpro
Audiophile

Posts: 57
Joined: April 19, 2010
 I don't think there is a right or wrong answer. It depends on what your sonic goals are. If you love the sound of your system with the ASC oils in your power supply leave them in. They are probably giving you lots of texture. At least that's what motor run oils did in my power supply.

If your sound is a bit to dark with too much texture you could gain more clarity with the new Kaisei caps by Audio Note. I use these caps in my c3m-300b amp because the oils sounded a bit too dark for my tastes.

I have not tried Clarity Cap TCs so I don't know what they would do to the sound. The caps in your power supply are a large part of how your amp sounds.

 

RE: Anyone compared ASC Oils vs. Clarity Cap TCs? Or other suggestions, posted on June 27, 2016 at 10:25:38
banpuku
Audiophile

Posts: 1008
Joined: January 19, 2006
 My main thrust for upgrading the PS caps is to improve the dynamics and impact of the sound. I like the tonal balance (with the exception of a slight upper midrange glare) but need more meat and weight to the dynamic impact of pizzicato string snaps and cymbal crashes. I am not a fan of Solen, so I was thinking of spending a couple of bucks on something like Obbligato, Mundorf, MCap Supreme, Clarity Cap MR.

Any thoughts on using these in the C1 position?

 

RE: Anyone compared ASC Oils vs. Clarity Cap TCs? Or other suggestions, posted on June 27, 2016 at 10:27:07
banpuku
Audiophile

Posts: 1008
Joined: January 19, 2006
 Mikey, I don't want to spoil my surprise review that I have forthcoming, but the 2a3 is driving the ESL 63 quiet nicely within certain limits. More to come.

 

RE: Anyone compared ASC Oils vs. Clarity Cap TCs? Or other suggestions, posted on June 27, 2016 at 10:46:18
DAK
Audiophile

Posts: 2712
Location: PACIFIC
Joined: August 8, 2010
 Sorry i have no experience with Clarity or Obbligato. The Mundorf is good but i used it in a PP amp which i rebuilt but i did not like the sound from the amp which is probably the fault of the electrolytics not the Mundorf. For C1 i have tried the following film caps, vintage PIO, Solen, Panasonic, Mundorf, ASC, some others. But the Panasonic DC Link seemed to sound the best right out of the box. But after a long breakin they all seem to be pretty close sound wise. I have 4 SE pentode amps that i use often. 2 have Solen, 1 has Panasonic, 1 vintage GE PIO 20uf x 600vdc, 1 ASC. And other than small differences they all sound really good on my speakers. I have also tried several 845 SET commercially made amps on my speakers and my own amps sound very very close to those amps. In fact the only thing better was a hair more resolution for the 845. All the 845 amps had electrolytics in the power supply. All my amps have power supplies that are LCLC or CLCLC with no electrolytics in the ps. Besides overall dynamics, speed and slam, film caps give better resolution in the bass. More easily seperating the different instruments like the bass guitar playing the same notes along with the drums or organ. I hope that helps, Dak

 

RE: Anyone compared ASC Oils vs. Clarity Cap TCs? Or other suggestions, posted on June 27, 2016 at 12:56:10
banpuku
Audiophile

Posts: 1008
Joined: January 19, 2006
 Thanks DAK!

Pat

 

RE: Anyone compared ASC Oils vs. Clarity Cap TCs? Or other suggestions, posted on June 28, 2016 at 00:29:11
91derlust
Audiophile

Posts: 1101
Joined: December 25, 2014
 Hi banpuku,

I have ASC Blue Lines in my current amp and the Clarity TCs lined up for my next build... but will go back to the ASCs (or Clarity ESAs) if the TCs don't sound as I'd like.

Looking at that PS schema, the 2x 50uF may not provide a low enough impedance to your output tube if it is a 2A3 run at std operating points - this could affect dynamics. I would suggest trying at least 100uF per channel/tube, though I can't guarantee anything. Still, try it with the TCs and see what you get.

I'd like to pony up for MRs in the PS, but even bypassing my cathode R with them 24uF MRs is costly...

Cheers,
91.

"Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems to characterise our age." Albert Einstein

 

I am not big fan f Solen caps either but...., posted on June 28, 2016 at 09:48:53
Cougar
Audiophile

Posts: 4574
Location: SoCal
Joined: June 25, 2001
 when used in the power supply they are very good and hard to beat without spending a tremendous amount of cash. I used a 47uf cap in the power supply of my Counterpoint SA-1000 preamp with great results and way better than the original cap that was in there.

Also I had a Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 signature preamp that had Solen caps in the power supply and that was a great sounding preamp. So don't count them out. For anything else the Solen's are just ok.

Hope this helps!

 

Sorry! That F was a typo and not a letter for a bad word! LOL!, posted on June 28, 2016 at 09:50:25
Cougar
Audiophile

Posts: 4574
Location: SoCal
Joined: June 25, 2001
 nt.

 

RE: Anyone compared ASC Oils vs. Clarity Cap TCs? Or other suggestions, posted on June 29, 2016 at 11:06:27
banpuku
Audiophile

Posts: 1008
Joined: January 19, 2006
 91, thanks for the info. I have just looked at some other 2a3 schematics and yes, they do show 100uF caps. The ClarityCap TC that would fit in my chassis just right would be the 175uF cap, as the diameter of the 100uF is too small for the exiting hole and mounting clamp. Therefore would a 175uF cap instead of a 100uF cap cause any issues?

Thanks, Pat

 

RE: Anyone compared ASC Oils vs. Clarity Cap TCs? Or other suggestions, posted on June 29, 2016 at 15:55:06
91derlust
Audiophile

Posts: 1101
Joined: December 25, 2014
 Hi Pat,

Without modelling it, in the PS outlined in your schematic I would expect it to be fine.

I am curious to hear what you think of the TCs as I will be putting these in my next amp (I have already bought them). I run The ASCs in my current amp, which is sounding mighty nice at the moment...

I am about to change my output stage cathode bypasses from Mundorf M-Cap to Evo Oil. But, I really need to make some headway on my next amp build.

Cheers,
91.

"Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems to characterise our age." Albert Einstein

 

RE: Anyone compared ASC Oils vs. Clarity Cap TCs? Or other suggestions, posted on June 29, 2016 at 18:04:00
banpuku
Audiophile

Posts: 1008
Joined: January 19, 2006
 I had good luck using the clarity cap tc in the power supply of a prior amp. So, I feel good about going in this direction.

FYI. Recently , I started using the new Jupiter Condenser copper caps in the coupling position. They are great. Spacious silent, tonal balance, extension. Deep sound stage due to a dark, low noise floor.

 

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