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I came across the stock coupling caps that came with Cary SLI-80 amplifier (PIO Audio 1). They were collecting dust for more than five years after being replaced with Jensen PIO caps. They look similar to VitQ caps and Russian K40-Y caps, but, as I have neither K-40 nor Vit Qs, I post a pic for Asylum experts to diagnose their origin.
Follow Ups:
If I remember right, they are paper in oil caps that Cary sold as "upgrades" (they probably put these caps as stock in their better amps). They are one reason why the Cary amps have that somewhat bloated character. I would use a better cap such as polystyrene film or teflon. I don't know how the Jenson PIO caps compare, but if they are like other paper in oil caps, ditch them too.
The other thing that Cary did (at least they did this in my SLA70B amps) is use a tube regulator followed by a bank of very high capacitance, but no choke. I changed out the cheap oversized (high esr) capacitors with Elna Cerefine capacitors to good effect. Even these capacitors should be bypassed with a much smaller, high voltage capacitor (which would have a very low esr).
Retsel
I don't care for Teflon caps at all in my system and you don't like PIO.
Caps are system and circuit dependent and there is no *best* just what works best for you. ;-)
They look like a Vitamin Q but not labeled as such. The K40 cases are different.
I figure that the lack fo comments means that the Audio 1 caps have nothing to do with VitQ or Russian K40-Y caps...
Dennis Had used VitQ CAPS until the supply ran dry.Is it hard for you to get K40s in Russia? That's the favorite on the audio asylum of most people for putting in the mix..You have it made being in Russia as you should be able to get all kinds..
Honest amplification is better than excessive 2nd order distortion anytime.
For the time being, the Cary amp is equipped with Jensen PIO caps, and I don't think they are worse than K-40. And the Cary amp is far from being the best amp im my small collection of modern amps to bother with caps upgrades...
You say that like the K40 is a bad cap. That's a wonderful sounding cap and very well made and in places with higher DC voltages they sound incredible..The Jensen does as well but they aren't hermetically sealed.
Honest amplification is better than excessive 2nd order distortion anytime.
Mike,
I did not mean that the K40 is a bad cap - I just meant to say that the Jensens are at least in the same league. Most K40 sellers within my reach are in Ukraine, and you know the situation. However, if I manage to find some locally, I will buy and try them.
I have a sli-80 and like it, but I'm always looking for upgrades. What tube integrated do you like better that's no more expensive than the sli-80, but has some of the same strengths?
When Cary's founder Dennis Had and I went to work on making a better SLI-80, we used Jensen oil/copper caps. A bit of thought went into that and it was the best choice.
We also put hexfreds in the power supply and that helped with bass "pop". We wired the CD input with Kimber Kable,which is why it's great to buy an amp with point to point wiring. It's easier to service and upgrade. We changed the input selector to a Grayhill, and that was a major improvement. Lastly we put real WBT speaker terminals in. I am sure that Cary would do the work for you but it would cost $$$.
I have three SLI-80's that are used going up for sale. They are not F1's but one of them had a lot of upgrades. All three were traded in for the PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium. The Cary is superb, so if you have one you have a great amp. But it's not competitive. And there is also a new DiaLogue Premium HP that will be available in three weeks.
If you keep the SLI-80, the best change you can make is the two 6922's. That's where the rubber meets the road. Bass on the SLI-80 is a little light, so using an Amperex 7308 is great. Or if you want to do it on the cheap use a PCC88 of some sort. I would choose a Telefunken E88CC if I could use anything.
Kevin,
As 6922 tubes, I am using the "green print" gold pins 7308s (don't remember the designation). The first NOS 6922 tubes were orange globe gold pins 6922 bought from Brent Jessee. They sound different - the 6922's more warm and romantic, while the 7308s are more robust and linear.
My tech wonders if you use hexfreds, you still use a tube rectification?
The 7308 is warmer on top and has a fatter bass. I love them. Amperex 6922 and the Holland made 6922 are also excellent. Two different colors. If your Amperex 6922 are warmer...I would be curious about the condition of the two tubes you are comparing.
As to the hexfreds in the power supply, the SLI-80 from what I have been told is NOT strictly tube rectified. Contact Cary about that. I like tube rectification in preamps, but in a power amp...not so much.
The E188CC Amperex is my favourite, but I also like Siemens and Mallard tubes. Speaking on Amperex, to the exclusion of the rest, I like those made in Holland, even the E88CC, which are also excellent in many versions/these I like best for their sweet sift, yet very clear, open, or airy sound.
I think the US made military 7308 and the PQ for civilian market, otherwise they are the same? The US made Amperex are a little different sounding, but they are more similar than different? The Holland made Amperex seem to have a mix of Telefunken sound? I like Telefunken, but I have had so few and so long ago, I am describing by memory.
If the E88CC is the same as a 6922, then I would have to think the 7308 is not always better than the 6992 Amperex? I have seen Amperex labelled PQ with E188CC and E88CC, are they really so different? I think the E188CC/7208 are more closely matched triodes than the E88CC/6922?
I think it is more a question of when they are made, and where, more than E188CC and E88CC? Same with the name; some Mullard tubes are made in Holland, and some RTC, were made in the UK and are Mullard. Most of my old tubes are RTC and I have some Siemens, most from the 60s.
I looked for the Amperex tubes in the USA and found Amperex, with PQ in orange print, these I am sure, are later made tubes. They also sound very nice and are the 6992.
I think tubes were at their height in the years, from the 1950s to the early 70s, and that was when tubes were made best.
Hi Gregg,
The one which is hooked up sounds more accurate - it's a push-pull KT88-based Hans Audio amp made in Taiwan to my order 5 years ago. It was much cheaper but the shipment alone was nearly $800 as its net weight is 38 kg!
What I don't like in Cary is its persistent slow character. Perhaps, it will disappear if I replace vintage tubes with stock ones (including Ruby/Svetlana 6550C)?
I think I use Electro-Harmonix KT88s.
..hooked up the Cary again..With jazz music (Ben Webster and Associated), the impression was quite favorable.
...and the output tubes are JAN GE 6550.
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