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In Reply to: RE: can you please provide correct info posted by madisonears on January 05, 2016 at 19:05:41
Googling. Easy...
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I know nothing about this particular piece of gear, but 47uF seems like a gigantic value for a coupling capacitor in the circuit of a piece of solid state gear. So, I am wondering what that capacitor is really doing in the circuit. Perhaps it is a decoupler, to isolate the power supply to a gain stage from other stages in the circuit. The Klyne preamplifier that I own uses electroytics of similar value for that purpose.
Thanks for that. I have not heard of, or heard, the KW. Nichicon makes a confusing array of caps, and I can't be familiar with all types. I wonder how much difference there really is.
My advice stands: KZ is among the better available. That one I have heard, and it's very nicely balanced between detail and fullness, well worth the modest increase in price from lower grades.
Peace,
Tom E
I was pretty sure I'd heard of Nichicon KW before, so I did a search. Then I remembered that I actually have two sitting here, waiting to be installed in the filament supply of my tube preamp.
One of the two caps I had in there started leaking. I replaced both of them with a couple of caps I had on hand, but they were only 3,300 µF, and I've found the sound improves with more capacitance. I bought two 22,000 µF Nichicon KW for that position.
By the way, thank you for your take on the KZ and Elna Silmac. The original poster was asking about signal path, but have you done any comparisons of these (or other) electrolytics in power supply use?
I'm not sure Silmic's are available in PS sizes. Local decoupling, yes, which is where I use them sporadically in my amps. For main power reservoirs, I stick pretty much with Panasonic TSHA. They are rated at 105C and have low ESR and sound just fine. I have used the Mundorf AG 'lytic caps in a power amp, and, while the bass seems a bit more energetic and the mids a bit more tangible, I'm not sure they're worth the substantial premium. For ultimate fidelity or the financially privileged, perhaps, but not for the working class budget.
I don't believe that any capacitor is the best at everything, which is why I intentionally mix them up (and resistors) within a single component. Of course, channels are matched, but at different places within a channel I employ different brands and types. Inside my power amps there are Panny TSHA, Elna Silmic, Panny FM, and BG Std. In another pair of amps I use Nichicon KZ's instead of BG's, and they're nearly as good. Resistors: Vishay naked Z-foil, various Caddocks, Shinkoh tants, Susumu SMT, PRP, Vishay metal film. Film caps: Jupiter copper foil/beeswax paper, Amtrans film/foil, ERO styrene/foil, WIMA FKP, MKP, silver/mica, etc.
Peace,
Tom E
The problem with implementing ELNA Silmic caps in tube gear is more their voltage rating than their size in uF. I think the upper limit is 50V, but perhaps some lower uF values are available at 100V rating, tops. This is a problem, of course, for tube PSs but not usually for solid state PSs. In uF value, they do go up to at least 220uF/50V, which is quite handy in a PS. I've never searched for higher value ones, but maybe...
Edits: 01/14/16
220 µF, 100 Volt is the highest value avalable, according to the Elna® RFS (Silmic II) spec sheet (link below)
"Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be. 'Cause now I'm an amputee" J. Lennon
Edits: 06/30/18
That all depends on the power supply. I recently built the Pete Millett LR phono circuit, which uses a +/- 15V bi-polar power source. I'm currently powering it with a supply I already had, while I make a decision on the power supply. If I go with the PS board I bought from Pete, the Silmic's come in the correct value, 1,000 µF, 25V, but they'd physically never fit his board.
I do have room to squeeze in two Silmics at one end of the board, after the output of the regulators. After doing my homework on the regulators Pete calls for, LM2991T and LM2941T, the spec sheet calls for not using too low an ESR cap on the output. For that reason alone, the Silmics will be a better choice than the Nichicon HE caps I'd use before the regulators. It will also follow your "mix them up" advice.
I agree with you about the Panasonic TSHA. I've also used the TSHB. They both measure very well on my ESR meter, are reliable, and reasonably priced.
Thanks for the feedback on various components you've had success with. Much appreciated.
Below is a link to a comparison of the "sound" of various electrolytic caps in the power supply of a SS Marantz 2220B receiver. It's only one man's opinion, but he likes the Silmics over Panasonic FC, Elna Cerafine, and Nichicon KZ.
Here's another shoot-out , where the tester liked the Silmic even over the legendary Black Gate caps for power supply use. These posts, along with the Nelson Pass comment I linked to in another post in this thread were leaning me toward the Silmics. But, as always, there's no substitute for personal experience.
Thanks again.
I have not used these in the PS. But I have used them in the audio path.
Generally I found the Elna Silmac to be soft on top to even a little rolled off. High praise aside I didn't care for it.
But it does have a great tube like sound - otherwise.
I appreciate the feedback on the Elna Silmic caps, although Nelson Pass, for one, would disagree with you. Or he did, in 2009, anyway (link below). I have read similar takes to yours before, that their top is soft.
I have an old, James Bongiorno designed SAE power amp, which I've owned since 1976. Given its bright sound, Silmic caps in the signal path seem like they might be a good choice.
Thanks again for your take on the Silmics.
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