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Advice please: cathode and power supply capacitors

Posted by 91derlust (A) on July 3, 2015 at 19:32:08

I am finalising plans for my second SET amp build and would like some advice regarding capacitors.

Many of the informative forum discussions on this or related topics are from 10+ years ago. Since then BGs have disappeared; ASC's Blueline and ClarityCap' TC series audio power supply series have been created; there are more "affordable" metalized dry films available, where once there was mainly Solen in large enough values and so on.

Coupling capacitors have been discussed at length and people's preferences regarding coupling capacitors are well known. But, it seems that what works well as a coupling capacitor may not work well as a cathode bypass or local power supply decoupling capacitor and vice versa. I assume there are different desired technical characteristics for coupling, cathode and power supply capacitors. I also understand that film & foil capacitors can be prohibitively expensive in these positions.

So in SET amps, 1/ what are the sonic and technical characteristics that make capacitors suitable for the cathode circuit and power supply and 2/ what capacitors have people used and prefer to use in these locations?

For example, capacitors described as sounding very warm or muted when used in coupling positions are described as sounding fast and natural used as the local power supply decoupling capacitor, e.g. quality motor runs bypassed with NOS PIO capacitors. Is this because motor runs are ideally suited to the power supply role OR because they sound faster and smoother than available alternatives (e.g. 'lytics and Solen) but more muted than the film & foils used for coupling? If the later, does the argument for metalized film oilers hold up against the better affordable dry metalized films, possibly bypassed with true metal foils? What are people's experiences - what have you tried and what do you prefer?

I am also curious about the cathode bypasses - what would be ideal in this location; what to people prefer?

The amp I am building has been designed with cathode capacitors. I ask that we please stay on topic: no posts banging on about no cap is better than any cap and that amps with cathode bypasses are broken ad nauseam. It is not relevant to my question/s.

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.

Regards,
91.

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

Edits: 07/03/15

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