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Hi Guys
I am a big fan of Auricap as coupling caps for my amps. Cheap and good in many application.
Now that they have discontinued production and came up the new model, can anyone tell me what they know about the "new" Auricap and how different they are in sound quality.
I also hear that the name may be the same, but the manufacturer is different.
Any news?
What else is worth trying?
Cheers
Will
Follow Ups:
Hi Will,I have never used AuriCaps (because the ones I saw use stranded leads ... and I only use solid-core wiring in the main components of my system - which is all DIY, so I can be sure of this!! :-)) ).
However, I have used SoniCap Platinums, which I have found to be good - also Mundorf Silver in Oil.
I also bought 4 pairs of 1uF AmpOhm (on the basis of the Humble HiFi review) and I could send you up a pair, to trial, if you were interested. (I will use them in the next version of the phono stage I am building ... but I haven't tried them yet.)
However, a mate of mine in Tassie just introduced some Duelund caps into a Vitus phono stage ... and he said this gave a major sonic upgrade. Before, it was on a par with the phono stage I had sold him (plus his Zyx 'Artisan') but after, the Vitus was streets ahead! :-)) (However, they are mighty pricey! :-(( )
Good luck,
Andy
Edits: 08/06/12 08/06/12 08/06/12
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A killer cap I have recently auditioned in coupling duty is the Audyn True Copper. I tried Clarity SA (dull, dull, dull), Mundorf SIO (sweetly detailed highs and mids with weak bass--for tweeters only), Obbligato copper tube (echo chamber effect), Fostex copper foil (tonally beautiful but flat soundstage), Sonicap Gen I (best value, for sure: nice tonality, a little rolled off, very spacious, but subtly resonant midrange), and Mundorf silver/gold bypass (no bypass is acceptable--sounded like two stereos playing at once). The Audyn cap, available directly from Germany but not in US, is the most realistic cap I have ever heard. It creates a 3D soundstage, has a warm, detailed high end, blah, blah, blah. It's the best I've heard, period. Not for everyone, as it will not give you a clear complexion, whiter teeth, or sweet breath, but it will play music and nothing but music in a more realistic way than anything else that costs less than a hundred bucks. It's not cheap, but it is the cheapest copper foil/poly film cap available, even with shipping. I have never experienced the "emotion" of music so thoroughly.
I recommend that you do not attempt using a cheap large value cap with a high quality small value bypass cap for coupling duties. I have never heard a suitable combination in that application. You are better off compromising with a single less costly cap.
Peace,
Tom E
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I hope to be using them as coupling caps and not in a speaker cross over. What are the circumstances of your experience with Audyn True Copper?
You could understand the incoherent rambling of Samra above, but not the first sentence of my post? Exactly where did I lose you? After the words "coupling duty"?
right at the "for tweeters only". Are the sonic descriptions for coupling duties or speaker crossovers? It reads like the latter unless you biamp/triamp and use high frequency amps...
The original post and the first sentence in my response address coupling duty specifically. I made a comment about one cap that is superb for use with tweeters only because its uneven frequency response makes it unsuitable for coupling, meaning, yes, use it in crossovers. All the descriptions refer to trials as coupling caps, that is: DC blocking caps at the input of an amplifier, or output caps on a source device. No other mention of crossovers was made. Clear enough?
Thanks Tom.
Very useful information.
When I searched Audyn Cap:
http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/tweaks/messages/18/184393.html
Which is the one that you are recommending?
Cheers
Will
Just so you know that there is some corroboration of my opinion, I recommended this cap to two people who build their own amps. Both of them tried it, and both agree that it is superior to every other cap they've tried for coupling duty.
Have you seen Tony Gee's review of caps at Humble Homemade Hifi? He tests caps in crossovers, but I have found that his conclusions roughly translate to line level duties. I don't always agree with his opinions, but that's where I got the idea to try them. He rates them slightly better than Mundorf Silver/Gold in Oil, just behind the Duelund caps, which cost five times as much. I don't mean to rave about them (I guess maybe I do), but I really wish they had a higher profile. Too bad there is no US distributor.
If you really want to upgrade and not just buy "another flavor" cap, you should get out your wallet. It hurts only until you hear them! I would welcome your impressions should you decide to try them out.
Peace,
Tom E
:-)
Note that a post in response is preferred.
Warmest
Timothy Bailey
The Skyptical Mensurer and Audio Scrounger
And gladly would he learn and gladly teach - Chaucer. ;-)!
'Still not saluting.'
I have heard them in the same unit as I had V-Caps. The Urushi treated caps are much better.
"Urushi material acts like poison ivy juice. If you touch them before it cured, you will remember it for life!"
At least it is not coated in Snake Oil!
dangerous snake oil?
See Wiki entry.
Yes, indeed toxic snake oil, thanks!
a
affected a few unfortunate souls. That made the Protocol Department, U.S. Department of State, issue advisories to future diplomats about Chinese Lacquer toilet seats. Ouch.
a
I'm not familiar with the new Auricaps. I've used Sonicaps, which I prefer slightly to Auricaps and they are in a similar price range. Sonicaps seem a little more dimensional and don't have that hint of plastic sound. (I like Auricaps too and use them).
......I use both Gen 1 and Gen 2, but mostly in RIAA stages and speaker crossovers, where the 5% tolerance is much better than the 10% tolerance of Auricaps, so I don't have to go into matching.I like Auricaps as well. Currently I use either Jensen or Audio Note oil caps for coupling. I tried the excellent Mundorf Silver/Oil, and it was fabulous but a bit bass shy in my coupling application.
Several times a year, Sonic Craft puts the Sonicap Gen 1 and Gen 2 on sale for 20% off, which makes them much, much less expensive than Auricaps.
Edits: 07/26/12
And right now appears to be one of those times.
Thanks for your reply.
Your suggestion is probably close to what I need, but when I searched for them, they have Gen1 Gen2 and Platinum.
When you posted your opinion, which ones were you referring to?
Cheers
I have not used the Platinum -- they are in a higher price range.
Gen II only goes up to .82 uF. If you need large values, you have to go with Gen I. Here's what Sonicap says about their sonic qualities:
"The Gen I is basically a fairly balanced capacitor. However, some find our "balanced" bright compared to the more lush "colored" capacitors which would include the Gen II. While the Gen II has a nice Midrange bloom, Gen I has a slight advantage on the freq extremes (top and bottom). In many applications, larger values of Gen I bypassed with smaller values of Gen II yield a very favorable result."
I have Mundorf Silver/Oil as coupling caps in my preamp and like them very much, though they were more expensive than the Auricaps they replaced.
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