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 Post subject: Capacitor Comparisons
PostPosted: December 4th, 2018, 8:54 pm 
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I can save all of you the trouble. There were several studies published a while back that were fairly comprehensive.

I've attached two.


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00 0AA The Great Capacitor Shoot-Out.pdf [877.15 KiB]
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00 0AA Humble Homemade Hifi - Cap Test.pdf [1023.03 KiB]
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PostPosted: December 5th, 2018, 11:38 am 
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SoundMods wrote:
I can save all of you the trouble. There were several studies published a while back that were fairly comprehensive.

I've attached two.

Walt, just a few observations about the article. The first one stated not only was the test not double blind it was not even blind. The second also made no attempt to conceal the caps under test.


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PostPosted: December 5th, 2018, 11:40 am 
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This will be my last posting about the wisdom of measurements or double blind testing. In two weeks I turn 75 and also Marie and I are currently involved with an architect and contractors to build our new retirement home on a five acre piece of property we have in Bucks County, PA just north of Philly which BTW will have a dedicated listening room. Not only does that leave me with insufficient time and energy to try to convince others of the wisdom of measurements and double blind testing, in reality it is not the right thing to do. Since we are primarily involved in audio as a passion, not a business, what we do in audio has to fit in our individual views of what is the “right” outcome. As I have previously said ad nauseam if it doesn't make you happy, why bother.

It is also necessary to look not only at the acoustic results of what we do but also the journey we take to arrive there and the non-acoustic intrinsic values of the equipment choices we make. Even though there are inevitable pitfalls on those journeys, the fun of learning and coming up with something that is yours are usually very rewarding. There is no one right answer. If someone tells you that tubes vs transistors, sealed box vs transmission line enclosures, one capacitor or another, one genre of music or another, etc are the only way to happiness, don’t buy a used car from them.

What I will close with is an offer to anyone whose journey takes them down the path using test instruments and/or double blind testing, I will be happy to help in whatever way I can. The great thing about helping others regardless of what methods you chose is the satisfaction in seeing them get closer to happiness and at the same time learning for yourself every time you assist with a new project. So happy journeys no matter where they take you.


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PostPosted: December 5th, 2018, 12:20 pm 
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tomp wrote:
SoundMods wrote:
I can save all of you the trouble. There were several studies published a while back that were fairly comprehensive.

I've attached two.

Walt, just a few observations about the article. The first one stated not only was the test not double blind it was not even blind. The second also made no attempt to conceal the caps under test.



There are those that question the value of blind testing -- I am one of them. If there is agreement among the participants that the resultant sound has certain characteristics then the comparisons can be presumed valid. Among the capacitors in those tests, that I have had personal experience with, I agree with their findings. So much so that I spent $$$ fitting my Carys with Mundorf silver/gold/oil and V-Cap Teflon caps with no regrets at all. They definitely got the results that I hoped for based on those comparison tests.

I would have installed what I have in stock that I was comfortable with, but 630-vdc and 1,200-vdc rated caps were not something that I pursued when shopping for parts for speakers or electronics. The Carys with their nasty B+ changed things for me. So I relied on those tests to get me where I am now. This Rabid Audiophile was happy to find those tests. Buying "blind" (pun intended) and relying on manufacturers' BS can be dangerous. The industrial vendors, if you are creative with your own BS, will provide samples. The one exception was a vendor in Ukraine that was selling surplus Russian Teflon caps. -- he sent me samples that I was able to measure, cut open, and ear test. NICE!

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PostPosted: December 5th, 2018, 12:42 pm 
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Forgetting the testing methods for an instance......

When the voltage on the input is blocked from passing thru' to the output, and the output side is designed to create a copy of the input signal, the output will always be "deteriorated" version of the input. That deterioration causes sonic variation in audio.
It like taking a photo of Mona Lisa, no matter how good the technology, the photo will never match the original painting.

Transformers and Capacitors are two such passive "copying" devices. So, we can operate on the premise that signal passing thru' these devices will change. Only question is, how much of the change is audible and under what conditions.


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PostPosted: December 5th, 2018, 12:45 pm 
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Very interesting observation


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