Cap upgrade recommendations for Monitor 5Bs

gwg_97

Hi all,

I'm getting ready to attempt my first crossover upgrade on a minty pair of 5Bs (partially inspired by H9s thread). What do you guys recommend for caps (best bang for the buck).

Is there a noticable difference if I go Solen/Sonicap verses Sonicap/Sonicap. How about those Clarity caps? I'd go Sonicap/Sonicap but I'm having a hard time justifying the higher cost.

RDOs are next.

Thanks!

heiney9

Did you read the thread....lol, lots of recommendations in there.

Best bang for the buck, IMO as already stated in the thread.

Dayton/Solen/Erse for the low pass and Clarity for the high pass. Or all Clarity, but IIRC, Clarity doesn't make an exact value for the low pass like Solen and Dayton do.

Solen has the exact or close (within 1uF) value for the low pass and Clarity PX has the exact or close (within 1uF) cap for the high pass. Also do the resistors with Mills.

If you want to pay the extra $$$ for Sonicaps on the high pass those are liked well also.

H9

vstarkwell

FWIW, I'm in the process of upgrading my 7C's and having spoken with a rep at Sonic Craft last week he mentioned they are going to be having a 20% of sale this month not sure of exact date when it starts. I've been looking at Soniccaps & Mills based on recommendations from fellow Polkies.

http://www.soniccraft.com/sonicaps.htm

gwg_97

Thanks H9! Yeah, I read the thread and found it very informative. I guess it wasn't clear to me if there is a substantial (noticable) differnece between the Sonicaps on both and the other options. Maybe I missed something.

gwg_97

Thanks vstarkwell. I'm thinking about going the sonicap/solen route. The sale helps.

skrol

I used the Jantzen for the low pass and Clarity Caps for the high pass in the RTA11TL's. The SQ improvements was amazing.

gwg_97

skrol wrote: »

I used the Jantzen for the low pass and Clarity Caps for the high pass in the RTA11TL's. The SQ improvements was amazing.

Hmmmm, this is going to be fun!

heiney9

Hard to go wrong with 20% off at Sonicraft. I didn't use Sonicaps in my 5B's because they are in a secondary system and I wasn't going to spend that much. The Clarity PX for the high pass are very nice.

My suggestion for the low pass is to pick a brand that has the exact or closest value. Very little difference between any of the brands mentioned for the low pass as far as sound and quality. I went with Solen on the low pass because they had the value w/o having to special order, etc.

I know Sonicap will make custom values for an extra charge, don't pay it if you don;t have to.

Clarity
Dayton
Solen
Janzen
Erse

are all fine for the low pass, find the value you need and try to source things from the same vendor because it can save on shipping charges.

Good luck

H9

vstarkwell

skrol wrote: »

I used the Jantzen for the low pass and Clarity Caps for the high pass in the RTA11TL's. The SQ improvements was amazing.

Good to hear about the Jantzen,

Here is the final suggestion I'm going with from a local to me Polkie who I've met personally and is a very nice guy.

2 Jantzen 33 ?F 400V Z-Standard Capacitor
2 Sonicap 12?F 200VDC Capacitor
2 Mills 2.0 ohm resistors (MR-12)

The Sonicaps & Mills I'll be getting from Sonic Craft and per the above mention fellow Polkie I'll be getting the Jantzens from Parts Express, which are currently 24% off. Here's link.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/psho...=027-288&DID=7

gwg_97

I know your speakers values will differ from mine but I hope the above info helps and or gives you some options, ideas etc;.

gwg_97

Thanks again you guys. I love my 5Bs and I can't wait to hear them with the mods. This is also going to be the practice run before I attempt to mod my beloved 1Cs.

Mystery

Good luck!
I always get thought of capping my 5B's but it's just too much to spend for upgrades.
Hopefully, in the future sometimes.
Share your experience afterwards.

michael1947

So, I've been reading these modification threads for months and have learned just a little but now without being extremely specific, what will the bottom line be, total cost for two speakers such as: RTI-a3, RTI-A9, LSI-9 and SDA-1A. Anyone have any "guesstimates" for these projects with mid-priced components? Thanks

heiney9

Mystery wrote: »

Good luck!
I always get thought of capping my 5B's but it's just too much to spend for upgrades.
Hopefully, in the future sometimes.
Share your experience afterwards.

Really? It can be done for about $40 total. If they aren't worth that to you, maybe you should sell them.

H9

heiney9

michael1947 wrote: »

So, I've been reading these modification threads for months and have learned just a little but now without being extremely specific, what will the bottom line be, total cost for two speakers such as: RTI-a3, RTI-A9, LSI-9 and SDA-1A. Anyone have any "guesstimates" for these projects with mid-priced components? Thanks

Why can't you go to the sites, pick out the parts and use a calculator to figure it out? That's what the rest of us will have to do. Also your mid-priced components won't necessarily be my mid-priced components.

H9

Mystery

heiney9 wrote: »

Really? It can be done for about $40 total. If they aren't worth that to you, maybe you should sell them.

H9

$40 sounds more doable. :cool:
Can't/don't want to sell them, they sound great as it is.
I need to start by opening them up as I never had a peek inside.
Who knows, may be they are already capped.

heiney9

Mystery wrote: »

$40 sounds more doable. :cool:

Probably closer to $45 w/shipping

Mystery wrote: »

Can't/don't want to sell them, they sound great as it is.
I need to start by opening them up as I never had a peek inside.
Who knows, may be they are already capped.

Perhaps

I love my 5B's and I have about $200 in them with the tweeters/caps and used purchase price. I did sell the sl2000's for $35 so more like $165 in them. There isn't a $165/pr of speakers on the planet that would sound as good, IMO.

H9