Can't afford Sonicaps... What's an option for upgrading my speakers?

jonwb12
jonwb12 Posts: 9
in Vintage Speakers
Hi, and happy holidays. I've decided to upgrade (if needed) the NPEs in 4 sets of speakers... Polk 10a, Polk M11t, Polk M4 Series 2, and AR-3a's. They range between 32 and 55 yrs old so I'm assuming the ESR has been effected and the capacitance has fluctuated a bit. I have a Peak ESR70 arriving next week to help determine their specs.

As much as I'd like to, I can't afford ultra-premium caps for these. This is an electronics project I'm mainly doing for fun, not for audiophile purposes. Could someone recommend a line of capacitors that would update the current ones without breaking my wallet? They run from 5.6uf up to 150uf.

Thanks
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Answers

  • Gardenstater
    Gardenstater Posts: 4,502
    Many have used Clarity Cap CSA to save money over Sonicaps. Many have used a 33uF in place of the 34uF.
    George / NJ

    Polk 7B main speakers, std. mods+ (1979, orig owner)
    Martin Logan Dynamo sub w/6ft 14awg Power Cord
    Onkyo A-8017 integrated
    Logitech Squeezebox Touch Streamer w/EDO applet
    iFi nano iDSD DAC
    iPurifier3
    iDefender w/ iPower PS
    Custom Steve Wilson 1m UPOCC Interconnect
    iFi Mercury 0.5m OFHC continuous cast copper USB cable
    Custom Ribbon Speaker Cables, 5ft long, 4N Copper, 14awg, ultra low inductance
    Custom Vibration Isolation Speaker Stands and Sub Platform
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,571
    Clarity PX as well.
    The thing with Sonicaps is they have all the correct values for Polk.
    Some have also used two 17uf to make the 34uf.
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  • jonwb12
    jonwb12 Posts: 9
    Ok thanks. What do think about the idea of using upgraded caps only for the tweeter section?
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  • Schurkey
    Schurkey Posts: 2,104
    ANY fresh capacitor--including modern electrolytics--will be better than the ancient caps in there now.

    The Dayton and ERSE film caps used to take a lot of crap on this forum, but again, they're better than what's in there now, and the tolerance is far tighter, too. Being film caps, the ESR is much reduced.

    My 1Bs got stuffed full of Dayton and ERSE caps, and a couple of ERSE inductors, although I think ERSE is no more.

    ANY film cap you can buy is going to be an improvement.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,746
    Clarity cap px is a great series
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,092
    Don't forget Jantzen.
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  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 3,161
    Audyn caps are on sale right now at Parts Express.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
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  • DeRod
    DeRod Posts: 58
    I used the Audyn caps in my Monitor 7's and they sounded great. Very good caps for the price.
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  • jonwb12
    jonwb12 Posts: 9
    edited December 22
    Hey thanks everyone for your input! Regarding cap values... the M4 Series 2 uses a 5.8uf for the tweeter. Would a more common 5.6uf cap be ok to use in that circuit?

    These are my garage speakers and as I get older, the ones I listen to the most.

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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,571
    edited December 22
    Some of the older caps were +/- 10% or more. Newer caps tend to be tighter 5% or less in their tolerance.
    So the answer is yes that 5.6uf would be acceptable.
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  • jonwb12
    jonwb12 Posts: 9
    Very good, thanks a lot!
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