Do Capacitors in Other Gear Need to be Replaced?

TomB
TomB Posts: 106
edited October 2009 in Vintage Speakers
Possibly a stupid question, which may have been covered elsewhere: I replaced the capacitors (and resistors) in my 7Bs a while back, the Conventional Wisdom being that over the years, the capacitors dry out, go out of spec, etc.

My question: what about capacitors in other old components? For example, I am still using my old HK740 receiver, which is the same age as my 7Bs. I'm sure that thing is full of capacitors - wouldn't they have also dried out and gone out of spec, as well?

That is obvously not a DIY project, and it's certainly not the kind of "vintage" gear that would justify sending it out to be rebuilt.

Is that why they sell new, moderately powered two-channel receivers?

Thanks.
Post edited by TomB on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • kawizx9r
    kawizx9r Posts: 5,150
    edited October 2009
    If the gear is worth salvaging, alot of people replace the caps and other components in their older gear. Some of that higher end gear just sounds as good as new, which happens to be better than what sells nowadays.
    Truck setup
    Alpine 9856
    Phoenix Gold RSD65CS

    For Sale
    Polk SR6500
    Polk SR5250
    Polk SR104


    heiney9 wrote: »
    Any clue how to use the internet? Found it in about 10 sec.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,216
    edited October 2009
    Yes, all caps and especially electrolytic caps have a limited shelf life. Caps in the signal path, even if they are still good, can be replaced with better caps and improve the sound by leaps and bounds in many cases.
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • w_coyote
    w_coyote Posts: 66
    edited October 2009
    how can you tell a electrolytic cap from any other. just curious. thanks
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,216
    edited October 2009
    w_coyote wrote: »
    how can you tell a electrolytic cap from any other. just curious. thanks

    The best way is from the schematic. If you are knowledgeable about caps sometimes either visually or by model number one just knows. Certain manufacturer's of caps have never offered/made an electrolytic caps, ie: Obbligotto, Sonicap, Auricap, Clarity Cap, etc.

    Chances are if it's older gear or low to midfi gear or mass produced, electrolytics are being used. On some later gear like my pre-amp the manufacturer will make a point to mention it in the owners manual or literature if it uses special upgraded audio caps, like the Auricaps in the Dared SL2000A pre-amp I have.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited October 2009
    After 25-30 years any piece of gear should be "gone through".
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TomB
    TomB Posts: 106
    edited October 2009
    Thanks, all.

    Is a 27-year-old, 35 wpc receiver like the HK740 worth "going through"? Who does that kind of thing?

    In an overly emotionally-driven decision, I had my Nakamichi cassette deck from that same era rebuilt, and I'm still glad I did so.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • vc69
    vc69 Posts: 2,500
    edited October 2009
    TomB wrote: »
    Thanks, all.

    Is a 27-year-old, 35 wpc receiver like the HK740 worth "going through"? Who does that kind of thing?

    In an overly emotionally-driven decision, I had my Nakamichi cassette deck from that same era rebuilt, and I'm still glad I did so.

    Nak decks are worth it if you still use it. But it would be a purely emotional decision to go through the HK. Perhaps economic as well, but if you really wanted to stay vintage...

    I personally would be looking at some newer pre's and and an amp unless you listen to a lot of FM and even then I wouldn't go the rebuild route.
    -Kevin
    HT: Philips 52PFL7432D 52" LCD 1080p / Onkyo TX-SR 606 / Oppo BDP-83 SE / Comcast cable. (all HDMI)B&W 801 - Front, Polk CS350 LS - Center, Polk LS90 - Rear
    2 Channel:
    Oppo BDP-83 SE
    Squeezebox Touch
    Muscial Fidelity M1 DAC
    VTL 2.5
    McIntosh 2205 (refurbed)
    B&W 801's
    Transparent IC's
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited October 2009
    TomB wrote: »
    Thanks, all.

    Is a 27-year-old, 35 wpc receiver like the HK740 worth "going through"? Who does that kind of thing?

    In an overly emotionally-driven decision, I had my Nakamichi cassette deck from that same era rebuilt, and I'm still glad I did so.

    I recap stuff for people here.
    Ben
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TomB
    TomB Posts: 106
    edited October 2009
    Thanks, Ben, but wouldn't that be a helluva project? Would it even be worth it for that piece of equipment?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited October 2009
    The electrolytic caps are cheap. They are the ones that look like cans. It is time consuming, but usually not very hard. Where are you located? It is a good way to get your learn on in electronics.
    Ben

    http://manuals.harman.com/HK/Owner's%20Manual/HK740%20om.pdf
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TomB
    TomB Posts: 106
    edited October 2009
    Ben, I'm near Kansas City. There used to be a good shop there for such things, but I'm not sure it's even around any more. (I had the HK there several years ago for a minor repair.)

    I got my electronics learn sufficiently on when I replaced the capacitors in the 7Bs a while back - it took me a long time to work up the nerve to tackle that project, and I was only able to do so with the advice of you and many other folks on this forum - thanks again! I'd ship the HK somewhere, if it was worth fixing.

    FYI: Ben, I couldn't open the PDF file at the link you posted. It looks like it's probably the owner's manual for the HK, which I already have. (If it's a schematic, I don't believe I have one of those.)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter