Capacitor recommendation

heiney9
heiney9 Posts: 25,396
edited January 2012 in DIY, Mods & Tweaks
It's really a simple question. I really like Auricaps and Clarity Caps for my use in cross-overs and coupling caps. Thought on my next project I might try something different. I am on a budget and these are budget speakers so I am not going all out.

I have a pair of Polk RT25i's that I will re-cap and add Mills resistors.

I was going to go with the The Clarity PX line for the high pass just like I did on my 5B's. I am purchasing Dayton Caps for the low pass and the Mills from Parts Express and they don't carry Clarity which means an order from another vendor and extra shipping.

PE has the Jantzen Cross Cap in a value I can use, it's not exact but by combining two values I can come very close. The RT25i's have an 8uF electrolytic bypassed by a 1uF mylar so there are 2 opening on the board. I can use (2) Jantzen Cross Cap 4.7uF for a total of 9.4uF in the high pass.

OR

I can order a 9uF Clarity PX from Madisound.

1) People who have listened to both brands which is the better sounding cap?

2) will the extra capacitance make a huge difference in sound? Better to just stick with a single 9uF?

Thanks and please don't recommend Sonicaps, I use those as well, but this is for a budget project, for a budget speaker that is used in rotation in my office rig.

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 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | Roon Nucleus 1 w/LPS - Tubes add soul!
Post edited by heiney9 on
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Comments

  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited December 2011
    This won't be much help but I will mention it anyway because thats the type of guy I am.
    My Sonus Faber Grand Pianos have the dreaded Bennic caps soooooooooooooooooooooooo. Just saying maybe just maybe they are a good option. By the way I am far from a cap expert :cry:
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 26,924
    edited December 2011
    Why not try the Dayton 1%'ers Brock? just for kicks
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,396
    edited December 2011
    NJPolker, those are electrolytics. I won't use electrolytics in the high pass even if it's bypassed like the current RT25i crossover from the factory.

    Pitdogg, that is an option too.

    I can't justify double the price to go from the Clarity PX to SA line, I just don't see the value. I could go all Dayton. I know the higher end Jantzen get great reviews. What I don't want it a high end like Solen caps give. Gritty and a little shouty and not very refined.
    "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 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | Roon Nucleus 1 w/LPS - Tubes add soul!
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  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    edited December 2011
    I have Bennics (high and low) in my 8Ts and they sound great IMO.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,396
    edited December 2011
    I have all Daytons in a pair of small Pinnacle's that never sounded good stock. Still don't sound good even with new caps and resistors. I blame the poor tweeter than makes everything sound nasaly. They will probably be stuck in the closet eternally, they really are stinkers compared to what I'm used to. I guess I can't blame the new parts since they didn't change a thing.

    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 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | Roon Nucleus 1 w/LPS - Tubes add soul!
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited December 2011
    I wouldn't use Dayton on the tweeter. If you use Jantzen, don't use their lowest line.
    "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
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,396
    edited December 2011
    Face wrote: »
    I wouldn't use Dayton on the tweeter. If you use Jantzen, don't use their lowest line.

    I believe the Cross Cap is their lowest line, the next in line is more than double. The more I think (and know) for the cost I think the Clarity PX is a nice sounding cap compared to others in the same category. I'll pay the extra shipping and order from two places.

    My other option is to bypass a cheaper cap, but I'm not sure in the end the extra expense is really worth it. I could leave the 8uF electrolytic in place and buy a nice 1uF bypass. Somehow I don't think that would be as good as just replacing both with a 9uF poly cap.

    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 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | Roon Nucleus 1 w/LPS - Tubes add soul!
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited December 2011
    Sounds like you made up your mind but for what it's worth get the Clarity PX.

    You will not be happy with the Daytons, and if budget is main concern on this upgrade the Clarity's are your best bet.

    BTW the Bennic Electrolytics are great sounding caps.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,396
    edited December 2011
    Budget is a concern because if I'm not careful I'll have as much in x-over upgrades as I paid for the speakers. When in the hell did Mills resistors get so expensive? I need (4) @ $4.25, that's almost $18 in resistors!!!!!

    Really, a 0.48c - $1.50 Bennic electrolytic sounds GREAT? Why am I spending $7-$10 a piece on caps then if the cheapo electrolytics sound great?

    Ok, so this is what I've decided.

    2.0 Mills resistor and 9uF Clarity PX for the high pass
    keeping the stock resistor and replacing the electro with a 27uF Dayton for the low pass. Problem is I know the low pass really isn't that low and it will play a majority of the midrange, perhaps I should spring for the extra Mills resistors.

    Should bring me in right under $50 shipped from two different vendors. I wanted to stay right at $50 for a max. I had to delete the resistors for the low pass for a savings of $8.50 to hit my target.

    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 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | Roon Nucleus 1 w/LPS - Tubes add soul!
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 51,672
    edited December 2011
    The RT25i's have an 8uF electrolytic bypassed by a 1uF mylar

    That's a rather large value for a bypass cap. You sure you read it right?
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,396
    edited December 2011
    F1nut wrote: »
    That's a rather large value for a bypass cap. You sure you read it right?

    I was assuming since the 8uF is an electrolytic and the 1uF is a mylar and they are in parallel. My assumption was they were trying to bypass the sound of the 8uF electrolytic. I could be wrong, but why put a large value in parallel with a small value and they are different types of caps?

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=18701&d=1155781569


    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 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | Roon Nucleus 1 w/LPS - Tubes add soul!
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 51,672
    edited December 2011
    Yeah, I see what you mean, it appears to be a bypass alright. Hmmmm
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,650
    edited December 2011
    Some contend that when budget is an issue, that by paralleling a "lytic" with a film cap of approx. atleast 10% it's value is enough to compensate for much of it's sonic shortcomings.This appears to be Polk's thinking atleast with this model..
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,913
    edited December 2011
    The Dayton caps are Bennic OEM AFAIK.
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  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,650
    edited December 2011
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    The Dayton caps are Bennic OEM AFAIK.
    I believe you are correct.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 29,384
    edited December 2011
    PX and Mox resistors is an excellent combo that you can purchase from Madisound
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,396
    edited December 2011
    Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »
    PX and Mox resistors is an excellent combo that you can purchase from Madisound

    The more I think about it, I am on a budget because of the intended use so I will nix the Mills and go with the MOX resistors to save a little coin
    "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 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | Roon Nucleus 1 w/LPS - Tubes add soul!
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 29,384
    edited December 2011
    Definitely - not to mention I like Mox a little better than mills, they have a little more sparkle on the top end where as Mills is a little more neutral... so I guess it just depends on your intended sound goals.

    I personally prefer Mox in the applications I have used it in. I actually liked EAGLE over Mills as well as far as sound traits go - I do not find Mills to be that special other than just being a standard...

    YMMV
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited December 2011
    Don't get me wrong on the Bennic's. They sound very good for an electro but not as good as the Clarity Poly. I still think the Clarity Caps are your best choice.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 51,672
    edited December 2011
    VR3

    Ah, much better!
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,324
    edited January 2012
    H9...today I used Jantzen Cross Caps and Mundorf MOX resistors in some Monitor 7A's...after a few days of break in I'll let you know what I think. The MOX is a good bit longer than the Mills, but has nice long leads.
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