Posted on Saturday, 12th December 2009 by Auw Jimmy

Just arrive, could be my last “considered high end” capacitor… I welcome you, Audio Note Copper Foil Mylar in Oil 0.47uF/630Volt.

I do love the beautiful elegant copper appearance from this capacitor. It just wonderful and good looking (maybe I’m too bored with “brown paper” from Jensen and Duelund). How does this thing sound? Will see, later, don’t expect me to test it soon, since quite busy these days.

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Tags: audio note, Capacitor
Posted in Collectible Stuff | Comments (10)

Posted on Sunday, 11th October 2009 by Auw Jimmy

Still remember my other “stupidity” here? After several hours of investigation, I finally decide that the Jensen Copper Foil Paper Tube is not a good capacitor for bypassing purpose. The music will lose most of its detail. YMMV, this is based on my investigation. Feel free if you have other opinion.

On the other side, I still have the “Classic” Jensen Copper Foil Aluminium Tube. Surprisingly, this capacitor works better on the High Voltage bypass section! The price of this capacitor is only 1/3 of the Paper Tube. I will give some more listening test, but so far I would stick with this “Classic” Jensen on the bypass section. This “Classic” capacitor gives warmth sensation without losing the details.

Tags: Bypass Capacitor, Capacitor, jensen, power supply
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Posted on Tuesday, 18th August 2009 by Auw Jimmy

After you read this, perhaps you would expect a better system to test the capacitors. So today, I visit a friend, and test the capacitors on his system. We can call him, Mr. X. Here is some brief of Mr. X audio system.

Below is the power amplifier. Powered with RS241, RE604,and 6J5. Rectifier is RGN 2504 (later we try Klangfilm RGN 4004). OT is Tango. Currently powered with Jensen Copper Foil Capacitor and old NOS Western Electric capacitors. FYI, RS241 is claimed by most audiophiles as best sounding tube amplifier (forget 300B or 2A3) – and it’s really proven, if you have chance to hear it. This is an ultimate Single Ended tube amplifier (if you really know what do RS241, RE604, and 6J5 really mean to an audiophile).

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Tags: Capacitor, Duelund, jensen, mundorf, tube
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Posted on Sunday, 16th August 2009 by Auw Jimmy

Just what I’ve promised before, finally today I do the most awaited Capacitors Battle. Actually the “real battle” will be done within next few days. Let’s say, this is as first impression to “hear” how good they would sound

I use ELMA Switch (2 poles, 6 positions). Click here for details. The connection in details also explained there.

Here is the appearance of my jig. It’s an Aikido Pre-Amplifier. Powered with 6N1P tube in front connected to 6N6P tube as buffer stage. Rectifier is RGN 1054. The capacitor used as output coupling. Each channel has it’s own ELMA Switch. Please remember the selection is made in “perfect” mode (read here for details). Oh, I use empty CD holder as base for my ELMA

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Tags: Capacitor, Duelund, ELMA, jensen, VCap
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Posted on Sunday, 26th July 2009 by Auw Jimmy

Still remember my capacitors break-in session? After passing a long 150 hours break-in time, today, I add another session with XLO Test Disc, track #9 “System Burn-In”. I repeat the track for around 3 hours.

Actually, I don’t recommend to use this kind of track to break-in an audio system. A normal break-in with various tracks is still preferred. That’s why, I only use this track after 150 hours normal break-in session with various tracks. I will add another 50-100 hours break-in session with various tracks to make sure all those capacitors are completely break-in. Especially for Teflon based VCap which usually loves longer break-in time.

FYI, my standard break-in session with various tracks will use standard pre/amplifier and completely fed to my DIY speakers. I don’t use dummy load on my amplifier or put the capacitor under PSU jig (some use PSU jig with dummy load to break in the capacitor).

Why I don’t do that? This is my own personal preference, YMMV.

First, if you use dummy load on the amplifier, I think, this is not a real world condition. Dummy load is a fix load, while your speaker is not a fix impedance across frequency spectrum (and will send various load to your amplifier).

Second, putting your capacitor under PSU jig (with dummy load) also will not put your capacitor under real world condition. Yes, capacitor will be loaded with AC signal (both in real amplifier or under PSU jig), but the frequency itself is different. Under PSU jig, you only load the capacitor with specific AC frequency (let’s say 50 Hz?) and specific AC load (let’s say 12 VAC?). While in the real world, capacitor will face different AC frequency and different AC load, depends on the signal loaded from the signal source.

Natural and real world condition are the best to break-in your system!

That’s why, the best break-in rig is under your own system – place where you will put the capacitor for the rest of its life

Tags: Break-In, Capacitor
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Posted on Saturday, 13th June 2009 by Auw Jimmy

Most of the time, money could buy anything – except time (and sometime, love ). Like this Duelund CAST-PIO capacitor. You have the money, but you have to wait around 6-8 weeks (not including shipping time), before you could get it on your hand (even if you could pay more, it won’t arrive faster). Well, it happens on me. After a long time waiting for this, finally it arrives today – the current most praised and perhaps most expensive capacitor (I’m not saying it’s the best sound one – not yet), Duelund CAST-PIO Copper (Cu) capacitor. I bought the copper foil version. The most expensive (and not reasonable from my point of view) is the silver foil, but that one should be completely out of my imagination (and budget).

Handmade in Denmark? Some say you can’t rush the Danes and yes you can’t. Just wait 6-8 weeks before they will finish your order. This Duelund VSFCu-PIO/CAST is rated at 630VDC or 300VAC.

Suffix CAST means this is the highest grade compared to VSF version only (without CAST). According to Duelund, as below:

The Duelund CAST Capacitor is our no holds barred flagship capacitor.

The construction builds on the foundation of our Virtual Stack Foil design but does so with the addition of a proprietary WPIO dielectricum which necessitates several days of impregnation under high pressure.

Hope they are right, otherwise I shall regret for the rest of my life for buying this capacitors

I plan to run some benchmarking from these capacitors below, to get the “King of Capacitor” title of my version. Please be noted that the best for my ears doesn’t have to be the best for your ears to. YMMV!

The contenders:

• Duelund VSFCu-PIO/CAST -  1uF/630VDC/300VAC
• Mundorf Silver/Gold/Oil – 1uF/1200VDC/800VAC
• Jensen Copper Foil Paper Tube - 0.47uF/630VDC
• VCap TFTF – 0.47uF/600VDC
• Jensen Copper Foil - 0.47uF/630VDC

I remove Audio Note Capacitor from my list, since I hate its leakage issue. Good capacitor but less durable is simply out of the league (well, at least for me). I hear the new Oil Filled Mylar from Audio Note is better and safer. Will try if I have chance later.

It’s also interesting to see the battle between Jensen Copper Foil (old one) vs Jensen Copper Foil Paper Tube (latest generation). Just like Audio Note with its new Mylar Filled Oil, Jensen also update their premium capacitor line-up with its Paper Tube version. This Jensen Paper Tube version priced around 2.5 times more expensive compared to the standard Copper Foil.

Now, it’s break-in time!!!

Tags: Capacitor, Duelund, jensen, mundorf, v-cap
Posted in Collectible Stuff, DIY Audio | Comments (13)

Posted on Sunday, 10th May 2009 by Auw Jimmy

I have received so many emails asking about how to do the mods. Why I do this? Why I do that? Etc… Ok, I will spend my lazy evening to use one good example and write a simple tutorial here. Just enjoy.

I look around my room to find a good and easy example to support this tutorial. Then, my eyes stunned to my old Simbadda CST z120 Dual-O speaker set. Well, it a small speaker, you can’t call it audiophile or even near it. I open the case and find that this small “thing” could become our perfect object.

You can get at your near computer retailer for very cheap price, less than US$10, I think. Feel free to find any other object. I pick this one simply because this is the only thing that I can find at my room (and suitable for this experiment).

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Tags: Capacitor, mod, pc audio, Simbadda, speaker
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Posted on Sunday, 10th May 2009 by Auw Jimmy

After around 20 hours testing of my previous Asus Xonar U1 Mods, I think I need to add some more mods here.

I have some plans here:

• Old Blu-Tack tricks
• PSU capacitors bypassing

Since 20 hours is not enough to listen complete characters of my previous mod, so we can eliminate the 2nd option. Let’s go with the first option, the Blu-Tack tricks. I’ve done this Blu-Tack mod before, please check it.

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Tags: Asus, Capacitor, mod, pc audio, usb, xonar u1
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Posted on Friday, 8th May 2009 by Auw Jimmy

Yesterday, it was at 00:00 am at the morning and I just couldn’t close my eyes. I’ve planned to mod my Asus Xonar U1, but never thought I would do it yesterday, in the middle of the night

Asus Xonar U1 is a “cheap” USB sound card, powered by C-Media Nitrogen D2 audio processor. The photo as below Cute with red/blue blinking lighting.

I want to put a warning first. Actually, modding such card will not bring outrageous result. So consider this mod is only for fun, huh… If you have extra capacitors on your shelf, extra time, and extra skill to de-solder those small capacitors inside. Let’s begin!

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Tags: Asus, Capacitor, mod, pc audio, usb, xonar u1
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Posted on Friday, 1st May 2009 by Auw Jimmy

I digged my old boxes and found this old vintage capacitor, Nippon Chemicon RWE 820uF/550VDC. Very big in size (a little bit bigger than my ASC 40uF/440VAC and surely a giant compared to AA battery). This electrolytic capacitor is a legend one, made for inverter application. Equipped with screw type terminal, this capacitor is really ready to rumble.

Tags: ASC, Audio, Capacitor, DIY-Audio, nippon chemicon
Posted in Collectible Stuff | Comments (5)

Posted on Friday, 10th April 2009 by Auw Jimmy

As I’ve promised before, my Gainclone project will be supplied with special smoothing capacitors. Welcome, the Black Gate F Series 680uF/65V. Each rail (positive and negative) will have 30 pcs of Black Gate capacitor, with total around 20.000uF capacitance each rail.

The main rectifier will be MUR860 and I will also use Snubber circuit, with the help of Mills and perhaps some oil capacitor. Hope it will sound good…

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Tags: Black Gate, Capacitor, gainclone, power bank
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Posted on Tuesday, 24th March 2009 by Auw Jimmy

Still remember my “silly” project, this one and this one? I think I will make it even more “sillier” than before. Watch out.

First, I’m thinking of testing my new Mundorf Silver/Gold/Oil on my Gainclone. This top of the line capacitor from Mundorf sounds promising. Before, I was thinking to try a pair of VCap. But since VCap only available in lower voltage (250-300VDC for value over 1uF), so I need to think multiple times to spend large amount of money for that capacitor. Well, with this 1200VDC Mundorf, I can use them on my tube amplifier. While for 250VDC VCap, my usage will be very limited. So shall we welcome the Silver/Gold/Oil?

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Tags: Allen Bradley, Capacitor, mcap, mundorf, resistor, shanghai, shinkoh, supreme
Posted in DIY Audio, Personal | Comments (6)