The best coupling caps in power amp ?? Mundorf, Infinicap ??


I am interested in some of the results of coupling cap modifications in quality tube amplifiers that you have first hand experience  with......Mundorf, Infini-Caps, Wonder-Caps ???       autospec
autospec

Showing 4 responses by atmasphere

We've been auditioning coupling capacitors for close to 40 years now. The current king is the V-Cap copper foil Teflon; it is both neutral and extremely musical.

As far as musical goes we've heard some extremely good paper and oil types but the problem we've seen with many of them is that they can develop electrical leakage. Usually this is a very small value, but when you are using the coupling cap in a power amplifier section the effects on the bias on the power tubes should be considered!

For this reason I don't regard such caps as in the running as some power tubes can be quite rare (not to mention some vintage power transformers in some vintage amps) and such parts could shorten the life of both.  So I see the V-Caps as being the only game in town.

Now one important issue with the V-Caps is that being made of Teflon they should be handled as little as possible. For this reason they are shipped in bubble wrap and they really should not be unwrapped until installation. Otherwise the handling will cause them to change value and by this I mean loose value. I don't doubt that this issue alone could be the reason why the well-deserved accolades this part gets are not universal. But that's how it is with Teflon caps.
No; but if you've handled a Teflon cap, then unless it was hermetically sealed you probably changed its value. You won't see much in the way of physical deformation though.
Just to be clear, the usual handling of a Teflon cap required to install it has not resulting in a change in value in the 20 years we've been using them (prior to using V-Caps we had Teflon caps made for us). So this is far less of an issue than I probably made it look.

We've not seen the bass restricted in any way with the V-Cap Cu caps. Its just very neutral. They are still the best caps we've heard- and one of the most reliable.