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How about aging caps in equipment other than crossover networks?


garyrc

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People talk about aging capacitors getting more resistive or otherwise changing in crossover networks, but what about caps in other equipment? Amplifiers? Processors? Don't they need changing too, and if so, after how much time has elapsed? What would the audible symptoms be?
For that matter, what would the audible symptoms be in a three-way speaker like those in the Klipsch Heritage line? Distortion? Treble roll-off? Over brightness? over dullness?
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The most obvious symptom I've noticed is power compression where it basically sounds like a pumping compressor. If there's a dramatic difference in clarity between very quiet and moderate to loud listening levels, then that's a sign of caps too (not to be confused with overloading the acoustics of a room). Usually you'll notice less bass first.

I don't think you would be able to readily hear whether or not a speaker crossover was pooping out though...especially if you weren't familiar with how good the speaker could sound. However, once you get it all fixed up, it'll sound like a curtain was lifted. It's just hard to say that something sounds veiled because of "X" because all sorts of factors can have similar effects.

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Amplifier may hum as well, just like it does if you get one of your RCA input cables crossing your speaker wire. If you let your Caps get to far gone on an amplifier, result will be DC output and smoked woofer. Smoked two K-33E woofers recently when the caps went bad on an ADCOM GFA-565 300 watt mono block.

Roger

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Amplifier caps usually have a life span of @ 20 years give or take. When they start to go, the first obvious sign is "bulging" of the cap. A second sign is a crackly, popcorn sound on high impact sounds like snare drum shots or the like. All caps dry out over time & need to be replaced. Ironically, if a unit is in storage for a number of years, the caps can dry out prematurely from not being charged up..

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Ironically, if a unit is in storage for a number of years, the caps can dry out prematurely from not being charged up..

Very much the case. That's why used "vintage" SS equipment on eBay where the seller says "stored" or "not used, but the last time I used it 10 years ago it worked ok" is cause for concern. I've yet to find an amp from the 70's that did not need a "goin' through" for caps, resistors, etc.

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1) So ... when people talk about "burning in" a loudspeaker system --- especially when they say that it could take "a few hundred hours," is that more to condition the caps, rather than the drivers?
2) How long does it take a cap in storage to prematurely dry out? Do they have outdates printed on them?
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