iaRIVR Posted September 20, 2019 Share Posted September 20, 2019 I've got Forte IIs with the sonicaps from Crites and planning to move the crossovers to new boards as I did a pretty hack job fitting everything into the original PCB. I priced out 4 different packages- how would the Jantzen Cross Cap or Mundorf Mcap Classic work? Or should I wait until I can afford something like Mcap Supreme? Here are the options: My plan is to keep these, and I'm having a hard time understanding the crossover upgrade options. On the one hand you have SET12 going all out, and many people rocking the Sonicaps and loving it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestonTom Posted September 20, 2019 Share Posted September 20, 2019 I am probably just a cheap son of a gun, but these all seem a bit pricey. First, unless there is a problem, I would not bother replacing the power resistors. Look at the values on your current system and look at the Parts Express selection. Solen caps (poly prop) are fine. If you want get some extra quality then by all means bypass (wire in parallel) the caps with a Dayton film/foil (about 1-5% the value of the cap being bypassed). This alone will save you a ton of money. In all honesty, I am someone who hears a bit more energy in the highs after the caps are replaced (however, it is worth doing). I am not someone who goes running down the street yelling "Eureka, I have removed the veil on the sound ..... It's as different as night and day". Just my opinion ..... Good luck, -Tom 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frzninvt Posted September 20, 2019 Share Posted September 20, 2019 I don't see AudioCap Thetas, Kimber Kaps or Sledgehammer coils on your list. I would run your list by @DeanG as has tried a large number and can tell which ones are the best for your buck. Did you check Parts Express? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted September 20, 2019 Share Posted September 20, 2019 Use Arizona Blue. You can get them at www.soniccraft.com. They are on sale right now. You can also use Mills resistors - also at soniccraft. Get your autotransformers and coils from Bob. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted September 20, 2019 Share Posted September 20, 2019 4 hours ago, Frzninvt said: I don't see AudioCap Thetas, Kimber Kaps or Sledgehammer coils on your list. I would run your list by @DeanG as has tried a large number and can tell which ones are the best for your buck. Did you check Parts Express? Kimbers don't exist anymore. Sledgehammers are junk - the steel laminate plates slide. Thetas don't come in 1.5uF. Arizona Blue is a hermetically sealed, oil filled, paper and polyester film and foil. I use a lot of them. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestonTom Posted September 20, 2019 Share Posted September 20, 2019 I guess I need to be educated. What is the thinking behind the need to get new autoformers, inductors, and power resistors? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted September 20, 2019 Share Posted September 20, 2019 Going off his initial post, I got the impression he was doing a new build. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moray james Posted September 21, 2019 Share Posted September 21, 2019 9 hours ago, iaRIVR said: I've got Forte IIs with the sonicaps from Crites and planning to move the crossovers to new boards as I did a pretty hack job fitting everything into the original PCB. I priced out 4 different packages- how would the Jantzen Cross Cap or Mundorf Mcap Classic work? Or should I wait until I can afford something like Mcap Supreme? Here are the options: My plan is to keep these, and I'm having a hard time understanding the crossover upgrade options. On the one hand you have SET12 going all out, and many people rocking the Sonicaps and loving it. The larger layout of the Crites crossover is a part of why they sound better, less interaction between parts and better orientation of parts which do interfere with each other. Just so you know jamming your expensive parts onto the pcb on the terminal cup is not your best option. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iaRIVR Posted September 21, 2019 Author Share Posted September 21, 2019 (edited) Thanks all- I'll take a look at Arizona blue. I'm rebuilding because I want to spread everything out on new boards. I was planning to just do caps for now and leave the rest of the parts stock but will look at options. I'm trying to figure out a good price point, I'd like to do this eventually and if the answer is I should budget $300+ that's good to know. @PrestonTom - Appreciate the advice and noted 👍 Edit- Arizona blue are $30/ea for the 1.5 and 2uf. That would be $200 + the 100/10uf. I haven't found larger caps other than Mundorf classic and Jantzen. Edited September 21, 2019 by iaRIVR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted September 21, 2019 Share Posted September 21, 2019 Does the 110 uF need to be anything special as it is parallel to the woofer? Can't it just be an electrlolytic, or maybe a 100uf electrolytic bypassed with a 10 uF of better quality? I seem to remember seeing a few electrolytic caps in $20K B&Ws. Excuse my ignorance if this is a dumb question. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted September 21, 2019 Share Posted September 21, 2019 2 hours ago, tigerwoodKhorns said: Does the 110 uF need to be anything special as it is parallel to the woofer? Right, I wouldn't go crazy here - an electrolytic or metalized polyester is fine. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted September 21, 2019 Share Posted September 21, 2019 7 hours ago, iaRIVR said: Arizona blue are $30/ea for the 1.5 and 2uf. That would be $200 + the 100/10uf. I haven't found larger caps other than Mundorf classic and Jantzen. What 10uF. There is no 10uF in your network. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 6 hours ago, Deang said: What 10uF. There is no 10uF in your network. 110 uf parallel to the woofer. What does this do Dean? How does it filter if in parallel or does it do something else? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MechEngVic Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 https://www.partsconnexion.com/ http://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/Cap.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 4 hours ago, tigerwoodKhorns said: 110 uf parallel to the woofer. What does this do Dean? How does it filter if in parallel or does it do something else? I stole this from another site: "A cap will behave like a resistor with a different resistance depending on frequency. the higher you go up in frequency, the lower the 'resistance' value of the capacitor. The cap across the woofer bypasses or shunts the higher frequencies, making the higher frequency voltages smaller. This makes less high frequency content available for the woofer." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 The capacitor in parallel with the woofer makes it a second order filter. Meaning above the crossover frequency the roll off will be 12 dB per octave. With just the inductor in series with the woofer it is a first order filter with 6dB roll off per octave. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boom3 Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 The Arizonas are mylars...at those prices...wow 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 Fully protected/hermetically sealed, film and foil in oil. Pretty fair pricing actually. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 12 hours ago, Deang said: I stole this from another site: "A cap will behave like a resistor with a different resistance depending on frequency. the higher you go up in frequency, the lower the 'resistance' value of the capacitor. The cap across the woofer bypasses or shunts the higher frequencies, making the higher frequency voltages smaller. This makes less high frequency content available for the woofer." So it behaves as a filter by affecting the resistance. It also looks like it does not need to be a fancy cap as current that goes through it does not through the driver. Sound correct? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iaRIVR Posted September 22, 2019 Author Share Posted September 22, 2019 Making sense now, I might start with the mid and tweeter networks, or maybe just tweeter first. That article is crazy, I wonder how long it took to test all those caps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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