What is the new go to audio electrolytic capacitor?
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Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
Whatever Digikey and Mouser have to offer.
KKnight
Active Member
Touchy subject, devastating reality. 1st your buys of old dried out (10 year shelf life) and most probably counterfeit Nichicon's via fleabay have been and are still the #1 NEVER DO for decades. Hundreds of posts here and everywhere on the issue.
#2- Too many discussions and post here and everywhere on what the reality is now on recapping and restoring of vintage audio and electronics when Elna, Nichicon, most Panasonic, etc audio grade electrolytics went EOL. It's not just the issue of what the stodgy considered designer or boutique 'lytics, it was THE PAR NONE BETTER QUALITY OF THEM in whatever grade.
#3- There really is NO go-to audio grade 'lytics anymore. Just what is out there now that the ignorant consider "within spec" from manufacturers that, many of them, are low manufacturing and quality of materials. QC too,
#4- Opened the door to counterfeits now that is out-of-control even before Elna and Nichicon quit making their best for audio.
#5- Just like what happened when Black Gate"s went extinct, every junk and shady dealer and seller in the world jump on price gouging to sell old dried out audio grade 'lytics waaaay beyond their manufacturing date and shelf life even if they are authentic.
#6- Ruined the recapping and restoring world wide market for any generation after Baby Boomers to Millennials to now. Interest in the craft has been declining for 2 decades anyway. Pushed the market for literal beyond external cosmetics 'Silver faced' audio gear to ~88-170% of what they are really worth. It's all based on external cosmetics, not what quality and brand name/series the 'lytics and other components are internally now.
#7- You'll notice here on AK, and most other forums and internet discussion areas that no tenured 'expert' or Electronics Engineer w/ a Masters or above has tackled the "go-to electrolytic capacitor for vintage audio" issue in 2025, as, in reality, there is NONE anymore. Only junk. The same junk ('lytics) you find in your brand new $1500usd OLED TV. Made to fail. I and many many others would even settle for the factory general grade 'lytics Pioneer, Marantz, etc put in the 1970's gear (from Elna) if they were as fresh and brewery beer.
#2- Too many discussions and post here and everywhere on what the reality is now on recapping and restoring of vintage audio and electronics when Elna, Nichicon, most Panasonic, etc audio grade electrolytics went EOL. It's not just the issue of what the stodgy considered designer or boutique 'lytics, it was THE PAR NONE BETTER QUALITY OF THEM in whatever grade.
#3- There really is NO go-to audio grade 'lytics anymore. Just what is out there now that the ignorant consider "within spec" from manufacturers that, many of them, are low manufacturing and quality of materials. QC too,
#4- Opened the door to counterfeits now that is out-of-control even before Elna and Nichicon quit making their best for audio.
#5- Just like what happened when Black Gate"s went extinct, every junk and shady dealer and seller in the world jump on price gouging to sell old dried out audio grade 'lytics waaaay beyond their manufacturing date and shelf life even if they are authentic.
#6- Ruined the recapping and restoring world wide market for any generation after Baby Boomers to Millennials to now. Interest in the craft has been declining for 2 decades anyway. Pushed the market for literal beyond external cosmetics 'Silver faced' audio gear to ~88-170% of what they are really worth. It's all based on external cosmetics, not what quality and brand name/series the 'lytics and other components are internally now.
#7- You'll notice here on AK, and most other forums and internet discussion areas that no tenured 'expert' or Electronics Engineer w/ a Masters or above has tackled the "go-to electrolytic capacitor for vintage audio" issue in 2025, as, in reality, there is NONE anymore. Only junk. The same junk ('lytics) you find in your brand new $1500usd OLED TV. Made to fail. I and many many others would even settle for the factory general grade 'lytics Pioneer, Marantz, etc put in the 1970's gear (from Elna) if they were as fresh and brewery beer.
If you got the money and think they sound better you can get Audio Note caps.
www.audionote.co.uk
They say they are trying to replicate the Black Gate caps but make them better.
I never used them but a few here on Ak have .
And a new more "affordable" series
www.hificollective.co.uk
Nashou
Electrolytic Capacitors | Audio Note (UK)
www.audionote.co.uk
They say they are trying to replicate the Black Gate caps but make them better.
I never used them but a few here on Ak have .
And a new more "affordable" series
Audio Note Seiryu Electrolytics Capacitors | HIFICollective
Audio Note Seiryu Electrolytics Capacitors
Nashou
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Bruno Primas
Super Member
For low capacitance value caps, I tend to use Wima and Kemet films.
I like Panasonic low ESR, and tend to use them in the signal path. I don't hear a difference between the fc, fm, fr, fS. I think they sound fine, long life, small footprint, and low ESR. Works for me. I sometimes bypass with some polypro in the signal path, but lately I've been questioning if that does much either.
Lead Electronics was closing and selling off their inventory. They seem legit and had a lot of inventory. Now I have more than I will ever use.
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There's a legitimate Elna factory in Thailand making several genuine, audio-rated series of electrolytics that are still out there. However, you can only purchase them through Chinese vendors like aliexpress, and then everyone always assumes everything out of China must be fake so they don't even bother. For instance, they make an RBD and an RFS/ Silmic II with a black sleeve and gold lettering. Also, Elna Thailand makes many series of audio capacitors most have never talked about or used in the US, such as RBS bp, RFO, RA2, RA3, RE3, R3A, etc. You may want to confirm manufacturing code with seller before ordering to make sure they aren't too old, but there's literally a plethora of "new" to you series of Elna audio-rated through hole electrolytics out there waiting to be purchased. Also, there's Nichicon UKZ and UES as well. In the end, there's probably some risk involved with counterfeits purchasing these. It's not necessarily the "slam-dunk" we've all been looking for. It's probably the case that some will be genuine, and some won't with no way of knowing when you purchase them. Take it for what it's worth to you, which may be nothing at all. But, it could be worth checking out for those looking for some alternative. Test them beforehand, see how they measure.
Attachments
Yes, also some choice does exist where there was assumed to be none. Leakage and distortion both matter in a signal path, but lower distortion is generally more important. Bi-polar can replace polar for lower distortion for preserving sonic accuracy in coupling, or wherever lower distortion (in general) is cross-applicable and preferred. It's arguably the most important capacitor specification, but is not listed in datasheets and therefore completely ignored or assumed to be having no effect on anything when it should be one of the first considerations made when choosing a cap.
Yes, therein lies the problem. It is withheld, very important, and always lower with bp types.
It's understandable to think they should disclose everything necessary or important. I mean, why not? But the truth is they don't, and it's exponentially higher than is often assumed when directly tested against comparable bp types. "Capacitor generated distortions, for too long the subject of much speculation and opinion, can now be measured. Capacitors are not categorized for distortion in manufacture, so a distorting capacitor would not be accepted as reject by its maker."
Capacitor Distortion Tests
Capacitor Distortion Tests
I was just going to say that those number were incredibly small, insignificant, IMO. I like how the author's footnotes all reference his own work. I'm of the mind that the best electrolytic cap is still isn't as good as the worst film cap.
Years ago, when I could hear above 14kHz, I noted MKS2 (in the audio path) sounded harsh.
I even posted about it questing any "burn in" period. Today, with deminished hearing (12-13kHz??) they sound fine so I'm also think
Still no love for UKL in the audio path, clearly sounds flat, lacking HF detail.
gslikker
Super Member
This one looks interesting :
https://www.ti.com/lit/an/slyt796a/slyt796a.pdf
Also here (as with the Bateman articles) it is rather useless to look at distortion figures without some evaluation of the specific testing methods and parameter values for a test.
https://www.ti.com/lit/an/slyt796a/slyt796a.pdf
Also here (as with the Bateman articles) it is rather useless to look at distortion figures without some evaluation of the specific testing methods and parameter values for a test.
