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Do different vendor crossover caps really sound all that different?

Which speaker Crossover Capacitors do you prefer


  • Total voters
    78
If you really wanna do some research into the subtle differences in caps- http://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/Cap.html

I checked out the humble capacitor comparison and it is no where near accurate/natural in absolute terms.
Simply auditioning a capacitor will not result in accurate conclusions. Over the years, working in the lab,
I and others have performed specialized listening tests comparing some poly capacitors.

The mundorfs M EVO aluminum in oil are so close to perfectly accurate, our jaws dropped. Yet, humble only gave
it an 8 out of 20. With the Mundorf's such high accuracy, the higher rated capacitors are no where near accurate,
nor deserve a high score. Let's check some issues involved.

1. Simply installing a capacitor into a circuit and auditioning is not the proper method of testing. See
points 2 on. The proper test is whether the capacitor under test actually changes the sound of the circuit/design.
In otherwards, one has to compare the sound with and without the capacitor under test to check for sonic alterations.

2. The circuit/component is not sonically accurate, thus the capacitor installed that gave the "best" sound was not
accurate, in absolute terms, as it is attempting to correct a major existing problem(s) with the circuit design.
Correcting sonic problems with parts with sonic problems will never give optimum musical quality.
Notice the highest score was only 15/16 or so out of 20. The Mundorf M EVO aluminum in oil was close to 20, it is
that accurate/natural. See point 3.

3. The correct size of capacitor in ufd must be used. The problem of too small coupling capacitors started with
small amplifiers that would clip, causing rectification effects. Another was poor quality power supply electrolytic
capacitors causing bloating bass. To lower these effects, smaller ufd coupling capacitors were used.
However, accurate but small ufd capacitors would sound thin, sterile. So full sounding capacitors, such as Orange drops
and others were ordained as superior and became the norm. Being small, the bass was not quite so bloated.

4. Human nature tends to believe that more expensive is better. Check the ratings, and the more expensive capacitors
were rated higher. If the more expensive capacitors were rated so different than the Mundorfs, then the other capacitors
are not that accurate in absolute terms.

I am not affiliated with any capacitor, transformer companies etc, such as Mundorf.

keep on truckin

joe

ps. The two different equations for Zobel networks are not all that accurate. Other variable involved so don't be afraid to
try different combinations of resistors and capacitors.
 
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I've found Tony Gee's sonic observations to be pretty much spot on to my own experiences.
 
Accuracy and what "sounds best" are seldom synonymous in the speaker world, or on a per user basis.

By accuracy I mean natural, not some weird sound or 5 foot wide lips I once heard, pushing X amplifier,
or something so sterile, 2 dimensional sounding.
The standard definition has been around for decades after decades. 1960 RCA Radiotron Designers
Handbook, by 26 engineers etc states such.

"Accuracy" received a bad name when solid state came on the scene, sounding terrible while hyping specs,
claiming accuracy but not in the least. One can easily tell by the electrolytic capacitors in both solid
state and tube designs, size of coupling capacitors/brand and chokes in tube designs. That is all it takes.

I don't make idle claims. As an example, my lab system not only sounds incredibly natural, but so
transparent that we hear sonic changes when a 12pf capacitor is paralleled across a 47uf poly
capacitor in the speaker crossover, recording room wall reflections etc. The recording is the limiting
factor. A fascinating journey that took some 43 years.

For every project posted, may I suggest the op state what kind of sound one is designing for,
accurate/natural or manipulated in some way?

keep on truckin

joe
 
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