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Recap in progress..Rubycon Black gate

arcorob

arcorob

Addicted Member
So, started my recap last night of my Yamaha M65 Power amp. Glad I did because I see at least 2 caps on their way out (rounding on top) and the notorious glue unde the two BIG caps..

BUT

As I remove the old and put in the new, I am floored and wondering if I should have scrapped the project and just replaced what looked bad because...

All of the original caps are RUBYCON BLACKGATE...very highly regarded as I see.

Now I am using good caps..but geeze, I pulled these, saw what they were, looked them up and said wow...

Anyway, in for a penny, in for a pound...
 
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Okay...this thread is not worth

anything without pictures...LOL

Okay so recap is 80% done (waiting on a few in the mail) and they make it so easy. Service manual is clear and every cap location visually and clearly shows which way to mount the caps. A year ago, a recap seemed like the most daunting, not for me type project. Today, because of AK and my own OCD, no problem. I even know how to check and adjust the DC voltage and meters after the recap

Also found two on their way out and ran into the INFAMOUS glue which was just starting to corrode some jumpers and getting close to a resistor

The underside...okay ..now which one was capacitor 138...LOL
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See the big caps on the left ?
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Thats where they hide the glue !!! Ugg...more pictures later cause its ALL clean now
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Not sure

mhedges said:
Nice. Are you replacing the main smoothing caps too?
Click to expand...

Guess not ..just the electrolytics...to be honest, from a sound perspective, the amp was better than perfect. But I figured it was time..glad I did..two were on their way out, the glue spots were starting to eat some jumpers...

I originally opened because of the three sets of speaker connections, only C was consistant. A and B were intermittant. So I wanted to get to the root cause. Opened it up and there is not a dang thing wrong with them so kind of confused there...

So which/what are the smoothing caps ? Sounds like a hat you wear after taking off a motorcycle helmet...LOL
 
"So which/what are the smoothing caps ? Sounds like a hat you wear after taking off a motorcycle helmet...LOL"

Those 4 big black honkers. Usually kinda spensive, but worth the effort/cost while you're in there.
 
No way

AU20K said:
"So which/what are the smoothing caps ? Sounds like a hat you wear after taking off a motorcycle helmet...LOL"

Those 4 big black honkers. Usually kinda spensive, but worth the effort/cost while you're in there.
Click to expand...

No way I am touching those bad boys...LOL

as it is I am sorry I replaced the Rubycon Blackgates...with great caps but those are "legend"...wait for it....ARY...LOL
 
All the M-series and MX -series used blackgates in key areas.
 
A very experienced tech friend of mine has a lot of experience with Yamaha gear from this era. He has never been big on Black Gates, because regardless of their sonic attributes, he complains that they seem to be prone to failure over the long haul. Apparently he has removed quite a few failed ones over the years.
 
That could be very true

Isotonic said:
A very experienced tech friend of mine has a lot of experience with Yamaha gear from this era. He has never been big on Black Gates, because regardless of their sonic attributes, he complains that they seem to be prone to failure over the long haul. Apparently he has removed quite a few failed ones over the years.
Click to expand...

Though they may be good for sonic quality, it doesn;t ensure longevity. I think I did this at the right time before the two (or more) went full belly up...:D
 
Let us know the sound quality difference.....I'm thinking of recapping my M-4. I don't have any issues at all but it's pushing 30+ Years old but sounds awesome and better than my other recapped unit already.
 
Those are what I usually buy. I like to use Digikey because I am comfortable with their search function. I try to use Elna Silmics in the signal path or stacked films if possible.
 
ryuker16 said:
Let us know the sound quality difference.....I'm thinking of recapping my M-4. I don't have any issues at all but it's pushing 30+ Years old but sounds awesome and better than my other recapped unit already.
Click to expand...

No blackgates in the M-2 or M-4.. All the amps with the red LED power meter have 4 or 5 BG's.Of all the caps that I have actually found bad in them were the small BG's.Those two large greenish caps are Nichicon "KS" Audio grade..
 
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Isotonic said:
Those are what I usually buy. I like to use Digikey because I am comfortable with their search function. I try to use Elna Silmics in the signal path or stacked films if possible.
Click to expand...


I'm going to have to find a comfort level with Digikey's search function because so far I have not had a lot of luck there. It seems they have a larger selection than Mouser.
 
Sorry I have been out of the loop...lol

To answer some questions, with the exception of two of the 10 values I needed, they were all Panasonic low ESR 105 degree

Two types I just couldn;t find in those but they were not in the signal path...

Sound quality...awesome. It was always really awesome..but just a tad more than usual...

I did note something interesting the first few times I powered up...I did not get both channels working until the unit warmed for 30 seconds or so..even though it came out of the normal protect. Was strange, it went away and I just have to attribute to cap break - in ?

Seperation and detail is phenomenal
 
arcorob said:
I did note something interesting the first few times I powered up...I did not get both channels working until the unit warmed for 30 seconds or so..even though it came out of the normal protect. Was strange, it went away and I just have to attribute to cap break - in ?

Seperation and detail is phenomenal
Click to expand...


Odd. Did you double check solder joints?
 
Yup..

AU20K said:
Odd. Did you double check solder joints?
Click to expand...

everything is good..works fine..but first few times (when it was cold) ..it took 30 seconds to be warmed up...yes, quite strange.

But all is good so..I was just chalking up to cap break-in..
 
Thanks !!!

AU20K said:
Cool. I'm glad the project was a success!
Click to expand...

It was fun too ! Toughest part ? setting the 10mv on each channel. WhY ?

I was not thinking straight about what I was doing...had the multimeter attached...get a reading like 9.6 so I would adjust..whoa...10.8...adjust 9.1...what gives..a mere touch of the adjustment could make it jump .6

And then I looked at the manual and realized 10mv +-1mv...We are talking millivolts..not volts..no wonder the adjustment was so touchy...lol

I managed to get 10.3 on both..CLOSE enough...and then tested Class A and watched the voltage increase...:D

All in all, a very worthy project..Approx. 50 to 70 dollar cost for peace of mind..
 
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