Recap / LSI Conversion - AR98ls
- Thread starter SamC13
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SamC13
Active Member
Thank you. So far, idk, it’s weird. They keep changing it seems like. The midrange seems really really flat right now? Wondering if I didn’t **** up somehow? Do you see anything I could’ve done wrong around the 40uF’s? It just seems like there is so little midrange now. I’m noticing a lot more detail, better soundstage, more warmth, but flat midrange and it’s lacking that air’yness. It sounds muddy. Running through my DAC, I’ve tried with and without a EQ and my Chinese tube preamp. It definitely sounds better with this shitty tube preamp., but I still notice the things I mentioned. Same with EQ, it helped but not all the way there.
SamC13
Active Member
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SamC13
Active Member
Ugh, ive had them rolling for 20+ hours now and im still not stoked. Idk if it is the recap job or amp. I wasn't happy (at all) with how they sounded originally just playing off my amp (Hafler P3000) with no pre-amp.
I was really enjoying the tube sound (Gold Lion ECC82) with that cheap preamp I had that broke (started feeding some shitty DC and blowing master fuse on my amp).
I also tried playing them with my other amp and preamp (Hafler DH-200 and Nobsound NS10p) but still wasn't happy... Im going to try playing them off a known good, high end amp and preamp and see if my thoughts change. If not, i'll be opening them back up to try and figure out what the hell it was I did that didn't work out.
I just scored a Phase Linear 2000 but it will need recap and some work before it is useable.
This sucks yall. Help plz/
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StimpyWan
Addicted Member
The main capacitors to be concerned with are the series caps; the dual 40s, the dual 8s, and the single 3uF. If mine, I'd just replace the dual 40s with a single 80, and the dual 8s with a 16. If possible, I'd use poly film for the 16 and 3uF caps. You can get an 82uF poly cap, but it's big. Audyn makes an 82, that PE sells for $22.39 ea. Worth it, since it's the main cap on the lower midrange. Otherwise, I'd use an 80 NPE, with a small 0.1uF film cap, as a bypass paralleled to it. For the 16s and 3s, Audyn or Jantzen would probably sound more neutral, ClarityCap slightly warmer, and Mundorf more transparent. Those are my favorite brands that I've tried. Look at Madisound, Parts Express, and Parts Connexion for good capacitors.
Oh, just looked, and I see you already used Dayton poly caps on the tweeters. You're good there. But mixing larger polys and smaller electrolytic's 'could' cause a problem. That's kind'a a reverse bypass cap, which might not work as well. You want a good small poly cap in parallel with a larger NPE. That helps improve the NPE to sound more like the poly. Improves transient response too.
'Luck.
Oh, just looked, and I see you already used Dayton poly caps on the tweeters. You're good there. But mixing larger polys and smaller electrolytic's 'could' cause a problem. That's kind'a a reverse bypass cap, which might not work as well. You want a good small poly cap in parallel with a larger NPE. That helps improve the NPE to sound more like the poly. Improves transient response too.
'Luck.
SamC13
Active Member
My guess is that I’m going to end up following your suggestions regardless, and see improvement, but that isn’t currently where I’m being limited. I really really loved the sound before the recap and conversion when I was running that cheap shitty 12au7 tube preamp with the p3000. It sounded good. Even my dad agreed. And I assumed it would be even better post conversion and recap, and could be, but that preamp **** the bed so I’m not sure now.
StimpyWan
Addicted Member
Those Unicon capacitors, that AR sometimes used, were very good Japanese produced NPE's. Dynamic, with good clarity. My AR58S speakers used them too, and I wish they were still available.
Unless you want to try another recap, about the only thing you can do, is let the new caps continue to break in. That can take upwards of 100 hours of playing time. Also, continue to try different gear. Hopefully, you'll find a synergistic combination!
Oh, the Dayton poly's should be fine for the tweeters, since they crossover so high in frequency. Mixing other brands shouldn't upset anything else.
Unless you want to try another recap, about the only thing you can do, is let the new caps continue to break in. That can take upwards of 100 hours of playing time. Also, continue to try different gear. Hopefully, you'll find a synergistic combination!
Oh, the Dayton poly's should be fine for the tweeters, since they crossover so high in frequency. Mixing other brands shouldn't upset anything else.
SamC13
Active Member
took them to the HiFi shop today and listened to them on a fully resorted and rebuilt NAD and they sounded incredible, almost perfect. They sounded exactly how I expected them to sound after the recap. Which confirmed my suspicion, that Hafler P3000 is absolutely ruining the sound all-together. I’m in the market for a new amp that can do them justice I guess!
StimpyWan
Addicted Member
Good to hear the 98s are doing what they're supposed to. Odd, the DH-200 is a Mosfet based amp. My Adcom GFA-5400 is Mosfet too, and my AR's sound great on it! It definitely sounds like your Hafler's need help. Adcom, and B&K had nice Mosfet amps. Acurus made sweet amps, that aren't exspensive now.
Currently, I also use a Schiit Saga tube pre with an Aragon 2004 MKii amp. An awesome combination, and the Aragon is stable into one Ohm loads.
Currently, I also use a Schiit Saga tube pre with an Aragon 2004 MKii amp. An awesome combination, and the Aragon is stable into one Ohm loads.
SamC13
Active Member
They sounded fantastic, which I was very very relieved to hear! A good confirmation that I in fact, did do decent workable job on the recap. I now have some confidence and skills to tackle the recap on my Scott-100's.
So, I think my DH-200 actually has a DC bleed on one channel. Im actually not sure what its deal was, it was picked up for very cheap. At the very least it probably needs a recap, star ground, better power cord, etc. The 'usual' mods. Im not going to go full Musical Concepts with it because I like it for what it is, simple and cheap, but Ill bring it back up to speed service-wise.
Someone on a different thread actually recommended the Adcom 5800. Ive been keeping an eye out for one. I saw a 5400 the other day but the price wasn't quite right on it. Im having my Phase Linear 2000 professionally serviced and restored, so im after something that would pair nicely with that. Im not sure if it will eventually end up on my main system or office system, kind of depends what I find ampwise and how those Scott's are after recap.
Hopefully be able to go to my familys this weekend; planning to lug my AR's home and test them on my dads Conrad Johnson MF-200, NEC A10ii and NAD 3155 to see what I dig.
So, I think my DH-200 actually has a DC bleed on one channel. Im actually not sure what its deal was, it was picked up for very cheap. At the very least it probably needs a recap, star ground, better power cord, etc. The 'usual' mods. Im not going to go full Musical Concepts with it because I like it for what it is, simple and cheap, but Ill bring it back up to speed service-wise.
Someone on a different thread actually recommended the Adcom 5800. Ive been keeping an eye out for one. I saw a 5400 the other day but the price wasn't quite right on it. Im having my Phase Linear 2000 professionally serviced and restored, so im after something that would pair nicely with that. Im not sure if it will eventually end up on my main system or office system, kind of depends what I find ampwise and how those Scott's are after recap.
Hopefully be able to go to my familys this weekend; planning to lug my AR's home and test them on my dads Conrad Johnson MF-200, NEC A10ii and NAD 3155 to see what I dig.
SamC13
Active Member
My HiFi guy wanted me to ask you, what, if anything, are you doing for protection on the tweeter and upper mid since they are so hard to come by?
He said I should look into adding a protection circuit on them 'just incase'. I certainly cant see any harm and dont need two 500$ doorstops so will likely be adding in a inline lamp fuse or something like that.
He also recommended I add a piece of Sonic Barrier Sound Dampening Foam onto the metal part of the tweeter and upper on the front of the speaker to help reduce some distortions (cant remember of what kind) that he was hearing from the bevels surrounding them. Guy knows his ****, and for 8$ I don't see any reason not to try it, so I will report back on any findings with that. He said he was honestly very surprised AR didn't offer them with dampening.
He said I should look into adding a protection circuit on them 'just incase'. I certainly cant see any harm and dont need two 500$ doorstops so will likely be adding in a inline lamp fuse or something like that.
He also recommended I add a piece of Sonic Barrier Sound Dampening Foam onto the metal part of the tweeter and upper on the front of the speaker to help reduce some distortions (cant remember of what kind) that he was hearing from the bevels surrounding them. Guy knows his ****, and for 8$ I don't see any reason not to try it, so I will report back on any findings with that. He said he was honestly very surprised AR didn't offer them with dampening.
