• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Suggestions for good audio capacitor substitutes for Nichicon UES and UFG

jlovda

jlovda

Things I loved from the 60's and 70's
Subscriber
I have been using Nichicon MUSE UES non-polarized and UFG Fine Gold caps for years recapping vintage Mcintosh amps and preamps. These are now obsolete and only a few varieties are still available. Does anyone know the Nichicon active replacement series that is as good or better than the UES and UFG? I am not looking for expensive audiophile devices, just standard high quality caps.

Thanks
 
Register to hide this ad
Nothing Panisonic makes that will do? I like there ECW polypropylene film
caps. I've used them a lot for coupling and bypass caps. I've used there electrolytic caps as well.
 
painttoad said:
we've been cast aside as customers
Click to expand...
Yes, buying 10s, 100s and 1000s of those discontinued 5mm and 6.3mm diameter caps just doesn’t rate when a few different companies are waiting for orders of a million caps in smd format of the same values.

If the value is big enough, go to a different Audio Grade Nichicon. If the value isn’t, go with film caps or some other manufacturer.
 
Last edited:
Hi @jlovda did you ever look more into this? I am same, I have a small stash of UFG, UES, and UKL caps but not in bigger values. I am wondering what people have moved to now that those are NLA? Considering UHE for power supplies, and maybe UKA instead of UFG for smoothing caps? Any consensus these days?
 
nbndtrain said:
I am wondering what people have moved to now that those are NLA?
Click to expand...
i stocked up. i'm still good.

nbndtrain said:
I have a small stash of UFG, UES, and UKL caps but not in bigger values
Click to expand...
digikey still has ues in stock. 10uf to 330uf.

digikey still has some ufg in stock as well


i have been venturing into options for the future but have not used alot of these:

"audio grade " bipolar:



these are not listed as "audio grade' but the application notes make me think that they may be and i have been using some of these here and there and i can't really tell any difference between this and any of my "audio grade " caps

if nothing else, i think they are just fine for a general purpose cap in stereos. but i'm no cap expert.


 
UDB bp, RBD bp, BPA bp axials, Cornell BPS is an audio-rated, radial bp 'lytic that has low ESR which is unheard of in an audio-rated cap. Panasonic SU bp, Vishay MAL.
 
nbndtrain said:
Hi @jlovda did you ever look more into this? I am same, I have a small stash of UFG, UES, and UKL caps but not in bigger values. I am wondering what people have moved to now that those are NLA? Considering UHE for power supplies, and maybe UKA instead of UFG for smoothing caps? Any consensus these days?
Click to expand...
Sorry, NO. I have been involved in other things.
 
jlovda said:
I have been using Nichicon MUSE UES non-polarized and UFG Fine Gold caps for years recapping vintage Mcintosh amps and preamps. These are now obsolete and only a few varieties are still available. Does anyone know the Nichicon active replacement series that is as good or better than the UES and UFG? I am not looking for expensive audiophile devices, just standard high quality caps.

Thanks
Click to expand...
There are Panasonic and Rubycon capacitors available. You will have to work between both brands.
 
There audio note electrolytics, they do a standard range and a kasei version with copper leads. They're more expensive than Nichicon and Elna but if it's only a few coupling caps.
 
Last edited:
I've used the BP AudioNote Kaisei as coupling caps before and highly recommend them. They are pricey though, but are the successor to BlackGates and worth it, in my opinion.

audio-note-kaisei-all-800.jpg
 
onanysunday said:
UDB bp, RBD bp, BPA bp axials, Cornell BPS is an audio-rated, radial bp 'lytic that has low ESR which is unheard of in an audio-rated cap. Panasonic SU bp, Vishay MAL.
Click to expand...

Thank you! Slogging through an Electrocompaniet pre and amp that use a ton of axials, some of which are shorted (FRAKO W. Germany).
Vishay MAL seems like the only game in town.
 
As you know, ES are bipolar and FG are polarized.

If I'm looking for bipolar, I see if I can find a film cap small enough, and with long enough leads to replace it. This last part is important. WIMA used to make an MKS2 10uF film that had long leads if you ordered them from a roll of tape. It meant they could fit in where a smaller size electrolytic used to fit. Without the long leads, it was almost impossible. WIMA no longer make the MKS2 series. What I do now is, check the "bipolar" box in the Mouser search, and see what comes up.

For the ES, I try and see if an FW or KW, or a KA or KT is available.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom