Output Coupling Capacitors

[xcortes]

What voltage must the caps be rated for?

[Doc B.]

200VDC should be fine if you are considering film caps. They are 100uF.

[jrebman]

Xavier,

you beat me to it .

Thanks for the response, Doc.

-- Jim

[Doc B.]

Parts Express has a Dayton brand metallized polypropylene rated 100uF at 250V for about $24 each. PN 027-447.

[Caucasian Blackplate]

This is an interesting option....

http://www.tedss.com/item.asp?id=2020005894

Somewhere I have seen 100uf Auricaps, but a pair of those would be about as much as the cost of the kit...

[jrebman]

And here's another option:

AXON-73679
100uF / 250VDC, True Cap, (D: 48.2mm x L: 65mm)
$32.28 $16.14 pcX USD Price

AXON  True Cap Metalized Polypropylene Capacitors
axon.jpg
These are the capacitors chosen by some of the most highly regarded speaker manufactures
around the world. The sound quality is very neutral and open. AXON True Capacitors
are made from the finest grade European metalized polypropylene, by the same OEM
company in France (SCR), that makes the SOLEN Metalized polypropylene caps. In fact,
these are functionally and materially identical to the PA series SOLEN caps, with
one advantage - typically, the "actual/measured" AXON values are more closely wound
to the nominal printed value.
AXON True Caps are manufactured on high precision Swiss machines with high winding
tension to suppress microphonics. They use a multi-wrap encapsulation (white epoxy
ends) for protection and oven annealing to improve internal damping. Tolerance is
5% precision, centered on the nominal value. The leads are solid copper, coated with
pure tin to prevent oxidation.


Personal note:

I've used these and like them better than the higher voltage Solens.  They seem to be somewhat smoother overall, but even more pronounced i n the mids.

$16 each, you probably can't go too far wrong, but could also be bypassed for changing the flavor to your liking.

-- Jim



Of course you can also find some of those huge Sprague 100 uF motor run caps, typically for even less than these Axons, and they too sound fantastic.

-- Jim

[xcortes]

Is it OK to go to 150uF?

[Caucasian Blackplate]

150uf should work just fine.  In a similar circuit I built some years ago, I ended up using 220uf.

[jrebman]

Just curious how much room will there be inside the chassis for these beer can size caps?

Thanks,

Jim

[Doc B.]

I ordered some of the Axons yesterday, and I'll let you guys know how we end up fitting them in. We also put C4Ss with BIG heatsinks on the 6080, so it may be a bit of a tight fit in our prototype.

[Paul Joppa]

For the truly enthusiastic, are you aware of the CDE military-quality caps? Electrolytic caps, 125 degrees C, stainless steel cases, 100 year lifetime, flat pack 0.5" by 1.5" by 1.75" for example. "Not your fathers's electrolytic."

Spec sheet at
http://www.cde.com/catalogs/MLS.pdf

OK, so a pair costs more than the Crack. So? Mouser has 25 of them (330uF, 200v) in stock, only $120 each!  :^)

No, I've never heard them or even seen one.

[Caucasian Blackplate]

PJ, you are the master of sourcing obscure parts!  By the way, I have eight of those giant CDE film caps that you recommend for our little high voltage project, they are HUGE!!!!

[Paul Joppa]

PJ, you are the master of sourcing obscure parts!  By the way, I have eight of those giant CDE film caps that you recommend for our little high voltage project, they are HUGE!!!!

Haha! Yeah, they lookd like beer cans for alcoholics ...  :^)

I have the bleeder resistors, give me a buzz...

[Grainger49]

 .  .  .    By the way, I have eight of those giant CDE film caps that you recommend for our little high voltage project, they are HUGE!!!!

Since we don't have a bunch of smiley faces available:



Hey, I got it to work!  But it should read "that post."

How about posting a picture?

[xcortes]

How about a pair of Black Gates NH. Mike Percy has 150uFs for about $50.