Audio is an on going experiment with diminishing returns.

Our LP 27's have Audyn poly caps in them and I am considering changing them to the Copper version but I have not been able to find the physical spec. I want to be sure they fit. I may have to e-mail them.

There is nothing 'wrong' with the caps Dennis uses but they can be bettered because your rig is different that the one he voiced the amp with. Using the right cap for your rig and taste can be a significant upgrade. The most expensive cap is not necessarily the *best* either. The best is the one you prefer. Just like tubes.

high-endaudio.com/Modifications.html I like where this is going.... Those red coupling caps look easy enough to upgrade. Seems like the guy above swears by V caps. A bit pricey but looks like an easy reversible mod. He also suggests a bypass cap of the same type be used. I wonder what Dennis would say??? Anyone now the type or make of the red caps that seem to be in all the inspire gear?

humblehomemadehifi.com/Cap2.html

A little more light reading, saw this when I started considering upgrading the cap's in my Zu audio speakers

I bought a used Almarro 205 a single ended EL84 years ago and it had V-Cap Teflons which sounded thin and bleached.

The Humble HiFi does give a general idea of how different caps sound but personal results and preference will vary due to different sources, wire, speakers etc. I am not dissing the caps Dennis used but amps have to be built to a price point. He cannot know what you will prefer.

Me? I have Klipsch speakers and prefer Paper in Oil caps. I had some .01uf V-Cap Copper foils and am using them in my amp in parallel with .015uf Vitamin Q's. I did this as an experiment. The copper V-Caps will give, IMHO, tight bass, as tight as your rig can deliver, and brass sounds like brass. The Vitamin Q's add fullness and the top end is extended and sweet. YMMV. This was a $120 or so mod that really transformed the Inspire gear to my ears. The .022uf Vitamin Q's were $20 or so and the 2 .022uf .01 V-Caps $100.

I did try 2 .022uf Vitamin Q's too but prefer the V-Cap combo.

2 V-Cap Copper foil .022uf are $125.

2 .022uf Jupiter Copper foils are about $75.

It was wise of Dennis to use a small value cap because that makes using top notch caps more affordable.

There are some stupid expensive caps but I'm not interested.

Here is an interesting article:

jimmyauw.com/2009/08/16/extreme-capacitors-battle-1st-session/ Jimmy's Junkyard – Extreme Capacitors Battle (1st Session)



Simon,

Yes, you can upgrade speaker caps too. These mods are easily reversible. Jupiter and Jensen have some caps for speakers to consider. These are different than the caps for amps.

I want to stress than I am NOT stating anything absolute in these posts. Just posting my experiences.

Is there a good book to go over tube amp basics? I still dont understand how to figure out specifically which tube goes bad when there are so many in the amp portion and the preamp besides trial and error.

From Dennis on the subject;

Well hello, hello .... nice to hear from you. I hope all is well on your end. The red coupling caps in your LP-2 are Audyn 4.7 uF at 400 VDC. If you wish to upgrade I might mention the white Audyn 1.5 uF at 800 VDC metalized film and foil caps. These are the coupling caps I use in the LP-27a preamplifier. In my opinion if you wished to upgrade the output coupling caps in your LP-2, I would simply replace them with the Audyn White 1.5 uF at 800 VDC film and foil caps like I use in the LP-27a as mentioned above. One can chase their tail when it comes to these components. There is a company in China that produces a vast majority of all the so called boutique caps. In other words you are simply buying the same stuff with a different jacket and electrical claim!!!!!!!!! Some even have a copper jacket wrapped over the same ole cap. Then here state side a good majority of various brand caps are made by a single US manufacture. I need to be cautious with brand names and claims. Anyway, the Audyn caps are from a quality Germany factory and have proven to be reliable and sonically transparent.

Dennis

PS: As a side note I have found a magnificent sounding cap from an old name at a truly inexpensive price. I have them in my personal 6V6 amplifier.
These caps in your 6V6 amplifier are going to freak you out when you hear them ... Mallory CP-M150-47-630 Metalized Poly Non-Inductive at $3.25 each at Tube Depot .... The have absolutely no snob appeal what so ever. These caps are not for the snooty neighborhood!!!!!! They are how ever for great sounding music. How about dem dar apples???!!!

Because we like pictures the Mallory caps

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p...psknbsob9n.jpg

Dennis' personal 6V6 amp with mallory coupling caps

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p...psgim1fxtp.jpg

So many choices and interesting experiences ... Need to meditate a bit about all these options for my case ... while I try to get rid of my self-soldering fear! According to Dennis, the upgrade in the LP-27a preamp is the way to go, so I have that already. Then, I need to choose between Beeswax Copper foil and VCap Copper Caps for the amp ... and get me some silver solder (no such thing sold locally).

At $3.25 I'd start there and if you are not happy, move up the food chain. I have not used them...so go for it! :thumbsup:

The Jupiters, Vitamin Q's and VCaps are not from China. :D

I missed what mods you did to your inspire? What model do you have? What mods was dennis recommending for you LP-27?
Parts express has Audyn true copper caps 1.5uf, I was thinking about using those instead of the Audyn plus caps. The true copper caps are around $55 each at parts express. They also have true copper 0.1uf I could use for bypass caps. O was doing some reading and it seems .15uf would be a better fit but they are not available in true copper caps.
Seems like keeping with Audyn might be a good place to start as all the rest of the caps in the amp and pre are audyn.
Looking at the sale on the dueland cast copper .45uf for the Amp output coupling caps. They are on sale at part connextion for $185 each..... But that might be going too far.....

I only changed the caps in the amp. Dueland? Well, they wont fit and they are stupid expensive. Are you sure your amp has .45uf caps? Don't change anything unless you are certain.

Can you post a jpeg of the guts of your amp?

My amp, like yours, is a one of a kind.