2. amps-preamps
  3. 146512-75349

Recommendation for input coupling caps

Hey,
I’m building a headphone amp and need a recommendation for a 0.47uF input coupling cap.
It is a discrete circuit and the output is direct coupled.

I have built this amp before and used Mundorf Supreme in this position.
I felt it sounded "compressed" and lacked dynamics (compared to other amps I built, albeit they were different designs).

Also, the headphones I will be using tend to be a bit bassy so would like something that is known for not bloating the bass and may bring the mids forward (if that is even possible to achieve by simply a cap).

Based on size and price, these seem like viable options:
Auricap XO
Mundorf Supreme Silver Oil
Jantzen Superior

I have also read about Jupiter and Sonicap Platinum but honestly can’t justify the price for this build.

I could be over-estimating the impact of this capacitor on the overall sound though, and can just go back to the same Mundorf Supreme.
Your thoughts are greatly appreciated

itsikhefez
motokokusanagi
189 posts
 
Hang on, so you’ve not specifically qualified the effect (if any) of the input cap alone vs the overall "flat/compressed" amp sound signature; neither have you qualified the differential benefit (if any) of the Mundorf Supreme over a generic cap, yet you want to move to another? It’s your money but this seems dubious.

What design is this?
johnss
580 posts
 
would add go with copper foil cap. either from audyn, Jupiter, Jensen or Dueland.

The most organic sound I have heard from any cap are the copper foils. The Duelands are physically quite large, so may not fit in your application.
hifijunky
126 posts
 
Clarity MR or CMR (if they fit) may be a good choice.
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
@itsikhefez  If they fit, I have some Duelund .47uf tinned copper CAST capacitors I can sell you.  I tried them in my Coincident Frankenstein 300b amplifiers and they sounded great, but reduced the bass from the stock Solens.  Because I'm driving the Coincident PREs, my bass is already a little "shy", so I couldn't use them.  They've got about 200 hours on them, so they're just barely broken in...

https://www.partsconnexion.com/DUELUND-81946.html
terry9
2,353 posts
 
Itsikhefez, I for one applaud you for trying different components. My experience is that MIT RTX styrene caps were most neutral, but that teflon caps imparted some brightness. The two teflons which I found most refined were Solen and RelCap teflon (tested by inserting in the RIAA circuit, different components in each channel).

Good luck!
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