Dear
@bdp24 : That false " dull/lifeless " we experienced happens not only with Wima caps, in the past I experienced several times exactly that and were when changed some IC cables for better ones and when I changed my stepped preamp attenuators for better ones using SMD resistors.
In all those ocasions in the first listening sessions I really did not like it the quality system performance because the " sparkle/transparency " just gone and even I feel that even at the same volume position the SPL gone down.
Well I was wrong because after measurements the SPL's stays the same but with MUSIC not with higher distortions as before the changes.
In the past I owned Threshold electronics and N.Pass used Wima from many years. Yes could be interesting what he has to say but D'Angostino too and several other designer/manufacturers that use Wima devices. Gryphon is other example:
https://gryphon-audio.dk/shop/integrated-amplifiers/gryphon-diablo-300-integrated-amplifier/When started I this " madness " after market caps changes?
My very first time was when I owned all Classé electronics and this very well regarded Canadian manufacturer use Wima caps elsewhere.
In those old time the designer and the chief engineer and co-owner of Classé was D.Reich that latter on left the company. Well I had good relationship with him and I asked that wanted to change the Wima caps for some boutique/better ( of those times. ) that were the Reliable Caps ones and been a gentleman of few words Dave just told me: do it a favor and don't do it.
Even that I did it and the " sparkle " CAME AND THE MADNESS STARTED TILL AFTER SO MANY YEARS FINALLY LEARNED ABOUT. Dave was rigth.
I want to tell you that's almost imposible to accept in an easy way the Wima or Kemet or TDK superior quality performance over the the all those caps inside that " audiophile madness " and it's almost imposible because we are accustom to for to many years.
For to many years we like that false " life " but as Paul said it's what we like it but the real subject here is not what we like it but what is wrong or rigth.
Btw, I still own the Threshold two way crossover that in many ways is similar to your B4.
A real question on the Wima and the like caps is what I already asked my self more that one time:
am I losting music signal information? and according my whole evaluation long proccess the answer time after time is NO.
What I have is that signal information with more detail, presence, true transparency, with music natural color and natural brigthness, better overall dynamic and music transientes and with true life that only live MUSIC has.
Gentlemans here could think that I want to convince them about but it's not that way. I'm only sharing my new discoveries about and I know that my discoveries came not exactly with this thread but through the years fine tunned room/system and was in this thread when all those audio work by my self permited that I can with certainty what I posted here. So the discovery started several years now with out knowing my self.
What made that through the thread I begin to test Wima caps? I can't say for sure other that time to time I like to " think " and take actions thinking " out of the box " in a non-orthodox way. Normally it works for me.
R.