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V-Cap CuTF .22 on Gain Tubes-- Primaluna Dialogue HP Integrated

I'm about a week into swapping out the Mundorf MCap EVO SilverGold capacitors located on the two innermost gain preamp tubes in a Primaluna Dialogue HP integrated.  

These were a bit above what I'd normally spend on such a tweak, but hey, we people spends hundreds and thousands on cables, treatments, etc.  And, I had ordered them for another project and decided to use MIFLEX (Polish caps) in that amp.  So, returning the V-Caps was too much work.  Confession--no it wasn't; I just wanted a $250 Christmas gift. 

One week into playing them and they are alive and dynamic.  They are clean, glowy, musical, and engaging.  They are smoother so I can push the volume up a bit with less fatigue.  They are bigger sounding in all respects.  They sound really together but not buttoned up.  I'm impressed. 

I'll spare all of us the audiophile descriptors, but instead I'll just say the words that kept popping in my head this week--"These are seductive...just keep drawing me back for more listening."  

Highly recommended. 30 minute tweak that is worth every penny. 

Now, the question is, do I go back in and upgrade the host of DuRoche caps linked to the power tube sockets and the two caps smoothing out the power supply side?  I cannot afford to do all V-Cap CuTFs throughout--nor will they fit in all places. 
128x128jbhiller
erik_squires
16,382 posts
 
OP,
So glad you are liking the Audyns! I have toyed with the idea of a PrimaLuna integrated, and cap upgrades were high on my list.

@wig : Interesting! Their price structure is very interesting, they seem to get cheaper per uF at the high end of the spectrum, a good thing for me since I have been thinking of eventually upgrading from Clarity to Jupiter in my speakers. I may still. :)

Best,
E
pindac's avatar
pindac
2,864 posts
 
A friend was producing a Valve Phonostage that was a evolving design and produced in Various Prototypes.

I supplied a set of ears to offer assessment on the SQ of the models as they evolved.

During the assessments, there was always a good impression to be on offer, and progressive alterations, such as, Power Supply Improvements and Boutique Components selectively placed, in most cases produced a
further perceivable improvement.

A later model Prototype showed a vast improvement when Z Foils were added, but as a result of a another Component Exchange, Jumped a major step forward in improved SQ. 
This happened when Miflex Copper Cap's were exchanged for
 Audyn Copper Cap's in the Circuit.
 


  
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,527 posts
 
The ODAM caps after break in (100 hours is enough for most of it) make the Miflex caps sound too forward and aggressive. I use them in my customer mods now. They are much smaller in size and sound bettter! Great stuff.

They are more musically satisfying and just sound more right. 
jbhiller's avatar
jbhiller OP
1,439 posts
 
Erik, I the topic of modifying a Primaluna, I think it’s a superb idea. You can pick up some models inexpensively and they are built like tanks.   The company did a wonderful job of layout abs features. The caps are an area that they likely had to deal with cost benefit analysis. 
alexberger
935 posts
 
I also put V-Cap CuTF between driver tube 6F6 an 300B output tube in my SET amplifier. Thank a lot to @zipost who recommended me to use V-Cap CuTF in this position. 
Even after just 30 hours they sound very good and sound is continue to improve.
I use Duelund Custom Cu between input and driver tubes in the same SET amplifier. So I try to get best from the both:
Duelund (a real, natural tone and vocals) and Vcap (bass, extensions, clarity, dynamic, transparency).
Regards,
Alex
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