To re-cap or not to re-cap? That is the question

Hi @elliottbnewcombjr

The issue with amps, and this varies a lot, is how much damage you can do if the electrolytic caps blow out.

With a preamp for instance, there's usually no more than +- 15V inside. At most you would blow a voltage regulator.

With an amplifier, with +- 60V or more, and high current, you can blow an entire amplifier board.  Maybe more important for solid state than tubes.

So, like Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry, you have to ask yourself, "Do you feel lucky, punk?"

I have also consistently read from many that these upgrades are often quite beneficial sounding.

You can pretty much leave all the film capacitors intact, unless they are showing any sign that they may have a problem.  If you MUST change them, a good brand is Mundorf.  But you dont have to go too fancy.  Some of them are ridiculously priced and you really do not need them.

As for electrolytics, after about 5-10 years, it is best to replace them all.  And when you do replace, if you can, substitute film capacitors into their place or choose higher voltage & temperature rated ones, if you can.  This may not be possible for larger caps since they just cannot make film capacitors of very hi capacitance values, but change as many as you can.

Here is an excellent site:
https://www.partsconnexion.com/film-capacitors.html

You got great answers on the caps. Safety trumps sound quality and those electrolytic's are past their expiration date. Quality modern electrolytic's are significantly better that vintage ones so they need replaced.

Jdane; Caps tubes cables do break in. The time varies in my experience. I've found at 50 hours things are settling in. After 100 hours you should hear little or no changes.

Thanks, everyone. Lots of well-informed advice here. I know what I have to do.

Mid40sguy--   I was being a bit facetious, but I guess the serious point was  that this is not step-wise?  (Perhaps someone can help me here).   I assume there is no difference between (1)  'break in' and  (2) 'aging' or 'degradation' (let's just talk tubes since no one doubts the aging process there).   It's just a slow degradation from the moment you turn them on until they wear out completely, with an (arbitrary?) period in the middle where we like them the best?   Not arguing here.  Just trying to figure out what happens.  Or are some arguing that once things get 'broken in', then they hit some steady-state of (perhaps finite) perfection?  

This comes up with all kinds of things,  just in my experience--physical books,  Mason jars, cars, sails, hair brushes, engines.    Is the process that electronic equipment is subject to different in any significant way?  (I would assume for some components it might be:  they either work perfectly or not at all, but in that case, there really is no 'break-in' period.).  Again, not arguing.  Just asking what audiophiles and electronics experts believe is happening.