Capacitors in line with TT motor - Upgrade?

06-13-06: Zaikesman

"Does not have direct bearing on the actual audio signal, just how the power is regulated to the motor"

That's classic.
Zaikesman (Reviews | Threads | Answers)

I think you know what I meant, and am not trying to give out false help or anything.... However, yes of course speed regulation and overall performance of the motor is important to the final sound, but my point was different, as the caps in the motor will not change the audio signal like something connected in-line with the tonearm wire down to the phono amp. And I did explain which you cut out of the quote being if he had a lot of vibration or speed problems of some sort than it could be a worthy replacement, but then again the cap in my motor is simply for the kick start so you don't have to start the platter by hand.
So whats classic about it? Just curious, If I am wrong than I believe you!

Undertow: In my experience (which is admittedly limited to one example, but I don't think this a controversial statement), increasing the capacitance of the motor regulation can indeed have a direct impact on the audio signal, as you put it (irrelevant that the cap is not within the electrical signal path -- a TT/cart, as a transduction system, also has a mechanical signal path which is equally important), and not only in the case of the regulation being overtly faulty beforehand (mine wasn't). I have no idea whether this particular table would benefit (or yours), mine did. However, my comment was more on a theoretical level, just to point up that what you wrote came out sounding wrongheaded IMO, perhaps unintentionally, but still it couldn't be further from the truth to imply that motor regulation in a TT doesn't directly bear upon the resulting audio signal.

Zaikesman,

You state that you increased the capacitance, I'm just curious why. I was intending to just replace the cap with a better one of the same value, is there a benefit to increasing the capacitance, and if so, what is the benefit?

Ait: Now you're getting in over my head, I didn't engineer the upgraded power supply that I added to my TT, I just bought it and did the listening tests. I guess I owe Undertow an apology, as much as his actual words seemed off the mark, it's true he was writing in answer to your question about improving capacitor *quality* alone, not quantity, and though it's not inconceivable that this could have some effect as well, in that context I can see why he'd make the remark about the cap not being in the (electrical) signal path. Yours is a question for those with expertise I don't have.

OK, let me rephrase. Is your motor DC or AC? Mine is AC synchronous, and as such uses the 60 Hz frequency of the AC from the wall to regulate the speed. I don't really have a power supply per se, just the power cord and the caps. I think that if I change the value of the caps, I will change the speed.