Has anyone upgraded their preamp with V-caps?

Johnmcalpin, I've been told by a respected component designer that, for the preamp, the output stage caps are the most significant definer of the overall resulting sound and that this is where the new V-caps will show off their stuff...while the remaining caps outside of the output stage are usually in the power supply and will not change the overall sound...at least not to most peoples hearing. Of course, some sticklers may argue that point and want to replace them all. If money were no object than I suppose go for "all" the caps but, as I said, just the two output 2.0uf V-caps in my unit will run 600.00.

Done a phono stage with TFTF v-caps. The best my ears have heard ... and then some.

For bigger caps (1.0 uF) I'd opt for th OIMP though.

Regards
Paul

You have to be careful with V-Caps. True, they are the ultimate in transparency, but IMO at a cost of image density. I have put them in my AA Capitole mk II CDP and was amazed by the result for the first 3-4 weeks, but the longer I have listened, the more unsure I become. I belive that to make them work, the whole circuit design should be re-voiced.

Two questions, one for Pauly and one for Elberoth2

Pauly, I'm just curious...if the TFTF v-caps are the best you've ever heard, why would you use the less expensive OIMP for bigger caps?

Elberoth2, If you say that the V-caps sacrifice density, why would you suggest that the whole circuit should then be re-voiced with v-caps...wouldn't that exagerate more of the loss of image density that you experienced? Just curious. thanks

We've been using the V-Cap as an option for about the last year or year and a half. The Teflon part is one of the best coupling caps out there with no reservations.

If you don't like what you hear with this cap its because it is revealing a weakness! Frankly, the part has very little break-in (despite claims to the contrary, although you *do* hear the breaking-in and resettling of wiring disturbed during updates and newly-built pieces quite easily).

The part is very relaxed like a good paper and oil, but more detailed, with better bass and without the shelved highs that are paper and oil hallmarks. Overall very neutral and in a very good way. They are well worth the cost of admission (more so than fancy NOS tubes and a variety of tweaks).

Our preamp has a patented direct-coupled output balanced output and so avoids the classic issue of the output coupling cap (big cap=bad sound). So my comments are based on smaller parts, the biggest being 0.47 that we use in the phono section.