Bottlehead Forum

Bottlehead Kits => Legacy Kit Products => Paramount => Topic started by: glynnw on October 25, 2010, 11:38:09 AM

Title: Recent V-cap install in Paramount.
Post by: glynnw on October 25, 2010, 11:38:09 AM

Saturday I installed a pair of .1 uF 600V teflon V-caps as coupling caps in my Paramounts, replacing a pair of Russian teflons I had been using for about 6 months.  Before install, I burned the V-caps in for 200+ hours using Grainger's suggested method.  As the kids say, OMG!  I wish I could say the Russian caps were close, but there is simply no comparison.  For the past 2 days I have been mesmerized, replaying songs I have played hundreds of time and hearing a substantial amount of new info in almost every case.  Bass where I didn't know it existed.  Pianos sound much better.  Male vocals have less of a mid-bass thickness that had been bothering me on some songs.  On one of the Art of Noise pieces I was able to understand words in the background that I had never noticed before.  And I can't really verify this, but they seem to sound better with every additional hour of use.  At a cost of about $120, this is one of the most cost effective things I have done.

Title: Re: Recent V-cap install in Paramount.
Post by: Jim R. on October 25, 2010, 11:58:16 AM

Glynn,

When they get to about 500-600 hours they will be even better and will continue to improve up to 1000 hours, though the changes will be more subtle.

I'm seriously considering a pair of the copper/teflons for my Stereomour.

-- Jim

Title: Re: Recent V-cap install in Paramount.
Post by: Grainger49 on October 26, 2010, 06:35:01 AM

Glynn,

Sounds like you are enjoying the new caps.  And you got them for a good price too!  (I see them for $124 ea. and ~$82 ea. at PCX)

They are cheaper than iron and sometimes approach the sound of better iron.

Keep us posted.

Title: Re: Recent V-cap install in Paramount.
Post by: Japhy on October 30, 2010, 07:57:15 PM

I just put in some 0.1uF ampohm FE-XAL in my S.E.X. about a month ago and my my!!!  Didn't know a shift in this position could make such an impact.  Lively, spacious, real.....I'd try v-caps save for the price.  I picked up a set of 1.0uF for the other position.....they are big so I have to move things around.  Already build a lower deck to my rig to house a couple ASC 50uF's for the power supply....another whopper of an improvement.  I know what Grainger means now about how far you can go before doing the iron upgrade.  I'm hearing things now that I didn't know were there.

Cheers!