Output Capacitor Upgrading Questions

[Paul Birkeland]

This is a higher capacitance version of what we put in the kits:
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Nichicon/UCY2E331MHD9?qs=Ajmft%252BTTukE5XdvmYQQqPw%3D%3D

We use about the nicest Nichicon caps we can.

[Love Rhino]

Thanks Paul!

Would there be any benefit/loss of going with these instead?  They look to be the same type but at 470uf: https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Nichicon/UPW2E471MRD?qs=sGAEpiMZZMukHu%252BjC5l7YVWxZN7wNrp482P3JGA0oTI%3D

[Paul Birkeland]

They don't carry a lifetime rating that is as long as what we provide, so technically I would consider them a downgrade.  They will still live a long life in a Crack though.

[Love Rhino]

So a couple months later the kzk 100uf 250v caps have arrived!  (Thanks, russia post, for your incredibly slow shipping!)

I was wondering if there was ever a consensus on the orientation of them?  For example, the input connected to which terminal, or if it really just doesnt matter which way they're facing?

[Deke609]

I think the general rule of thumb is connect the cap's "outer foil" to the lowest impedance node. So, for example, since these are output caps and the Crack has (IIRC) an output impedance of approx. 120 ohms and is intended for headphones with 200+ ohms impedance, the headphone jack is the highest impedance node and would connect to the "inner foil", and the "outer foil" would connect to the cathode of the 6080.

But all of this assumes that the cap is marked (correctly) -- e.g., with a line indicating outer foil. 

Apparently, you can attempt to determine which side is the outer foil using a scope. I've never tried this, but it is described here: http://www.aikenamps.com/index.php/where-to-connect-the-outside-foil-on-capacitors

cheers, Derek

[cddc]

Good discussion on caps