What sonic differences to expect if upgrading Paramount 300B caps?

rbc3 · 16787

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Offline rbc3

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Reply #15 on: April 01, 2015, 03:28:24 PM
Wow, OK.  Based on the thread, it does look like you are hot swapping the caps while the amp is on.  I guess that means it's not a problem for the amp.  I'm not brave enough to handle live wire at that voltage.  So I'll probably go with the 1-pole 2-position (or more) route and alligator clip it all together in order to switch caps while the amp is on.

I might order some Russian teflon and PIO caps as is recommended in the thread to check the difference between the expensive ones I bought.

Thanks!
« Last Edit: April 01, 2015, 03:40:09 PM by rbc3 »

Robert C

Paramount 1.1 300B, Tekton Design Seas Pendragon, Stereomour 2A3, Omega Hemptone 8, Acoustic Signature Challenger Mk3, JMW 9T, Dynavector XX2mkII, Clearaudio Balance, Quickie 1.1, Schiit Bifrost Uber, Mainline, Audeze LCD2.2, AKG K1000, HiFiman HE-500, Sennheiser HD650, AK120

Online Paul Joppa

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Reply #16 on: April 01, 2015, 06:24:36 PM
Don't forget they all need break-in before serious listening ... this will take a while!

Paul Joppa

Offline Grainger49

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Reply #17 on: April 02, 2015, 12:18:07 AM
I agree with the poster that a switch is safer and with Paul that they need break in.  I'm cooking some KK PIO bypassed with a 0.1uF KK Teflon right now on a CD player's output.  It is on repeat and I check the voltage periodically. 

I will give them a week.  The Teflons have been used before, the PIO were just delivered.


Offline rbc3

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Reply #18 on: April 02, 2015, 11:19:42 AM
That's interesting.  How do you wire the caps on a CD player's output to burn them in?

Robert C

Paramount 1.1 300B, Tekton Design Seas Pendragon, Stereomour 2A3, Omega Hemptone 8, Acoustic Signature Challenger Mk3, JMW 9T, Dynavector XX2mkII, Clearaudio Balance, Quickie 1.1, Schiit Bifrost Uber, Mainline, Audeze LCD2.2, AKG K1000, HiFiman HE-500, Sennheiser HD650, AK120

Offline Grainger49

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Reply #19 on: April 02, 2015, 01:05:52 PM
I soldered each group to a pair of wires.  Those were soldered to a female RCA jack and used an interconnect to connect them up.  It is less voltage than they will see as a crossover but will do some beak in after 7 days.


Offline rbc3

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Reply #20 on: April 02, 2015, 02:51:39 PM
Can you take a picture and post it?

Robert C

Paramount 1.1 300B, Tekton Design Seas Pendragon, Stereomour 2A3, Omega Hemptone 8, Acoustic Signature Challenger Mk3, JMW 9T, Dynavector XX2mkII, Clearaudio Balance, Quickie 1.1, Schiit Bifrost Uber, Mainline, Audeze LCD2.2, AKG K1000, HiFiman HE-500, Sennheiser HD650, AK120

Offline Grainger49

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Reply #21 on: April 03, 2015, 12:52:30 AM
Here it is:
« Last Edit: April 03, 2015, 01:50:00 AM by Grainger49 »


Offline rbc3

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Reply #22 on: April 03, 2015, 05:00:14 AM
Ah I get it now. Thanks! I suppose you could do the same type of thing with a banana plug through a cheap amp to get more voltage.

Robert C

Paramount 1.1 300B, Tekton Design Seas Pendragon, Stereomour 2A3, Omega Hemptone 8, Acoustic Signature Challenger Mk3, JMW 9T, Dynavector XX2mkII, Clearaudio Balance, Quickie 1.1, Schiit Bifrost Uber, Mainline, Audeze LCD2.2, AKG K1000, HiFiman HE-500, Sennheiser HD650, AK120

Offline Grainger49

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Reply #23 on: April 03, 2015, 07:12:15 AM
Yes, I have done that as well but that puts my work room system out of commission for the duration.  I have been working in there for the last week or two.


Online Paul Joppa

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Reply #24 on: April 03, 2015, 07:18:04 AM
Be aware that some amps with feedback (solid state and push-pull pentode) are unstable into a purely capacitive load. An 8 ohm resistor in series with the capacitor would be a good precaution in that case.

Paul Joppa

Offline rbc3

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Reply #25 on: April 04, 2015, 06:04:42 PM
Before I wire up all six capacitors in parallel to burn them in...  Is there any reason why I shouldn't run all six in parallel during burn in?  I just want to be sure.

Robert C

Paramount 1.1 300B, Tekton Design Seas Pendragon, Stereomour 2A3, Omega Hemptone 8, Acoustic Signature Challenger Mk3, JMW 9T, Dynavector XX2mkII, Clearaudio Balance, Quickie 1.1, Schiit Bifrost Uber, Mainline, Audeze LCD2.2, AKG K1000, HiFiman HE-500, Sennheiser HD650, AK120

Offline Grainger49

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Reply #26 on: April 05, 2015, 02:52:06 AM
Mine are split to right and left channels.  So do you have 12 caps total or 6? 

My picture shows only the right channel.  The left channel is the same.  And I have swapped the CD on repeat a couple of times already.  One includes bass sweeps, demagnetizing sweeps and white noise.


Offline rbc3

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Reply #27 on: April 05, 2015, 01:44:20 PM
I have three pairs of caps, one pair each for parafeed (4.7uF Mundorf Supreme SGO) , interstage (0.1uF Jupiter Gold), and cathode bypass (47uF Mundorf Tubecap).  None of them have a marked polarity that I can tell. My plan is to wire them all in parallel to each other and then run in series with 8.3 ohm 90 amp resistance to simulate the speaker and run off a single channel of a solid state amp. 

I don't have any special CD to play.   But I have electronic music that plays at the extreme ends if the audible spectrum.
« Last Edit: April 05, 2015, 02:55:09 PM by rbc3 »

Robert C

Paramount 1.1 300B, Tekton Design Seas Pendragon, Stereomour 2A3, Omega Hemptone 8, Acoustic Signature Challenger Mk3, JMW 9T, Dynavector XX2mkII, Clearaudio Balance, Quickie 1.1, Schiit Bifrost Uber, Mainline, Audeze LCD2.2, AKG K1000, HiFiman HE-500, Sennheiser HD650, AK120

Offline Grainger49

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Reply #28 on: April 05, 2015, 02:53:46 PM
I would do the 4.7uF caps and the 0.1uf caps at the same time.  Then the 47uF caps alone.  All three pair at the same time would be a lot of capacitance all at once. 

I have never broken in anything like the 47uF.  Nothing nearly that big a value.
« Last Edit: November 17, 2015, 12:40:23 AM by Grainger49 »


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