Mundorf cap was removed in customs

joniponi · 2627

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Offline joniponi

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on: November 16, 2023, 04:22:13 PM
Received my crack via post and customs took the Mundorf cap off, I guess they got a little curious.

Can this be re-soldered on or do I have to buy a new Mundorf cap?


Thanks



Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #1 on: November 16, 2023, 04:24:48 PM
Whoever you bought that from didn't secure them, and really they are too dang big to be in there in the first place.  I would take both of them out and put the stock parts back in.  This is definitely not a customs issue. 

There's also a 50/50 chance that the loose cap (or even the one that didn't break loose) banged around enough to damage what's there. 

If at all possible, return the amp.  If that's not possible, a pair of 100uF/160V electrolytic caps will get you up and running (installation instructions are in the Crack assembly manual).

-PB

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man


Offline ssssly

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Reply #2 on: November 17, 2023, 08:28:39 AM
Despite being a ridiculously large cap fan myself, you should indeed return that if able.

Having experimented with huge poly caps that size in a SEX, they are too heavy to support themselves with just the hookup wires and a zip tie. You have to build some sort of physical support to keep them from pulling themselves apart. Without a firm support for the body of the cap, the hookup wires can pull themselves out of the cap. And the hookup wires are so thick it makes its difficult to get a good solder joint on them with the stock terminal strips and a normal soldering iron anyway. Had to resort to IR and large heat sinks in my SEX for reliable joints.   

Since those hookup wires have already had enough violent force applied to them to break the wires off at the solder joints, there is a decent probability they have also pulled apart inside. So on $400 a piece caps, I wouldn't risk it.

If you got a good deal on the amp, IE paid the kit price and got the caps and other upgrades for free, it may be worth repairing. It looks like it already has a C-7X for the power supply filter, an Audionote volume control and it looks like it was built pretty well otherwise.

If you are driving ~300ohm headphones like HD650s, with that C-7X in the power supply you can reduce the output caps and final power supply cap to 60uf each for some more room under the hood and a reduced possibility of the caps pulling themselves apart.

But if I paid more than kit + assembly price based on the used retail  value of those Mundorfs...I'd try to get my money back.




Offline Mucker

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Reply #3 on: November 17, 2023, 10:28:09 AM
If those caps are not damaged internally, I personally would sell them off as is and replace them with a pair of Panasonic film caps for $50 total. Especially if you bought the amp for cheap. Those particular Mundorf's look to be very expensive as a pair.