Hi there; I was reading the AR-2X modification write-up done by, Sam Payne, in the AR library, under AR original classic models '54 - '74. He removed the original Sprague 20uf 50 NP elect cap and used a Solen 10uf polyp cap in its place. Did that change the crossover point? What would have happened if a 20uf Solen polyp cap was used? Why might he have gone to such a drasticly different size? Is that required when going from elect NP caps to Polyp caps? Obviously there is more here than meets th
>what's really going on here? It depends... NPE capacitors made in the sixties or even in the eighties have likely drifted far from their original value. I have seen 2x drift, Bret measured one 6-uF device as 22 uF. If leaky, water from the electrolye diffuses away and the acid concentration increases resulting the increase in capacitance. Also the internal resistance will increase. Old electrolytics left unused will need to be reformed, but after 40 years, some may never recover completely -