AR 2Ax capacitor sources..

[ady]

Hi..

I live in the UK and I'm having problems finding the correct values of cap for my 2Ax's.. I understand I need for each speaker one 4mF and one 6mF at about 250V..

There's many component suppliers here but they tend to have 3.9mF or 5.7 etc. I know the correct values can be made up by connecting in parallel but even then the numbers aren't always even. It seems my only choice so far are V. expensive Hovland caps from one UK supplier as they do the 4 and 6mF values..

So my questions are, do the capacitor values need to be exactly 4 and 6? Anyone know of suppliers of exact values at reasonable prices in the UK?

thanks

adrian

[Carlspeak]

Adrian, your too hung up on the numbers. The 3.9 and 5.7 will work just fine. I've done a number of xover upgrades for AR speakers with similar mismatches and all have generated very satisfied customers.

I personally think the Hovelands are a bit too much cap for an AR. I usually use Solens. After all, they are made in France.

If you study theoretical performance curves related to crossovers you'll see there is plenty of overlap (read slack) that will allow for minor cap discrepancies.

FYI, visit the "project" area in my web site to see photos of AR and other crossover upgrades:

http://www.classicloudspeakerservices.com

Remember, it's all about the music

Carl

Carl's Custom Loudspeakers

[KlausDK]

Hi Adrian

Try

https://secure.wilmslow-audio.co.uk/acatalo...essories_3.html

Wilmslow Audio Limited, 50 Main Street, Broughton Astley, Leicester, LE9 6RD.

Telephone- 01455 286603

Fax- 01455 286605

email- sales@wilmslowaudio.com

Opening hours - Monday to Friday : 9.00am - 5.00pm

Lunch : 1.00pm - 2-00pm

they have a 4.0 and a 6.2 myF in audio caps (Polyprops), not exact, but closer than 3.9 and 5.7

Best Regards

Klaus

[mluong303]

Adrian

Purchase Solen 3.9uF 250vdc to pair up with Solen .1uf 630vdc and the 5.6uf 250vdc to pair up with the 3.3uf 630vdc and you are pretty much ready to go. Don¡¯t waste money on Hovland caps since you are not likely to hear any difference with the AR-2ax drivers! Save your money for a take out dinner and a bottle of wine later to enjoy your Music with the restored AR-2ax speakers. They are exceptional and very musical speakers.

Minh Luong

[mluong303]

Correction: ...and the Solen 5.6uf 250vdc to pair up with the .33uf 630vdc caps.

M.L.

[dynaco_dan]

>Correction: ...and the Solen 5.6uf 250vdc to pair up with

>the .33uf 630vdc caps.

>

>M.L.

Hi Adrian;

I would like to chat briefly and non-technical about capacitors.

The original capacitors that AR and others may have used were maybe 5 - 10 - 20% +/- rated caps.

If you had a 10uf cap at 10% +/- it could have been 9uf or 11uf and met the manufacturers specs.

I do not have the technical expertise that some of the other members have to calculate, a what if scenario.

If you could have bought a pair of new factory sealed speakers, for example, with consecutive serial numbers, the cap in one, maybe using 10uf 10% +/- as an example, 9uf for one and the other 11uf.

I am not able to calculate the effect in the crossover, to the tweeter, for example.

It may be slightly or quite audible, using this example, extreme as it may be.

If each set of caps we order are matched and closer to the original spec's value we would not have to worry so much.

There has been a lot of writings here about some of the original caps being way out of spec now and being replaced with, for example, Solens.

Solens are readily avaialble Polypropylene caps, other types and brands are also used as well.

There is no undisputed winner as to which caps to use.

There certainly is a price for every budget though.

What is available and affordable might be an answer.

I haven't made the plunge yet, to replace any caps.

When I want to experiment, I will try the 2 way AR-4X, Dynaco A-25 or EPI-100, because of their simplistic crossover networks.

If I can't hear an improvement over the stock caps after at least a weeks burn-in period, I'll get my hearing checked. lol

I don't have the resources to order 2 of each brand just to try them out, I do find it interesting though, reading about another experimenters attempt.

I am certain, other more techical members, will have more to contribute to this topic, that will help us all learn a little bit more knowledge.

Good luck and please let us know your results.

[Guest Bret]

>When I want to experiment, I will try the 2 way AR-4X, Dynaco A-25 or EPI-100, because of their simplistic crossover networks.<

Vern -

My thinking is a little different.

If there is a difference I want to HEAR the difference. That means I need the best speakers possible.

I understand the reason for going "simple" but I'm afraid this is a situation that might be counter-intuitive.

Bret

[r_laski]

>>If you could have bought a pair of new factory sealed speakers, for example, with consecutive serial numbers, the cap in one, maybe using 10uf 10% +/- as an example, 9uf for one and the other 11uf.

I am not able to calculate the effect in the crossover, to the tweeter, for example.

It may be slightly or quite audible, using this example, extreme as it may be.<<

Vern,

In your example -- "...9uf for one and the other 11uf." -- although each capacitor is within 10%, the difference between the two specific capacitors is 20%. In the capacitor testing I've done and written about in this forum, I found that, while a difference of 10% may not be audible, at least to my ears, a difference of 20% is audible.

Adrian,

Both Carl and Minh have given you good advice on Solen caps.

[mluong303]

See:

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/dc/dcbo...e=&topic_page=9

M.L.