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Elna silmic

mega lord

Centre tapped
Anybody still use these caps ?

In the old days these were heralded as the dogs danglies including ALW if i remember rightly. Then all of a sudden people went off them saying they made the music boring and lifeless. Funny how people can change their minds !

Maybe it was the toe tapping leading edge addicts who use a certain brand of equipment who did not appreciate their sound.

I must admit that i have three in my Naim Cd3.5 but they are all in LM317 circuits not signal or feedback positions. Oh i forgot i have two more in the PFM fleas as gyrator input caps. I put them in because i had them lying around and someone on DIY audio tested their ESR and said it was quite high - ideal attached to a LM317.

Might give some of the ones i have in the parts bin a go in coupling positions just to remind myself. My system is mostly Avondale now rather than Naim when i first tried them.

Ooooo silky smooth.

STU
 
They are ideal as you have them - good quality electrolytics, with a useful amount of ESR - that makes them work well in the (5) positions you have. And will last decades as such. Don't fix what isn't broken; looking for 'better' i.e. 'low-esr' caps on regulator outputs (or there, on the Flea) is a bad idea... http://www.acoustica.org.uk/t/3pin_reg_notes3.html

As coupling caps - ahem, that'd be an ecumenical matter ;)
 
Tried them in Naim circuits as feedback and coupling caps. Less bass than oscons more neutral than tants. Always found Panasonic Fm and FC better in power supplies and the Na version better in the signal path. I generally use organic polymer caps where low ESR is required. The Silmics do have a house sound, polite but even handed, but ultimately a touch soft and coloured. Great for taking a raw edge off things (Naimy).
 
They are ideal as you have them - good quality electrolytics, with a useful amount of ESR - that makes them work well in the (5) positions you have. And will last decades as such. Don't fix what isn't broken; looking for 'better' i.e. 'low-esr' caps on regulator outputs (or there, on the Flea) is a bad idea... http://www.acoustica.org.uk/t/3pin_reg_notes3.html

As coupling caps - ahem, that'd be an ecumenical matter ;)

Thanks for that Martin.

I was not thinking of changing them just trying to remind myself what they sound like and why they went out of favour.

Simon, i don't mind polite and even handed but not too bothered about coloured.

Cap rolling - down with that sort of thing. Careful now.

I love Father Ted quotes.
 
I find them very satisfactory as both decoupling and feedback caps in Naim circuits but I've never tried them as coupling caps.

The big issue with them is a fairly extended run in period. If you don't currently believe in cap run in then these are the boys to change your mind! (you have to wait weeks to months for them to be at their best).

A well run in one as a decoupler is to my ear no different to an oscon, but a new one certainly is.
 
When I recapped my Quad 34 I used Elna Silmic (100uF 6.3v) for the twelve electrolytics in the signal path and I did not like them. Changed for Panasonic FM (100uF 10v) which were a great improvement.
 


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