Curiousity is getting the best of me. I am thinking about replacing the coupling caps on the signal tube in my csp. I think I am going to pull out the green weenies. I am a fan of pio caps and was thinking I would put in mundorfs. The gain tubes also have daytons and I'm curious if I could get a large benefit from repalcing them also with boutique caps.
Hopefully Sam will chime in. I know he replaced all of these with sonicaps. Buying 4 mundorfs is pretty expensive while 4 sonicaps are very reasonable. I really love the spaciousness and warmth of pios so am leaning this way. Has anyone ever combined caps. Like say mundorfs for the signal tube and a pretty neutral transparent cap like sonicaps for the gain caps?  Good idea or bad to mix caps like this?

I did exactly this - put in all Mundorfs.  There's a ton of info on this topic in the below thread and linked threads.  

http://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=General;action=display;num=11...

http://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=Tubes;action=display;num=1125...

[quote author=Sam in CR  link=1143944136/0#3 date=1144034224]I have not heard the Mundorf, but I am pretty happy with the Sonicaps. A big step up from the stock caps. I would change the daytons too, as they are also in direct signal path.

gnat, since you modded your Taboo as well, try changing the 2, 50uF Sprague Atom cathode bypass caps with Black Gate N series 50V/100uF cap. Huge improvement. [/quote]


Sam, where can I get these BG N series caps? and do you know the cost? Can you characterize the improvement(s)?  Also, what's the breakin time? I've heard the BG's take forever to sound their best.

thanks.

If you going to use lytics, the BG N series is the best. Might as well run them in "super E" configuration. Which is paralleling two of them at opposing leads (even though they are non-polar). For a better explanation http://www.acoustic-dimension.com/blackgate/techEcap.htm My cathode bypass caps are N series in super E and they are hands down better than the FK series. Much more neutral, clean, smooth, detailed, Etc.

Remember that with caps in parallel two 25uf equals 50uf together. I would be leary of changing the value of the caps without knowing powersupply design. Getting close is one thing, but doubling the capacitance is effecting the sound in more ways than cap quality.

Also if there is room, use solen fast caps. Even in parallel. Lytics should only be used when space is a premium.

-Brett