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OLDER DECWARE GEAR SUPPORT >> SE84A, SE84B, SE84C, SE84C+,SE84CKC >> coupling caps
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Message started by nico on 03/24/12 at 19:23:20

Title: coupling caps
Post by nico on 03/24/12 at 19:23:20

Has anyone tried different coupling caps in the ZEN amp?
Internals;

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6045/6320863612_ec23e54aec_m.jpg

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6096/6320340385_dac9b89b21_m.jpg

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6042/6320339551_e796ec72f0_m.jpg

These are prob. the stock caps [the black ones are Solen], but I don't know for sure.
Who can shed some light on this?
Nico

Title: Re: coupling caps
Post by ZYGI on 03/31/12 at 13:31:09

Nico,

I believe the Green Tricons are the coupling caps, not the Solens.

I replaced my caps in my original Torii (first generation) with RelCaps RTX 600 volt and couldn't be happier.

Zygi

Title: Re: coupling caps
Post by nico on 04/12/12 at 22:28:15

Thanks for your reply, I emailed Decware [Sarah Waters] with my question and asked her to relay it to the right person, but nobody replies at all...
Nico

Title: Re: coupling caps
Post by clowkoy on 04/15/12 at 02:20:00

The green ones are the coupling caps, they're 0.1 uf 400 volts. The orange are the CCE mod, also 0.1uf.
The coupling caps connect from output (pin 1 & 6) of input tube to pin 2 of output tubes.
Hope that helps.

Title: Re: coupling caps
Post by nico on 04/16/12 at 16:21:24

THANKS for the info; at least now I know what to look for. There are a lot of "exotic caps" on the market, don't know where to begin actually if I want to try out other caps. I once read about V-caps....has someone tried these out?
Thanks,
Nico

Title: Re: coupling caps
Post by nico on 06/01/12 at 17:49:34

After buying and installing the V-caps CUTF I only wish I done this earlier.
The difference may not be so audible in every setup, but in mine it is.
Since I like a "less is more" approach, my system is very simple and very sensible for small changes ; this is defenately one of them.
Regardless what is said about the long breaking-in time, already there is more air around voices and a more natural timbre with strings [for starters].
I had a lot of doubts about any "upgrade components" for my SE84C but it has been a good decision to go for this one IMO.
Nico

Title: Re: coupling caps
Post by nico on 06/03/12 at 23:23:21

After two days of continous use, everything sounds more natural now then before.
From voices to drums, guitars, you name it; it sounds more like "actually the instruments and performers are there".
I know the normal [already very accurate] sound of the ZEN very well, so it's a surprise to discover that two caps can make such a positive contribution to the sound, instead of changing nothing [like many people tend to believe].
Just wanted to share.
Nico