Forums - Mini Torii coupling capacitors

Les Lammers Seasoned Member Posts: 146	Mini Torii coupling capacitors 09/09/12 at 00:39:42 From the design notes: This amplifier has 3 stages and 2 coupling caps and is blessed with being able to use very small cap values, ie., a 0.1uf and a 0.022uf The amp is dual mono so are there 2 caps per side or just 2 caps?
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Les Lammers Seasoned Member Posts: 146	Re: Mini Torii coupling capacitors Reply #1 - 09/25/12 at 00:42:36 I opened the Mini up and ordered 2 .022uf Jensen Copper foil in oil caps in ceramic cases. They are the same physical size as Copper foil V-Caps which were also in the hunt. I'll post after they arrive and are installed. I did not see a .1uf cap...anywhere????? Maybe there was a design change?
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Chas

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Re: Mini Torii coupling capacitors
Reply #2 - 09/25/12 at 03:01:47

The Jensens are great caps. I have 4 of them feeding the signal from my input tubes to my four EL34s in my modded Blue Torii. Hard to do better. I don't even try. I used Auricaps for the input signal caps. Huge, but fit in the case. Another great cap are the high voltage russian teflon caps. You can get two 600v FT-3 0.1uf for about $20. shipped on ebay.

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Modded Zen Torii Kit 0feedback Ferrari T.
-Current input fav: ITT Lorenz 6922 gold
Transport: Sony 685V modded using large Russian teflon caps on the DAC chip
Speakers: Massive Unity Horns
Subwoofer: WO32 Decware

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Les Lammers Seasoned Member Posts: 146	Re: Mini Torii coupling capacitors Reply #3 - 09/25/12 at 22:59:21 I like Jensen caps too. I should have them installed this weekend. I had to use the ceramic case copper foil because there is a shortage of real estate in the Mini.
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Chas

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Re: Mini Torii coupling capacitors
Reply #4 - 09/26/12 at 04:36:47

Sounds like you are making a good move, I don't know how long it will take the Jensens to break-in. Hopefully, not long. Seems most anything new in an amp takes days to weeks to get good. New tubes, about 3 to 5 days, caps vary but PIO less than poly less than teflon. Even transformers take time and seem to improve with age like a good wine.

Just removed the lid on my Torii for the first time in quite awhile and checked out my Jensens -- still look good 10 years later feeding the control grids of my EL34s. Putting in the suppressor grid to cathode capacitor 0.1uf Hazen mod as soon as they get here in the mail. Can't believe my suppressor grids were totally floating all these years. Also, plan to test yet another pair of rectifiers against my reference damper diodes and I think I may be in for a nice surprise (OR unpleasant shock -- lol) with some Cree silicon carbide Schottkys highly wowed on Audiogon and elsewhere. A pair of 600V 10amp on order. No way 10 amps needed, but they are the ones with 440pf of capacitance and that seems key to eliminating switching distortions. I already have snubber caps in across the diodes, so perhaps overkill. These Schottkys have almost zero reverse leakage and that, as well as virtually no "snap", 0-recovery time, makes them worth a listen. A cheap, fun ss diode "roll".
I used to believe ONLY tube rectification could make for best sound, but now I've changed my mind because my old Torii is sounding darn fine. I totally trust my ears as I have reference grade unity horns which I consider the best speaker design ever. That Tom Danley had a spark of genius when he came up with them. Parts and horn lens too pricey for most to even build, to heavy to ship -- no longer offered in ultimate form. Fun stuff. Built mine 10 years ago. No desire to ever change that part of my system.

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Modded Zen Torii Kit 0feedback Ferrari T.
-Current input fav: ITT Lorenz 6922 gold
Transport: Sony 685V modded using large Russian teflon caps on the DAC chip
Speakers: Massive Unity Horns
Subwoofer: WO32 Decware

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Les Lammers

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Posts: 146

Re: Mini Torii coupling capacitors
Reply #5 - 09/26/12 at 11:15:30

SS or tube rectification can be very good. There are no absolutes in audio. ;)

I could find no reviews of the ceramic cased Jensens. The 'new' Jensen caps are compared here:

http://jimmyauw.com/2009/08/16/extreme-capacitors-battle-1st-session/

I'll let the new .022 caps settle in before changing the .1 caps. I think I may use Jupiter HT Beeswax .1 caps. I had the original Jupiters in a 45 amp and they were very nice.

The stock Mini sounds quite good. I'm just fine tuning it based on personal preference.

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Les Lammers

Seasoned Member

Posts: 146

Re: Mini Torii coupling capacitors
Reply #6 - 10/01/12 at 23:00:29

I received and installed the ceramic cased .022uf Jensens today. The actual work is easy but a bit tedious because of the small size of the chassis. Even though freshly soldered..they sound good and probaby need 50-100 hours to settle in. There is nothing bloated, fat or rolled off about these caps whatsoever. More after some hours pass.

Two Jensen .1 uf copper foil in aluminum cases are on the way.

Caveat: I am not recommending that anyone reading this change anything on your amp if you are pleased with the sound you have. *I* have always like PIO caps with tubes and horn loaded speakers.

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erik2a3

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Re: Mini Torii coupling capacitors
Reply #7 - 10/03/12 at 01:15:22

PIO capacitors can be really nice, as can some of the far less expensive poly and myler types. I have built amplifiers where I (thought) a really expensive capacitor (some are ludicrously priced -- but certainly each to his or her own) would be vastly superior simply by virtue of its crazy cost. What an odd, yet really sort of refreshing feeling to replace the Hovland or other Teflon or oil type with something as generic as a cheap but just great Orange Drop. For me, it was a matter of realizing the circuit in question as the far more critical component rather than the cost or brand of capacitor, resistor or other passive. In other words the circuit itself was far and away the deciding factor in the overall sonic signaturemof the component, but of course one can season to taste as one wishes with various combinations of cap brands, resistor types and composition, potentiometers (old carbon comps still seem to work pretty well!) and so forth. It should hopefully be fun while keeping the music center stage.....if I may submit as simply nothing more than my own small opinion.

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Have fun!
erik

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Steve Deckert

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Re: Mini Torii coupling capacitors
Reply #8 - 10/03/12 at 01:29:11

Quote:

PIO capacitors can be really nice, as can some of the far less expensive poly and myler types. I have built amplifiers where I (thought) a really expensive capacitor (some are ludicrously priced -- but certainly each to his or her own) would be vastly superior simply by virtue of its crazy cost. What an odd, yet really sort of refreshing feeling to replace the Hovland or other Teflon or oil type with something as generic as a cheap but just great Orange Drop. For me, it was a matter of realizing the circuit in question as the far more critical component rather than the cost or brand of capacitor, resistor or other passive. In other words the circuit itself was far and away the deciding factor in the overall sonic signaturemof the component, but of course one can season to taste as one wishes with various combinations of cap brands, resistor types and composition, potentiometers (old carbon comps still seem to work pretty well!) and so forth. It should hopefully be fun while keeping the music center stage.....if I may submit as simply nothing more than my own small opinion.

Well said.

-Steve

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Les Lammers Seasoned Member Posts: 146	Re: Mini Torii coupling capacitors Reply #9 - 10/03/12 at 13:09:05 I agree 100%. Caps, resistors etc. are like spice and the results are certainly circuit dependent. I really like the Mini and I won't be changing anything else. The PIO's are just personal preference.
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