It is said that as capacitors increase in working voltage they work better and sound better and the I have found this to be so. I usually buy my caps from SpeakerBug
Cross-Cap
Try replacing components one at a time and listening for the difference. If you do everything at once, it's likely some changes will have a big effect and others hardly noticeable if at all, but you won't know which did what change in sound.
Might be worth your while reposting this in the multiway section of the forum for some better [ more expert than mine] advice
Thanks M.
Does that mean Caps with higher voltage spec are preferred?
Is VDC the value I'm looking for?
A general look at Caps listed on an Australian online store reveals Caps with varying VDC values.
What I found was that some Caps with a much lower VDC value (example 100 VDC) were dearer than some other brands with much higher VDC values.
Is that a reflection of quality rather than V handling?
Unless you post links to the caps you are talking about the any discussion means little to me as I don't have enough knowledge to comment.
Not all capacitors can be used in crossovers tho, they do need to be non-polarised.
100V is not a low value and yes there is huge variation in cost and quality.
Yes I see Jantzen 100V and 200V caps that cost much much more than other Jantzen caps that are rated 400V and 800V
In some cases you are paying for better tolerance in makers specification; 3% +/- rather than 10% Sometimes I think you are paying for snake oil. I really wouldn't know about the esoteric stuff, I simply can't afford $500- a capacitor.
I use Z-caps when I can afford them and standard Crosscaps otherwise
Not all capacitors can be used in crossovers tho, they do need to be non-polarised.
100V is not a low value and yes there is huge variation in cost and quality.
Yes I see Jantzen 100V and 200V caps that cost much much more than other Jantzen caps that are rated 400V and 800V
In some cases you are paying for better tolerance in makers specification; 3% +/- rather than 10% Sometimes I think you are paying for snake oil. I really wouldn't know about the esoteric stuff, I simply can't afford $500- a capacitor.
I use Z-caps when I can afford them and standard Crosscaps otherwise
If you're powering the 8 ohm speaker with a Behringer Inuke 6000 with 3000 W/ch peak, then you need >170 vac or 1.4* that 220 vdc rated caps.
If you're powering the speaker with a 40 w/ch receiver, then you need >18 vac or >25 vdc rated caps.
If the speakers are 4 ohm, the voltages go lower for the wattages quoted.
Only electrolytic caps need to be non-polarized, as all film caps including polyprophylene have no polarity inherently.
By fluff in the box I mean bits of polyurethane foam, fiberglass bats, perforated or foamed cardboard, whatever the designer put in the speaker to break up standing waves.
You can buy a $120 Peak ESR meter to determine if electrolytic caps are bad yet, but I mostly just replace them based on the calender. If I opened the device because it sounded wrong, calender says electrolytic caps are over 15 years old, out they all go. 2 at a time between listening tests, so I can spot bad solder joints or defective new parts right away. I buy only >3000 hour service rated electrolytic caps so I don't have to do the job every 10 years as I did on my ST70 amp, but I would never put an electrolytic cap in a speaker anymore. There is plenty of room for polyprophylene.
Some film caps have a higher current rating than others. Again in the 3000 watt PA speaker market, a high rating may matter. For home use I doubt if you can buy a capacitor with a current rating low enough to be a problem. Particularly from a speaker parts shop.
If you're powering the speaker with a 40 w/ch receiver, then you need >18 vac or >25 vdc rated caps.
If the speakers are 4 ohm, the voltages go lower for the wattages quoted.
Only electrolytic caps need to be non-polarized, as all film caps including polyprophylene have no polarity inherently.
By fluff in the box I mean bits of polyurethane foam, fiberglass bats, perforated or foamed cardboard, whatever the designer put in the speaker to break up standing waves.
You can buy a $120 Peak ESR meter to determine if electrolytic caps are bad yet, but I mostly just replace them based on the calender. If I opened the device because it sounded wrong, calender says electrolytic caps are over 15 years old, out they all go. 2 at a time between listening tests, so I can spot bad solder joints or defective new parts right away. I buy only >3000 hour service rated electrolytic caps so I don't have to do the job every 10 years as I did on my ST70 amp, but I would never put an electrolytic cap in a speaker anymore. There is plenty of room for polyprophylene.
Some film caps have a higher current rating than others. Again in the 3000 watt PA speaker market, a high rating may matter. For home use I doubt if you can buy a capacitor with a current rating low enough to be a problem. Particularly from a speaker parts shop.
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Better grade poly caps are a no-brainer if you want to do an upgrade. That should make more of a difference than the other components.
A heavier gauge inductor can't hurt, but how audible it will be depends on a lot of things.
A larger wattage resistor may have lower inductance, and also shouldn't hurt to change out.
Can your speaker terminal be biwired? If not, I'd pursue that for sure, even tho it may mean taking a jigsaw to the back of your cabs.
A heavier gauge inductor can't hurt, but how audible it will be depends on a lot of things.
A larger wattage resistor may have lower inductance, and also shouldn't hurt to change out.
Can your speaker terminal be biwired? If not, I'd pursue that for sure, even tho it may mean taking a jigsaw to the back of your cabs.