Do different brands of filter caps sound different?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bxlxaxkxe
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Bxlxaxkxe

Amp ho
I know nothing about this. Would one brand sound different than another in a Marshall or do they not affect the sound like that?
 
Idk about amps but I build pedals and caps do make a differrence in them. I would assume amps are no different.
 
In a Marshall I’d advise going with ARS for filter caps. I’ve always heard a weird ‘grainy’ thing going on, when a Marshall was re capped with F&T for example. A few others on here have had the same experience. But, it’s not super obvious so you may not hear it.
 
I have heard people talk about this graininess to the F&T caps and it's possible but I have not personally heard this grainy effect. I am running F & T's in the mains, screens and PI with a NOS Erie 32/32uf in the preamp in my 68 Ed spec plexi and I have never heard a grainy tone. Over the years I have used CE brand can cap, Mallory, Illinois, Tung and F&T with no issues. George Metropolous uses the F&T upright cans in the Metroplex/DVL-1 I don't hear any grainy tones when I listen to clips of that amp, maybe it is an in person thing I don't know. But if you could hear grainy I think George would. YMMV.................

My 69 NOS build had some Sozo 100uf caps made by Mallory( I believe) in the mains screens and PI and a new ARS 50/50uf cap in the preamp, sounded great!

With that being said I do think that the ARS are most like the old LCR's Marshall used for a long time and that's what I am stocked up with for my Marshalls right now, but most of my amps have late 90's LCR's in them that are still chugging just fine. I think ARS also has axial caps if it is not a Marshall amp but I wouldn't completely disregard F&T.
 
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I just recapped a 1985 2203 filter caps with JJ's and its sounds huge now. Also replaced the bias caps with sprague. If there's a difference, it's minor.
 
I'd be interested in hearing the same amp recapped with different brands back to back to see if the difference is the cap manufacturer or just the fact that the amp has had old filter caps replaced with new ones and is now performing better which means there will be some change in sound. "Grainy" is a hard term to suss out when we're talking about things that make distortion. I kinda doubt anyone will do this because recapping an amp takes a decent amount of time and isn't the cheapest project. Doing it multiple times unless you have a motive to do so, like ensuring you have the right caps for something you manufacture, seems unlikely.
 
if theres even a question in the mind there is a difference.. then people are going to hear a difference. our minds cant unsee tone
 
I’m terrible for this stuff…
It’s a sickness.🥴
I just found another 8 NOS LCR’s, should have them in a week or so.
That’ll leave me with 18, enough for 3 heads. When is enough, enough?!

Btw, I have never had a single NOS LCR that didn’t form perfectly.
Great caps.

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BSRIAudio said:
I'd be interested in hearing the same amp recapped with different brands back to back to see if the difference is the cap manufacturer or just the fact that the amp has had old filter caps replaced with new ones and is now performing better which means there will be some change in sound. "Grainy" is a hard term to suss out when we're talking about things that make distortion. I kinda doubt anyone will do this because recapping an amp takes a decent amount of time and isn't the cheapest project. Doing it multiple times unless you have a motive to do so, like ensuring you have the right caps for something you manufacture, seems unlikely.
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Here’s how I would describe it. I bought a 1987 2555, with an aftermarket purple headbox. It was a super early serial, 300-ish so the first version preamp. Jubes are one of my fav amps; I’ve had 8 over the years. But, the way the gain ‘decayed’ so to speak, was weird…it wasn’t smooth as expected but grainy. Strange. Had recent F&T caps. Sold the amp. Few years later I picked up a white anniversary 82 2204. Had F&T caps. Same grainy decay to the gain as the 2555! Talked with Gary(glip22) and asked him and he agreed; told me to grab ARS as they were the closest to LCR out there. I did and after swapping them in the graininess was gone; smooth gain as expected with any 2204. So my conclusion is that the F&T caused that and I won’t be buying any; if I buy an amp with them I’m pulling them quickly.
 
I have compared the ARS to F&T in an OLD JCM800, didn't hear any difference. Sounds like I am lucky, but F&T are what I use for most of my repairs.

I do not like Illinois caps electrolytic, seen them fail far too early and far too often.
 
BSRIAudio said:
I'd be interested in hearing the same amp recapped with different brands back to back to see if the difference is the cap manufacturer or just the fact that the amp has had old filter caps replaced with new ones and is now performing better which means there will be some change in sound. "Grainy" is a hard term to suss out when we're talking about things that make distortion. I kinda doubt anyone will do this because recapping an amp takes a decent amount of time and isn't the cheapest project. Doing it multiple times unless you have a motive to do so, like ensuring you have the right caps for something you manufacture, seems unlikely.
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Blake make this video !
 
I'm not an expert but based on what I know the capacitance value matters far more than the brand of cap. There is probably a difference, but I would guess it's almost unnoticeable and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. You're better off changing speakers, strings, tubes, etc for a desired outcome.

This is a good article on what filter caps do:
https://www.mojotone.com/blog/what-does-this-thing-do-filter-capacitors
 
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