Helios Guts

[Anonymous]

SoZo caps on a Boutique 4K amp ... lol.

Are you referring to the Helios? It's $2,799 I believe. What's the story with SoZo caps?

Good question. They sound great to me…

Steve

 

[glip22]

It's not just Sozo caps Dan. It's carefully selected caps for different positions. Are you blind? Put your glasses on son. Not just the coupling caps either. I do not think anyone would ever take away from Reinhold's expertise in design and building. He's been doing it long before others even knew what a soldering iron was.

 

[charveldan]

$2799 plus tax & shipping only $3500 my mistake ...

I can get similar tones outta my $600 DSL

 

[charveldan]

It's not just Sozo caps Dan. It's carefully selected caps for different positions. Are you blind? Put your glasses on son. Not just the coupling caps either. I do not think anyone would ever take away from Reinhold's expertise in design and building. He's been doing it long before others even knew what a soldering iron was.

And were off ...

 

[Anonymous]

It's not just Sozo caps Dan. It's carefully selected caps for different positions. Are you blind? Put your glasses on son. Not just the coupling caps either. I do not think anyone would ever take away from Reinhold's expertise in design and building. He's been doing it long before others even knew what a soldering iron was.

And were off ...

Are you gonna tell us why the Sozo caps are not worthy of being in a $2800 amp or no?

Steve

 

[LP Freak]

It's not just Sozo caps Dan. It's carefully selected caps for different positions. Are you blind? Put your glasses on son. Not just the coupling caps either. I do not think anyone would ever take away from Reinhold's expertise in design and building. He's been doing it long before others even knew what a soldering iron was.

And were off ...

Are you gonna tell us why the Sozo caps are not worthy of being in a $2800 amp or no?

Steve

Yea, because Friedman doesn't like them.

 

[lespaul6]

I think he likes the newest version now.. not the old ones... said they "smear" too much? I bought a ptp plexi clone with them in it and thought they sounded dark.. I like to hear string noises and things so dark doesn't work for me. I have no idea what the new version sounds like... my Wizards have the 715p's and sound great, clear and punchy

 

[glip22]

It's not just Sozo caps Dan. It's carefully selected caps for different positions. Are you blind? Put your glasses on son. Not just the coupling caps either. I do not think anyone would ever take away from Reinhold's expertise in design and building. He's been doing it long before others even knew what a soldering iron was.

And were off ...

Are you gonna tell us why the Sozo caps are not worthy of being in a $2800 amp or no?

Steve

Yea, because Friedman doesn't like them.

That's right and for some Marshall builds I would tend to agree. However knowing the different brands, types of caps and how they affect the signal tonally can be a great advantage. For example Sozo caps are on the warmer side. They have somewhat softer mids compared to an Orange drop per say which is a harder brighter sound. Sozos also tend to cut some high end. The Helios is an example of knowing what cap type to use and where. Reinhold utilizes Orange Drop in the preamp. The amp is on the brighter side with the bright switches and caps. I'm sure other components such as bypass caps, etc, affect the brightness. So in this amp the Sozos going in and out of the PI will tend to warm up the signal some and tame a little of the brightness while softening the mids juts a little. My only point was that this amp was designed by a man with a lot of experience and thought was put in this circuit. Dan doesn't like anything Dave doesn't like no matter what it is.

 

[joepete77]

Yeah really, what at all is wrong with sozo caps besides they cost more then most of the alternatives such as the Malory caps your idol uses on his $3700 amp. Besides, the Helios I $2799 shipped total. It was a few dollars cheaper last week. Considering what others charge I think its a good deal , it will also most likely hold its value also.

 

[magh8]

why won't this guy just kill himself already? there is nothing wrong with that build....

 

[lespaul6]

It's not just Sozo caps Dan. It's carefully selected caps for different positions. Are you blind? Put your glasses on son. Not just the coupling caps either. I do not think anyone would ever take away from Reinhold's expertise in design and building. He's been doing it long before others even knew what a soldering iron was.

And were off ...

Are you gonna tell us why the Sozo caps are not worthy of being in a $2800 amp or no?

Steve

Yea, because Friedman doesn't like them.

That's right and for some Marshall builds I would tend to agree. However knowing the different brands, types of caps and how they affect the signal tonally can be a great advantage. For example Sozo caps are on the warmer side. They have somewhat softer mids compared to an Orange drop per say which is a harder brighter sound. Sozos also tend to cut some high end. The Helios is an example of knowing what cap type to use and where. Reinhold utilizes Orange Drop in the preamp. The amp is on the brighter side with the bright switches and caps. I'm sure other components such as bypass caps, etc, affect the brightness. So in this amp the Sozos going in and out of the PI will tend to warm up the signal some and tame a little of the brightness while softening the mids juts a little. My only point was that this amp was designed by a man with a lot of experience and thought was put in this circuit. Dan doesn't like anything Dave doesn't like no matter what it is.

good point!

 

[Erock]

I think the only thing that has turned me off about friedman amps, is their unofficial spokesperson. I would pay you just to keep your yap shut if I was Dave.

 

[magh8]

I think the only thing that has turned me off about friedman amps, is their unofficial spokesperson. I would pay you just to keep your yap shut if I was Dave.

 

[xXDaveyJonesXx]

Yeah really, what at all is wrong with sozo caps besides they cost more then most of the alternatives such as the Malory caps your idol uses on his $3700 amp.

I believe Sozos are relabeled Mallorys.

 

[thegame]

I think its great that Bogner, and Friedman for that matter, use different brand caps and other parts in specific parts of the circuit. Its a good way to further fine tune the amp. And its something that I believe cannot be done with a PCB board, if a differently sized component is changed later on for sonic or availability reasons.

 

[Moshaholic]

SoZo...

BoZo...

CuJo...

Dang you dudes are really geekin' out here... !!! All that domain knowledge must be cool to have and Im sure it comes in handy when something goes wrong and needs to be looked at...

I don't know much about all that techie stuff, I just look around the room for the thing on the wall with the two vertical slits on it and plug the amp in...

I got one of these Helios 100 amps being delivered on Friday...

I'm excited to see if I will love it as much as my new Friedman BE100 I just got last week

 

[glip22]

SoZo...

BoZo...

CuJo...

Dang you dudes are really geekin' out here... !!! All that domain knowledge must be cool to have and Im sure it comes in handy when something goes wrong and needs to be looked at...

I don't know much about all that techie stuff, I just look around the room for the thing on the wall with the two vertical slits on it and plug the amp in...

I got one of these Helios 100 amps being delivered on Friday...

I'm excited to see if I will love it as much as my new Friedman BE100 I just got last week

We will need your thoughts Giles for sure. Do Not be shy

 

[joepete77]

SoZo...

BoZo...

CuJo...

Dang you dudes are really geekin' out here... !!! All that domain knowledge must be cool to have and Im sure it comes in handy when something goes wrong and needs to be looked at...

I don't know much about all that techie stuff, I just look around the room for the thing on the wall with the two vertical slits on it and plug the amp in...

I got one of these Helios 100 amps being delivered on Friday...

I'm excited to see if I will love it as much as my new Friedman BE100 I just got last week

Yes, since I own a be100 also I am curious to hear your opinions on how they compare.

 

[glip22]

SoZo...

BoZo...

CuJo...

Dang you dudes are really geekin' out here... !!! All that domain knowledge must be cool to have and Im sure it comes in handy when something goes wrong and needs to be looked at...

I don't know much about all that techie stuff, I just look around the room for the thing on the wall with the two vertical slits on it and plug the amp in...

I got one of these Helios 100 amps being delivered on Friday...

I'm excited to see if I will love it as much as my new Friedman BE100 I just got last week

Yes, since I own a be100 also I am curious to hear your opinions on how they compare.

My bet will be both amps are great in that they both do different things really well. There's a lot of great builds out there so choose your flavor. One may better for you and not another.

 

[tonedog]

You are a wise man! That is the key. Awesome to have choices!