Ideal caps for crossover?

[mikay786]

HI, Ive got a speaker hear that sounds different than the other identicle speakers. It sounds muddy in comparison. Had a look all all tweeters and drivers seem to be functioning fine, so thinking maybe the crossover.

There is residue all over the board which I assumed was electrolytic from one of the caps. Have removed and tested them all and all are testing ok but cant think of anything else and wouldn't be the first time a cap tested ok but wasn't so might aswell just change them as there are only 5 of them.

Speaker is a Jamo L7 Sur

Caps are all NP caps

3 x M.D.L. 6.8uf 50v NP
1 x M.D.L. 10uf 50v NP
1 x M.D.L. 72uf 50v NP

Not really sure what to replace with?

[R_J]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

Why not swap the crossover with the one in the working speaker to see if is indeed the problem.

[stj]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

good crossovers generally use plastic caps, not electrolytics

[rhomanski]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

I had the same thing with my Sansui's. Old capacitors sounded muddy and smeared. I replaced them with Solen from here http://www.parts-express.com/cat/met...capacitors/294 .

[mikay786]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

Why not swap the crossover with the one in the working speaker to see if is indeed the problem.

Bit too much work, although I could dip over driver easily and test

good crossovers generally use plastic caps, not electrolytics

Any idea what the ones in mine are? Anyway I can check

Was looking at these caps

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261803815766?redirect=mobile

[rhomanski]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

Do yourself a favor and go with polypropylene. Jantzen, Solen should be available since they're made in Europe. This would be good for the 6.8 uF. http://www.parts-express.com/jantzen...citor--027-928 . This would replace the 72 uF. http://www.parts-express.com/cat/met...28%29%2Frecord[endeca%3Amatches%28.%2C%22P_PortalID%22%2C%221%22%29+and+endeca%3Amatches%28.%2C%22P_Searchable%22%2C%221%22%29]&PortalID=1&showMoreIds=21640 . Try to find them at Farnell or something.

[mikay786]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

Ta, being so much higher voltage ok? and NP?

[stj]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

NP = non-polarised electrolytic
junk, but MUCH cheaper than film caps

[mikay786]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

Yea the films caps are a bit too pricy for value of speaker. Ive gone for some jentzen non polarized electrolytic caps. See how it goes.

[rhomanski]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

You ask for ideal caps and then reject it. Whatever.

[mikay786]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

You are right, perhaps I should have said suitable caps. These are to go into speakers that i'm going to sell, not keep, so not worth sinking £20+ in caps for when the speaker itself is worth that much.

Your recommendation isn't wasted however as I need to sort some of my own aging speakers shortly and will use those your recommended!

[stj]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

everybody makes bipolar electrolytics, you could have used panasonics

[mikay786]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

http://www.hificollective.co.uk/comp...apacitors.html

Images of the caps looked to be the same ones as the ones that need replacing, so maybe a better match. Are jentzen the same company as mdl?

[rhomanski]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

I don't know but they are from Denmark. http://www.jantzen-audio.com/ .

[mikay786]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

Speakers are made in Denmark too.

[rhomanski]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

You can see from the price why manufacturers use electrolytics except in high end speakers. The Pioneer HPM 100 used poly film from the factory. I've rebuilt three pairs for personal use and replaced the original with modern replacements.

I first started with my Sansui SP-L700. I was using 2 pair and recapped one pair. I then put the receiver to mono and sat in front of all four. The recapped speakers sounded so much clearer, the instruments could be picked out individually. The original speakers were terrible in comparison. I immediately took the other two out and recapped them with film. I've done it to every speaker since, even a Pioneer set from 1990 that didn't impress me much. I gave them to a friend.

[japlytic]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

good crossovers generally use plastic caps, not electrolytics

I agree with this, and I have also recommend replacing bipolar electrolytic capacitors with plastic units for Horizontal deflection in 12V (sometimes 24V as well) TV sets.
Another project I am working on (a boombox TV) involves replacing certain electrolytic capacitors for reliability, including the tweeter coupling capacitors being changed from bipolar electrolytic to plastic units.

[mikay786]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

New caps here and the are m.d.l. Branded so thanks for the jentzen tip rhomanski.

So jentzen make these caps

[mikay786]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

Definitely sorted it, its like a veil has been lifted from the speaker, sounds like the others now.

[rhomanski]

Re: Ideal caps for crossover?

Sweet, they'll probably bring more money now.