What capacitors would you use in your monitor crossovers?

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 4:23 pm

I'm looking at caps that cost $50 each, and I need 2 per speaker. Then, there are caps that are $0.15 each. I'm thinking somewhere in between is the "bang for the buck" capacitor that I'm interested in, but I really have no knowledge beyond what I'm seeing in the googler on which to go from. If I'm going to buy based on internet chatter I'd like to read it on this hallowed web site.

So, where are people drawing the line cost/quality wise? I'm a tone quester, but not necessarily an audiophile. Then again, we're talking monitors not guitar speakers, so some semblance of "honesty" in the cap would be nice.

Any suggestions?

Jim Williams · Post by **Jim Williams** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 8:24 am

I use MIT MultiCaps for the woofers and Wonder InfiniCaps for the tweeter. Those are bypassed with VTV silver foil/paper in oil. The resistors are Mills MRB-12's and the coils are Alpha copper foil.

If you want a cheaper alternative, Use Solen Fast Caps.

crow · Post by **crow** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 8:59 am

Are you building your own monitors, or repairing? I'd love to hear more about your project!

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 9:26 am

I just want to replace the caps in my 30-40 yr old monitors. I have these ...

http://archives.telex.com/archives/EV/S ... %20IIA.pdf

the wedge shaped ones. I love the low bass and the midrange detail really took my breath away the first time I heard it, but now I'd like to open them up a bit more and make them faster. Plus, when I was sweeping my room recently (for frequencies) I noticed a hole where I'm pretty sure the crossover point would be in these things and I'm wondering if there's a problem in the x-over. Plus, I'm not sure I've ever recapped anything strictly because of the age of the caps before, so it's about time to try that. Boring little project, really.

Jim Williams · Post by **Jim Williams** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 9:46 am

A good low cost trick is to add quality bypass caps to the tweeter cap. Use .01 uf 600v polypropylene film, those are lower cost than the large values. Those also can be added to the mid and low end caps too.

crow · Post by **crow** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 9:57 am

Cool! I may have some crossover work to do coming up, so I was interested to maybe pick up a few tidbits. by bypassing, jim, do you mean across the other caps, or across the speakers? please pardon my ignorance.

crow · Post by **crow** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 9:58 am

oh, sorry; immediately upon posting that I saw tht i'd misread your post. nevermind. one cup of coffee makes me smarter, three gives me severe ADD.

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 10:16 am

Jim Williams wrote:A good low cost trick is to add quality bypass caps to the tweeter cap. Use .01 uf 600v polypropylene film, those are lower cost than the large values. Those also can be added to the mid and low end caps too.

Hey, I came across that tip in my googling, but it sounded like audiophile nonsense. Coming from you I'm more interested. Can you explain what that does? And yeah, by "bypass" do you mean just in parallel with the other cap? I think that's what the other post I mentioned was suggesting.

Jim Williams · Post by **Jim Williams** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 7:51 am

Materials effect performance. Most crossover caps are either el or mylar. Large improvements can be heard by changing out these parts. The copper foil inductors are the best as are the Mills MRB-12 wirewound resistors.

I've done this since the mid 1980's and every speaker improves from these parts. Michael Percy Audio has all of them.

crow · Post by **crow** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 11:32 am

"El"? Is that short for "electrolytic"? Cuz the kids are calling them "'lytics".

Despite the attempt at a joke, the question is sincere.

Jim Williams · Post by **Jim Williams** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 12:07 pm

Electrolytics. Suprised the kids know about them at all.

Teacher's Pet · Post by **Teacher's Pet** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 12:27 pm

Please report back when you're done;

I have a pair of these as well, so I'd be curious to know your results.

(Except mine aren't the wedge kind.)

This sounds like a project I could handle/afford.

- Robin

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 1:56 pm

Jim, I understand about better materials being better. At least I think I do. I'm wondering how adding a teeny tiny bypass cap can help anything. Like what's going on electrically there? Is it like the 80/20 rule where that first little bit of capacitance is doing most of the work, so maximizing the quality of that makes a noticable difference?

ck

themagicmanmdt · Post by **themagicmanmdt** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 2:46 pm

FYI, I recapped a JBL 4311b pair with the Solen caps - was fantastically happy. 'Fast Cap' is very much the change - attack was very transparent, HF opened up quite a bit and overall tone was flattering...but clinical...but enjoyable. Which, to me, was what the monitors needed.

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 3:16 pm

OK, one last question before I buy some Fast Caps to try out.

Is 7uF a close enough match for a schematic that calls for 6.8uF?

And ditto for a resistor? I was going to replace the resistor with a fancy one while I was in there.

I can't find an exact match at parts-express. Is there a better site than Parts-Express for buying Solens? Or somewhere local in Portland, OR?

Thanks so much,

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What capacitors would you use in your monitor crossovers?

What capacitors would you use in your monitor crossovers?

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