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Thread: Hiraga upgrade - Bypass capacitors

  1. #1
    Join Date: Dec 2015

    Location: Alicante. Spain.

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    I'm Adrian.

    Default Hiraga upgrade - Bypass capacitors

    Ok so I'm thinking of really pimping up my Hiraga class A 20 watter by swapping out all caps etc for the best i can afford - daft question, can you put bypass caps on power supply caps in a SS amplifier. Is there any point?
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  2. #2
    RothwellAudio Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by farflungstar View Post
    Ok so I'm thinking of really pimping up my Hiraga class A 20 watter by swapping out all caps etc for the best i can afford - daft question, can you put bypass caps on power supply caps in a SS amplifier. Is there any point?
    You can put any caps in parallel with any other caps as long as they're rated for the voltage. I like a 20% error margin on the voltage, so for example for 80V across the caps I would use 100V rated caps.
    Is there any point? A matter of opinion. Can't do any harm though.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jul 2016

    Location: Welsh Borders

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    I'm Gary.

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    Quote Originally Posted by farflungstar View Post
    Ok so I'm thinking of really pimping up my Hiraga class A 20 watter by swapping out all caps etc for the best i can afford ... Is there any point?
    The question at the end is the important bit. See these very topical quotes from another recent thread on here ...

    "Indeed. Audiophiles obsess far too much on "component quality" and "boutique capacitors" etc. The design of the circuitry itself, the ground layout and the correct provision of power at Point Of Load completely swamps any effects from fancy components. "

    "Amen, and to make matters even more interesting, a super-cheapo component can *outperform* boutique components in the right place. Sometimes, in certain places, a boutique component can help, but it does pain me when I see people just adding in expensive components everywhere, not considering how each component works, assuming there'll be an upgrade - sometimes it'll be a downgrade."


    Might be a waste of time money and effort. I'm guessing it sounds pretty good as it is?
    IB

  4. #4
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: NE England

    Posts: 4,173
    I'm Jez.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RothwellAudio View Post
    You can put any caps in parallel with any other caps as long as they're rated for the voltage. I like a 20% error margin on the voltage, so for example for 80V across the caps I would use 100V rated caps.
    Is there any point? A matter of opinion. Can't do any harm though.
    I'm afraid it can..... If two caps are put in parallel then the self inductance of one can form a parallel tuned circuit with the capacitance of the other, thereby causing the ESR to go through the roof at those frequencies and be worse than just one cap by an order of magnitude. One needs to be very careful to avoid this.
    Parallel caps are gradually going out of favour due to the above...
    Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)

    Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
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  5. #5
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: NE England

    Posts: 4,173
    I'm Jez.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Infinitely Baffled View Post
    The question at the end is the important bit. See these very topical quotes from another recent thread on here ...

    "Indeed. Audiophiles obsess far too much on "component quality" and "boutique capacitors" etc. The design of the circuitry itself, the ground layout and the correct provision of power at Point Of Load completely swamps any effects from fancy components. "

    "Amen, and to make matters even more interesting, a super-cheapo component can *outperform* boutique components in the right place. Sometimes, in certain places, a boutique component can help, but it does pain me when I see people just adding in expensive components everywhere, not considering how each component works, assuming there'll be an upgrade - sometimes it'll be a downgrade."


    Might be a waste of time money and effort. I'm guessing it sounds pretty good as it is?
    IB
    +1

    If doing anything to his amp I would be looking at quantity not quality!... of smoothing caps. Or better still a regulated supply.
    Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)

    Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
    ReVox PR99, Studer B62, Ferrograph Series 7, Tandberg TCD440, Hitachi FT-5500MkI, also FT-5500MkII
    Digital: Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (Digital Swiss army knife-CD recorder, player, hard drive, DAC and ADC in one), PC files via 24/96 sound card and SPDIF, modded Philips CD850, modded Philips CD104, modded DPA Little Bit DAC. Sennheiser HD580 cans with Arkless Headphone amp.
    Cables- free interconnects that come with CD players, mains leads from B&Q, dead kettles etc, extension leads from Tesco

  6. #6
    Join Date: Aug 2010

    Location: Torquay, Devon.

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    I'm Shane.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Arkless Electronics View Post
    +1

    If doing anything to his amp I would be looking at quantity not quality!... of smoothing caps. Or better still a regulated supply.

    I couldn't agree more!

    This is why I stay well away from sites, like Head-Fi. Too much bullshit polluting the place.

    S.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Dec 2015

    Location: Alicante. Spain.

    Posts: 1,885
    I'm Adrian.

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    Thanks guys - my problem is Jez or some other guy I'd trust is in the UK - it would be great if i knew what components to change - but I don't, hence the change all approach. Thanks Jez for warning me. But what next....
    Technics SP10 mk2
    Jan Allaerts MC 1 Boron mk1 cart
    Miyajima Shilabe cart
    Hashimoto HM-X SUT
    Siggwan (gimballed not unipivot) Cocobola 12"
    Aurorasound Vida LCR Phonostage
    The Truth linestage
    Dave Slagle Autoformer Volume Controller
    Cary 805c SET amps
    Audio Note ANe-SPX speakers
    Townshend Isolda speaker cables
    Cardas Golden Presence interconnects

  8. #8
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: NE England

    Posts: 4,173
    I'm Jez.

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    Use polystyrene for the pF value caps and just put as many uF as you can afford into the PSU (be artistic... you can nylon tie wrap or hot melt glue plenty of extra caps to the main ones!) and that should sort it
    Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)

    Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
    ReVox PR99, Studer B62, Ferrograph Series 7, Tandberg TCD440, Hitachi FT-5500MkI, also FT-5500MkII
    Digital: Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (Digital Swiss army knife-CD recorder, player, hard drive, DAC and ADC in one), PC files via 24/96 sound card and SPDIF, modded Philips CD850, modded Philips CD104, modded DPA Little Bit DAC. Sennheiser HD580 cans with Arkless Headphone amp.
    Cables- free interconnects that come with CD players, mains leads from B&Q, dead kettles etc, extension leads from Tesco

  9. #9
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: South West of England

    Posts: 263
    I'm Will.

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    Don't forget that with large PSU capacity the more you have to worry about inrush limiting.
    Radford Revival
    www.radfordrevival.co.uk

  10. #10
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: North Down /Northern Ireland/ UK

    Posts: 19,484
    I'm Neil.

    Default

    Assuming the Hiraga is as was designed and not already bastardised why would you want to mess around with an amp designed by a legend, designed to be what it was mean't to be.

    Its a piece of audio history, its value lies in what it was mean't to be. Mess with it and it ceases to be a Hiraga.
    Regards Neil

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