Re-Capping

[Lerxst]

Hi all

When would you consider re-capping a power amp? Does it start sounding different, less dynamics perhaps? Maybe just after a certain length of time? Just wondering

Chris

[struth]

Most modern Amps of decent quality should last 20 years if not over used or abused before trouble occurs but that's just an estimate and every one will be different. Only way to be sure is to test the caps

[Lerxst]

Most modern Amps of decent quality should last 20 years if not over used or abused before trouble occurs but that's just an estimate and every one will be different. Only way to be sure is to test the caps

Do things just sound different?

[southall-1998]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

S.

[struth]

Do things just sound different?

often yes.. lose a bit of drive and speed etc.. bass can drop, and its possible for hum to appear. Will often go for 30 years but can be a lot earlier. Different makes of Cap fail worse than others.
If in doubt, take it to someone for a service.

[Lerxst]

Ok, cheers,

I just wanted to know what the symptoms are really. Not going to interfere until then.

Thanks

[walpurgis]

I just wanted to know what the symptoms are really

Loud bang, blinding flash and billowing smoke! :eek:



I guess that's possible :), but more likely you'll just hear anomalies in the sound. Electrolytic caps can show their age visually by leaking or swelling.

[Primalsea]

Generally if a powersupply cap goes duff it either explodes, swell or it starts to leak DC current and eventually can cause a fuse to blow. There can be more subtle issues but you need a scope to see what may be going on.

[Jazid]

PSU caps can cause hum as they age. Coupling caps can fail and shunt large DC voltages into the circuit with sometimes catastrophic results to the amp and/or speakers. Any mid price Eastern amp from the mid nineties to the mid noughties could have faked 'branded' caps installed during manufacture and need a good look at. Before and after this time you should be pretty safe.

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[Audio Al]

What amp is it and how old ?

[oldius]

All of my amps have been fully serviced and recapped but the newest of them is now thirty years old. The other two are forty.
I find peace of mind worthy of investment and I am not prepared to risk damage to my speakers by having an amp go boom.

[Rob Tube]

I recapped the crossovers of my Magnat all ribbon 8 speakers, what I found was that they deteriorate over the years and because it goes so slowly you don't hear it untill a certain point. After I recapped the Crossovers the change was night and day, doesn't that work the same with amplifiers, the quality of the capasitors have improved over the years, and I was told that the old oil based types loose halve their value over a certain amount of years.

[sq225917]

I took A set of 40 year old Nichcon bipolar paper in oils out of my Yamaha's and replaced them with huge film caps. the original caps were all still within 5% of their nominal rated spec (they were 10% rated parts, so even after 40 years they were still 2X as close to their spec as what was printed on the cases).

[bumpy]

I recapped the crossovers of my Magnat all ribbon 8 speakers, what I found was that they deteriorate over the years and because it goes so slowly you don't hear it untill a certain point. After I recapped the Crossovers the change was night and day, doesn't that work the same with amplifiers, the quality of the capasitors have improved over the years, and I was told that the old oil based types loose halve their value over a certain amount of years.

And how many years would that be?

[Rob Tube]

I have to ask again I did this years ago, but the speakers were between 30 and 40 years old, I still have them in storage.

[Lerxst]

What amp is it and how old ?

It's a NAD 214. I bought it new in 2001.

[Blackdog]

It's a NAD 214. I bought it new in 2001.

16 years is not that long for most modern amps, however this is a NAD. There may be some that need to be replaced especially those in close proximity to the heat sinks. Don't get me wrong, i like NAD gear, it is very good sounding, cost effective gear, but there are weak spots.

[Audio Al]

It's a NAD 214. I bought it new in 2001.

Sounds like this when someting goes wrong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ5tJxl0ros

[Pharos]

What a tedious monologue.

[alphaGT]

A visual inspection doesn’t hurt, to see if any are bulging or leaking. But failing caps don’t have to do either. Hum is a major symptom, and sounding muddied. But if it sounds good, don’t worry too much. When you get that feeling that something is intrinsically wrong with it, caps is a great place to start. Just my personal feelings on the matter . My amp is 20 years old or more, but sounds amazing and I’m not touching it without good reason.


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[Lerxst]

A visual inspection doesn’t hurt, to see if any are bulging or leaking. But failing caps don’t have to do either. Hum is a major symptom, and sounding muddied. But if it sounds good, don’t worry too much. When you get that feeling that something is intrinsically wrong with it, caps is a great place to start. Just my personal feelings on the matter . My amp is 20 years old or more, but sounds amazing and I’m not touching it without good reason.

I like the sound it makes. When it breaks, it breaks. Fortunately it won't break the bank, even it takes the speakers with it.