Capacitors - why Orange drop and not Fender blue

[heisthl]

use them in the PI

[David Root]

Managed to re-set my scope (had probe in the wrong jack--duh!) and did the outer foil determination on all my 6PS caps...... except the ones in the #124 board I just finished.

I suppose I would have to pull those out of the board to test. Any chance this test would work on the installed caps? Just clutching at straws here!

[bluesfendermanblues]

Inspired by Glasman's cap testing with a scope instruction, I've jsut done all my caps (500-100 )

tried the test in my #124 clone, with one end unsoldered, but unsuccessfull - you have to pull them out for the test...

I reversed 3 caps and felt great afterwards - don't know if I can actually hear a difference, though.

[Structo]

Yeah, with the orange drops, I'm not so sure you would hear an audible difference.

How about you Pro builders?

Do you take the time to find the outside foil on orange drops?

I seem to remember Moss telling me that they just install them so the labeling is on the power supply side.
But another guy that worked at SBE said the labeling was totally random and just depended how the cap came into the printing machine.

I wonder why in the old days they took the time to orient the foil and put a black line on that end. And why they no longer do that.
I guess Sozo does and perhaps the other boutique cap companies.
Like Hovland color codes the leads green and red.

[bluesfendermanblues]

TwoRock does this as well

[David Root]

There's a lot of stuff the Ancients used to do/expect that doesn't happen any more!

I noticed that on my 6PS caps most in a given size would go to one side, but not exclusively. Some I only had two of and most of them split which end was outer. These are new stock, not old ones.

My board is not in the amp yet so I'll try testing those caps anyway!

[Frostbite Slim]

I've got a D-clone with the 6ps series Orange Drops. Would the amp benefit in tone if I were to change them to the 418P version?

[Structo]

I like the polyester caps myself.

[groovtubin]

Early on I wasted a ton of time trying all sorts of caps (NOS included) in this and other style amps including the Blue Bullets..They were kind of cool...To my ears they lacked a bit of that big open glassy 3D mid range the OD's had..Especially evident in the clean channel..But they were smooth and sweet sounding...
Just keep in mind a large part of the D-Tone is derived from that big open mid range you can stick your head in (especially in OD)..Stray to far off the reservation in that department and lose some of that D charm...If your not into that.... Try away...
I ran across a handful of OS Mullard mustard caps for grins I tried them in a BM 100w build not long ago and is a frickin Killer!!!... I wish they still made those caps damn!!


TonyVVT

run old mustard cap in PI secondary! PHAAAATTTT!!!!!!!!

jim

[renshen1957]

Yeah, with the orange drops, I'm not so sure you would hear an audible difference.

How about you Pro builders?

Do you take the time to find the outside foil on orange drops?

I seem to remember Moss telling me that they just install them so the labeling is on the power supply side.
But another guy that worked at SBE said the labeling was totally random and just depended how the cap came into the printing machine.

I wonder why in the old days they took the time to orient the foil and put a black line on that end. And why they no longer do that.
I guess Sozo does and perhaps the other boutique cap companies.
Like Hovland color codes the leads green and red.

Hi,

Not a Pro builder:( ,

Just read the comments, and wanted to add to what you posted and mention that the outside foil issue is more of an Audiophile tweak in Hi-Fi builds.

Leo Fender's Blackface amps, Marshall, or original Vox check Cap orientation? Of course not, that's not a concern in a production amp.

One point I haven't seen in the posts or maybe it has been overlooked, Orange Drops were sold originally as Power Supply Caps not as audio signal caps.

I won't second guess HAD, but most likely these had the Voltage capabilities, local availability, low price as factors besides the sonic qualities he could work around.

Best Regards,

Steve

[ToneMerc]

I like the polyester caps myself.

I like to mix it up, I've been using the older 225P in the PI, "kidney bean" 220P in certain locations and the rest are older 6PS's.

TM

[Bob-I]

I've been using 6PS and xicon MPP. I think they sound very similar, with a tad more "edge" on the MPPs so I like them in the tonestack in the mids and in the PI.

On one amp I took the time to check the foil and repositioned about 5-6 caps. It made a noticeable improvement in the smoothness of the OD.

[Frostbite Slim]

So I guess the 6PS would be preferred over the 418P polyester orange drops?

[ToneMerc]

Current "orange drop" reference

http://orangedrop.sbelectronics.com/product_specs.html

TM

[heisthl]

Yes the last batch of of 6PS503 ordered from CE came as 418s instead of the 6PS - seems to be the same cap...