"Eeyore" wrote in message
...


Arfa Daily wrote:

All I said, that seems to have created the rather
vitriolic response from Graham, was that I genuinely believed that there
were measurable differences in the performance of "audio grade" caps over
bog standard types, and that there were people out there who had made
those
tests.

You have to be joking !

It's done on the basis of the 'audiophool religion'.

It is worth pointing out that certain ceramic dielectrics have known
non-linearities
and these should be avoided in audio circuits and electrolytic caps have
to be used
intelligently with regard to their limitations.


Graham


So isn't that just what I am saying ? I really don't know quite where you
are coming from on this one Graham. You seem to be delibarately trying to
twist what I have clearly been saying, and trying to make me out to look
like some gullible amateur. And no, I am not joking. Are you honestly saying
that you believe there are no measurable differences in ANY parameters
between a mass produced tupp'ny cap, and a precision-made type specifically
made for a purpose ? Do you think that the military are fools for specifying
"military grade" components over bog standards ? Are the avionics industry
gullible prats for specifying the highest quality components in airborne
equipment ? No, of course they're not, and neither are the manufacturers of
high grade audio equipment over mass producers like Sony and company.

So lets get it clear once and for all. ALL I am saying is that I believe
that there ARE measurable differences between different quality examples of
what are fundamentally the same animal. I believe this, because I have been
told that it's so by people that I personally consider to be reputable
experts in their field, and by 40 years worth of reading electronics
technical publications. If a piece of equipment has been designed to produce
minimum distortion with a component of a particular value and specification,
then the more accurately that component approaches that specification, the
closer the designer will come to his goal. It is a fact of life that
designers' specifications are compromised by their companies' accounts and
marketing departments, and lower grade components will be substituted to
meet the demands of these people. Of course, this will make little
alteration to the overall performance, and I doubt that most people would be
able to hear the minuscule difference, but that doesn't mean that it isn't
actually there, and couldn't be removed by putting in a component with a
better specification, which is where the likes of Jensen come in.

I wouldn't dispute for one minute that changes to the interstage coupling
electrolytics in a semiconductor amp, would result in any kind of
improvement that anyone could hear, and I doubt that a change to the
polyester or whatever interstage couplers in a valve amp would either, but
here, I would concede that with the high impedances involved, accuracy of
value and dielectric leakages *might* just make enough of a difference to
hear in SOME circumstances, particularly to someone who has a 'musical
ear' - and no, I'm not going to start getting into that one ...

Yes, there are a lot of 'audiophools' out there who are prepared to be
misled by the snake oil merchants, but I really don't think that you should
close your mind to the possibility that there are others out there besides
yourself, who do not fall into that category. Just because you believe that
you can't hear any difference so there mustn't be one, does not necessarily
make it so, and by closing your mind to it, you make yourself just as bad as
the others who are equally convinced the other way.

All I have stated is a belief that, like in every other walk of life, there
are differences in component quality that have a measurable impact on their
parameters. It's a BELIEF based on the reasons I have given. If you can show
me that a standards lab or whatever, have done tests, and have published
results that refute that there IS any difference, then I will happily accept
that. I really don't care whether any such differences that there MAY be,
result in anything that anyone believes they can hear. This is not the point
at issue, and hasn't been since we all told the OP that he would be ****ing
in the wind by bothering to replace his caps.

Arfa