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Domino Mica Caps

PostPosted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:39 am
by S4XAmps
Are the old domino mica caps good for guitar tone? Are they anything like silver mica? I wondering if they can be used for tone stacks, not necessarily for coupling caps.

PostPosted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:49 pm
by Geek
Yes.
Yes.

and..

Yes.

:)

Cheers!

PostPosted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:55 pm
by S4XAmps
What about coupling caps?

PostPosted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:10 pm
by Geek
Sure!

Personally I'd go for Orange Drops (fat tone) or even ceramics (warm, smooth, fuzzy tone). Silver mica that big for coupling caps tend to be pricey and a little sterile for my tastes.

Cheers!

PostPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:25 am
by EWBrown
Ceramic caps can add a "flavor" of their own, which is fine for guitar amps, and even an asset at times, but they're definitely NG for hi fi audio, where "flavor" equates to distortion, caused by the ceramic caps' piezoelectric effects.

I've always liked the Orange Drops, they are very good for just about any audio purpose, and the prices are quite reasonable.

The old "domino" or "postage stamp" micas may be off tolerance or leaky, after 50-60 years, as their phenolic bodies tended to be hydroscopic, and moisture could get inside over the decades.

/ed B

PostPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:46 pm
by Geek
EWBrown wrote:Ceramic caps can add a "flavor" of their own, which is fine for guitar amps, and even an asset at times, but they're definitely NG for hi fi audio, where "flavor" equates to distortion, caused by the ceramic caps' piezoelectric effects.

I've always liked the Orange Drops, they are very good for just about any audio purpose, and the prices are quite reasonable.


On your next blues amp... use the X2 safety caps for coupling and let me know what you think ;)

(linearity checked on a scope as per Steve Bench, they have almost a hysterisis-like curve for nonlinearity and add a... well... super blues tone! :D )


EWBrown wrote:The old "domino" or "postage stamp" micas may be off tolerance or leaky, after 50-60 years, as their phenolic bodies tended to be hydroscopic, and moisture could get inside over the decades.


Indeed!

I have some Mil types here specified for example, "40pf, +0.025pf" that are now measuring 93pf. Wicked!

Cheers!

PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:02 am
by S4XAmps
Thank for all the feedback and more is welcomed. I have used Mallory 150's. Orange Drops, and Sozo's for coupling caps in my Epi Valve Junior build and have been pleased with them all. I agree, the Orange Drops are very reasonable i price and have a wide range of values. I recently went ton a spree with buying vintage caps on ebay and have several different kinds so I ma curious about other's experience before I start my experimenting. I am just trying to tweak out a little extra "Mojo" Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_01