I need a little bit of education. Due to some recent xo upgrades on my speakers, i have discovered a whole new world with capacitors.
Alas i am not a bright guy tho and have to be led around like a child before I understand some things.
On amps and preamps. the two terms I hear mentioned where they put the caps are the output coupling path and the signal path.
i am almost too embarrassed to ask, but exactly what circuits are they talking about ? If I go over the schematics on my Spec 2, I an pretty much trace every cap on the amp boards to the outputs. So, would you basically pretty much do all of the caps on the amp boards ?
On a preamp the circuits involved are ?
i really do appreciate you taking the time to educate me here. I am hoping with just a nudge a light bulb will come on over my head and I will wake up from my stupor.
Is just that i am sitting here thinking, as they made such a huge difference in my speakers, maybe i should have splurged a little when i restored the Spec 1 and the Spec 2 instead of just putting in the regular panasonics etc.

As even the $350,000 Wavac has 4 caps in it according to what I have read, i am taking for granted my gear has a whole bunch more, so would there be one particular place that would have the biggest impact as not only could i not fit a dozen of the caps in it, my wallet says i could not afford that anyway
Thanks for your patience and any info

Hey Don,
Someone once told me,"the only dumb question is the one not asked".
Here is a pretty good read on the science of capacitors: Rod Elliot's take (http://sound.westhost.com/articles/capacitors.htm)

Replacing aging electrolytics in crossovers with good film caps has a lot more benefit than boutique caps in an amp, IMO.

Check out this site

www.electronicstheory.com/html/e101-30.htm

On amps and preamps. the two terms I hear mentioned where they put the caps are the output coupling path and the signal path.

Great question. The Elliot ref is interesting as always.

Most 'caps in the signal path' references, IME, are meant to imply 'caps that are obviously in series with the audio signal path'. Specifically coupling caps between one stage and another or in an LC filter circuit or whatever.

What's significant about that distinction is the implication that caps used in bypass/bias circuits or power supply filtering are 'not in the signal path'. With caps it always helps to work through the physics of the AC cycle and remember what is really happening to electrons charging and discharging on each side of the dielectric. If you think this through it will often demonstrate that in fact, many of those 'not in signal path' caps are in fact quite involved in sustaining the audio signal. If this is what you mean by tracing your schematic, you are right on target.

It is fair to recognize that the criticality of a "series" cap like a coupling cap is often more impactful (aka "what if it was off by 20%? 30%?") than one in a bias or filter or other 'secondary' function, and I think this is what people usually mean by 'in signal path'.

Most of the electronics sources / engineers / 'gurus' I like to read seem to periodically remind that "filter caps ARE in the signal chain", and likewise often opine that "capacitive coupling on the outputs is not NECESSARILY a bad design"... However as you might have noticed in life in general, people seem to like simple generalities and hard rules unsullied by complex nuance and degrees of moderation, therefore "CAPS IN THE SIGNAL PATH ARE WHAT MATTER" and "CAPACITOR COUPLED OUTPUTS SUCK" become mantras...

Disclaimer: I'm an electronic hack, I know nothing really.