• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Is there really an audible difference before and after recap/restoration?

gbroot

gbroot

Super Member
I've seen this question posed several times. I just purchased my first completely recapped/refurbed amp/receiver. It's a Pioneer SX-939. I can truthfully say I've never heard anything better. Period. Matched with my KLH Model 23's the music just came alive in a way that I can't explain and have never heard before. The soundstage was almost as if I had 2 sets of speakers going. Believe me I've had some nice gear travel through my doors over the last couple of years including separates and several SX-x5x series receivers as well as a very nice Onkyo A-10 integrated amp. I am emphatically sold on restoration of the older gear. Believe me, there is a big audible difference, at least to these old ears.
 
Register to hide this ad
I noticed a difference in a Sansui AU-555A and a Marantz 2325 after a recap, but many others I did not hear a difference. All caps don't degrade at the same rate.

Rob
 
some difference

I did a recap on my Marantz 1060 and there is a difference. Seems softer but better.
I didn't expect much but it surprised me.

Paul
 
Between "barely contained dysfunction" and "normal operation"? Yes, there is quite a difference.
 
I'm 62 years old and can hear up to 22khz. I think a lot of hearing is like toning out the din of the daily world.. to hear. I have some modest gear with good speakers nobody would complain about being entertained. I have some good stuff that blows that away.

Hearing is often abused by large volume.. I'm still suffering from a gun shot when I was just adjusting my head gear when a round went off occasional ringing. Yet my brother who trained people fired guns on the plane with no head gear and he can hear a pin drop.

I think many don't realize that sound and barometric pressure are related to the ears. A large weather front affects our nasal cavities and hearing canal and may dull our hearing. Same as allergies, too.

Got to rest your ears I guess.
 
I haven't had any audio gear recapped, but I have had a few silverfaced Fender guitar amps recapped and serviced. There was always a difference in overall fullness with more bass.
 
from a tech aspect there's a silmicII thread on DIY for measurement of caps. I've read that they have a burn in period for major jobs. I have some gear still playing well in pioneer and realistic with elna's. recently salvaged a bunch of small uf elna's out of a sat. receiver plugged two in a pioneer tone circuit and enhanced it.

I'm leaning or gleaning from the pro's here it's higher quality we're looking for but it's still a cap war? lol.. :D
 
Personally,I dunno how to recap myself,but I own 3 Kenwood/Trio Model 600 Supreme amps,one of 'em has been fully recapped (and restored) using the best quality caps/components available.
All sound truly excellent,but on a whole I'd prefer to listen to my uncapped ones as they're not so bright/harsh sounding yet they still reveal just as much detail,depth,sound stage etc.. I suppose it all depends on what you personally prefer.. but one thing's for sure,I'd only recap if 100% necessary,i.e.,old leaking caps.
 
A few years back I 'rebuilt' My '64 Fender Bassman.
ALL new caps most Every bit of wire and ALL the resistors.
I love that thing .. I was careful to a fault.
Being Carbon Comps these had drifted over the years. Massively in some cases.
Resultant sound was Horrifyingly Different from what I had been hearing over the preceeding ~20 years.
Bright Clean and Powerful.. damned few warm 'n fuzzy sounds left in it.
A bit of online research revealed that what I had was 'Factory New' sound. Just as old Leo Fender had intended/built it.
Anthema to devotees of the fuzzy vintage Fender sounds.. which was/is a pure artifact of decaying components.
So Yesss Fresh resistor (and even Caps) can reveal speed and clarity/detail that were looong messed by age.
 
gbroot said:
I've seen this question posed several times. I just purchased my first completely recapped/refurbed amp/receiver. It's a Pioneer SX-939. I can truthfully say I've never heard anything better. Period. Matched with my KLH Model 23's the music just came alive in a way that I can't explain and have never heard before. The soundstage was almost as if I had 2 sets of speakers going. Believe me I've had some nice gear travel through my doors over the last couple of years including separates and several SX-x5x series receivers as well as a very nice Onkyo A-10 integrated amp. I am emphatically sold on restoration of the older gear. Believe me, there is a big audible difference, at least to these old ears.
Click to expand...

Bringing an old unit back to original operating specs is important if you really want to hear what it is capable of. Most people have not listened to an old unit that is 100% up to snuff. Not only have my old units been recapped/restored but high quality caps including Nichicon Muse (among others) were used.So not only is having new caps important but some feel that the quality of those caps is equally important.

I was recently looking at a boutique mail order modern amp that offers three price levels. The most expensive option included the "better" audio caps like Muse.
 
Vintagear said:
Bringing an old unit back to original operating specs is important if you really want to hear what it is capable of. Most people have not listened to an old unit that is 100% up to snuff. Not only have my old units been recapped/restored but high quality caps including Nichicon Muse (among others) were used.So not only is having new caps important but some feel that the quality of those caps is equally important.

I was recently looking at a boutique mail order modern amp that offers three price levels. The most expensive option included the "better" audio caps like Muse.
Click to expand...

Which is kind of weird.
 
My experience - but all 70's gear - is it really can make an enormous difference, even to my own surprise sometimes.

My recently finished rebuild of a Technics SU-8088 was such a surprise, but for instance also the Sansui AU-666 that I'm restoring now for a customer. I am convinced he will fall from his chair when he hears the result :).
 
As mentioned, it depends how cactus the caps were before being recapped. I have not heard a difference but some of my customers do.

And caps don't break in. The only thing that changes over the short time after a recap is your ears, as you get used to the new sound - assuming you notice a difference.
 
It doesn't hurt that the OP was listening to one of the better if not best sounding vintage receivers of all time. The Pioneer x3x series was far enough in the Solid state chain that significant improvements had been made over tubes, yet not so far along that cost cutting impacted fidelity. IMHO x5x and x8x series Pioneers just don't hold a candle to the x3x series, each one a step downward in sound quality.
 
I've never had a piece that didn't sound better after a recap. I may not have liked the the sound but it was always better than before the recap.
 
What is the point in re-capping a properly functioning amp? If I was going to tweak an amp, I would focus on everything else and include the caps incidentally. In other words, an actual re-build. That's how you will realize an improvement, if any. Just setting bias/offset will make a huge difference over just changing caps in good condition. A 25 year old amp needs re-building no matter how good you think it sounds, caps and all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom