a classy problem

Tweakers' Asylum

Tweaks for systems, rooms and Do It Yourself (DIY) help. FAQ.

.

I have an semi A class amp, Musical Fidelity A1.
Some months ago I changed four final capacitors (they were Elna 10.000uF, changed with Nippon, some black little ones same value but new, the amp is 11 years old, the caps lost some of its value and the sound was becoming undernourished...so I thought) and in parallel I put film caps. I remember the amp running hoter with changed caps. At the first the sound was umusical to put it in realworld words. Darker and harder. Less sonority. I left it run. The sound did not changed in a month but than I had to change the transformer. The factory did not provide me with any data so that I could order a new one. I found another A1 amp and the guy that did the transformer measured the voltage, 2 x 17V. But what he could not measure was the power of transf. so we estimated it around 100W (the amp gives about 25W ch/8ohm).
The transformer is now being put out of the box and is getting hot (some 45Â°), but I really do not know if the old one was so hot too (it was, what else, in the amplifier and the A class is a hot one because of the transistors opened wide, so it is impossible to guess how hot was the transformer). Complicated?
Now...I am not an DIY and I do not know much about electronics (everything was made by someone else), but since the amp is getting hotter then before is it because the transformer is underpowered or because now that capacitors are "running" in full 10.000uF?
What could have changed the sound more? Should I put the old ones (caps) back and remove the film caps or should I just get a little bigger transformer (say 120W, same current)? The change in sound was that vocals sounded a little harsher and the sound was overall less opulent... Maybe even higher stridency in highs... I know that the amp is less musical (as said, harder, less tibealike) then before altough it has SOME more dynamics and grip. I know that this is going to be pure guessing, but I really need help. I can open this amp only once (the main plate is old and being under heat...) and change things.
P.S. Some friend of mine told me that when he changed the caps in some old amp, the new ones were much worse and he tried with more brands... The caps were 12 years old but OK. Is it possible that the new caps have different sound cause of the new technology (they are smaller and bult differently...)
just a bit of comfort and wisdom
sweet dreams
Dreamlord

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Kimber Kable

Topic - a classy problem - Dreamlord 15:45:05 09/14/01 (10)

Re: a classy problem - Schwarz 07:29:10 09/17/01 (2)

Mr.Dreamlord! - schwarz 02:47:45 09/20/01 (0)

Mr. Schwarz! - Dreamlord 14:25:08 09/18/01 (0)

Re: a classy problem - Jeff Starr 07:56:57 09/16/01 (0)

Re: a classy problem - preamp 01:13:18 09/15/01 (5)

Re: a classy problem - pkell44 16:59:32 09/16/01 (1)

Re: try reading what I said! - preamp 03:24:59 09/17/01 (0)

a classy problem, twice - Dreamlord 14:17:32 09/15/01 (2)

Re: a classy problem, twice - preamp 18:21:36 09/15/01 (1)

Re: a classy problem, twice - Dreamlord 14:00:50 09/17/01 (0)

You can not post to an archived thread.