My fairly new Stage 4's have been getting nicer & smoother with more play. Also, this weekend replaced the stock horn compensator(?) with one made of Mills non-inductive resisitors and an Auricap. Even w/out break-in, it sounds a lot smoother and much more defined. I also found the nuts on the woofer connections had loosened a tad (all that Tupac to loosened up more than the cone), and one of the spade connections was a little loose. Good to get that stuff tightened up again- it's like re-torquing the head after 900 miles. Eventually, going to replace all the stock caps in series and solder it all up- since I'm using Paramours I don't need the high-power capability in the stock. Going to be fun....
Bill Epstein Messages: 1088 Registered: May 2009 Location: Smoky Mts. USA
Illuminati (2nd Degree)
Those attenuation caps are really crucial to the sound. I've had Solens (unremarkable), Clarity (dreadfully bright), Auricaps (most listenable but maybe rolled-off?) and now Kimber Kaps. The Kimbers allow the most detail and air but give a hard edge to even Jacintha's creamy voice in the upper octave when pushed above normal listening levels. Hoping they'll break in but.... Maybe I'll pack Bologna and Wonder bread for a few weeks and get a pair of those VH Teflon caps for $120 each.
Spades are poor connectors. Solder the wires directly to the drivers instead. If you want the option to disconnect the drivers, then solder a 4" length of wire to the driver and connect the bare wire on the other end with electrical screw caps. Twist it in tight.
listening more today- sounds much better already, especially with orchestral music. Whole different speaker. I've tried several of the boutique caps in different things. I think the Auricaps are the best all-rounder & most predictable- they open it up and give great definition. Probably another type would be better in any given app, but for the $$ the experiment gets expensive quick..and it's nice to be able to put a good deli mustard on those bologna sandwiches!
Now I have to decide what to do about the other caps, and they get expensive quick... maybe bologna & mustard roll-ups?
man, I was cursing the spades blue the other night working with them...shoulda soldered it all from the start! Actually, I do have a few connections soldered now where I was so frustrated with the spades, rest will come soon... Wierd how something intended to be simpler is so much more of a pain.
looks like Bill has a lot of decent caps he could give you to recycle...trade him a bottle of Gulden's Brown or Hebrew National mustard for those sandwiches
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