Latest Updates:



25 October 2018

In addition to adding and correcting some links to other shoot-outs, I've started to update the reviews with current prices, revised comments, and additional caps. Look for more to come in November-December, 2018, including (gasp!) some electrolytics that will beef up your power supplies.



9 May 2011

Added notes about the Mundorf MCap Supreme Silver & Oil to the Tier AA loudspeaker crossover comments, as well as added the VCap TFT to the Tier AAA crossover caps.



21 January 2011

There's an important update regarding the use of the Mundorf MCap Supreme in the Tier AAA AC Line Filter comments, as well as additional comments about the Cardas Golden Ratio and Hovland MusiCaps on Tier C.



12 October 2010

We're beginning another round of tests, using a new loudspeaker crossover as the subject. The speakers in this trial are a pair of full-range, 15" Tannoy dual-concentric drivers, circa 1980s, mounted on open baffles The major trials are expected to take place later in 2011.



1 November 2009

Added notes about the cost of Duelund Silver capacitors (see Tier AAA) and the apparent demise of VTV (see Tier X).



31 August 2009

The survey was moved here from Tempo Electric.



9 August 2009

In reviewing the new tier designations, we felt that placing the entry-level, polyester caps rated for AC Line FIlters on Tier A was higher than they should be positioned, so they were moved down to Tier B.



14 July 2009

The letter designations of each tier were revised. In the course of researching an unrelated topic, we came across a very long thead on the Audiogon Forums which began in May, 2008, and continues to this day. At one point, the original poster, Volleyguy, mentions that in our survey, "Jensen coppers were only Tier D."



It appears that the psychological implications of using sequential letter grades (similar to the grading system common in many public schools) tainted tiers C and D with the suggestion of failure, when just the opposite was intended. Under the original rating system, capacitors on Tier D occupied "The Great Middle Ground." This was actually where most of the samples ended up. In fact, if one were on a budget, this would be the logical tier to use as a shopping guide, because this was where many of the "best bang" capacitors were placed. Therefore, while the results have not been modified, we've changed the letter grades to more accurately reflect the psychological implications of each rating.



Coincidently, the same search which lead to the aforementioned thread, also turned up a blog called Jimmy's Junkyard, in which Jimmy talks about an "Extreme Capacitors Battle." While the battle still seems to be raging, a link to Jimmy was added to the other cap surveys, below.



3 May 2009

Modified the text and corrected several typos and grammatical errors throughout this page (ugh!). Given the cost of acquiring additional cap samples in today's economy, the Great Capacitor Rematch is being postponed again. With any luck, it will still happen by the end of 2010.



17 January 2009

The PentaCap seems to be back, but under the generic name of Custom Electronics's High Temp PTFE. Solen Teflon caps (as well as all other Solens) are much easier to obtain now, due to the installation of a shopping cart on the Solen/Canada website. We'll be buying samples of these, as well. A few more capacitors, including those from AmpOhm of Cornwall, UK, and ModWright Instruments of Amboy, Washington State, have been recommended as additions to the next shoot-out.



22 June 2008

Tempus fugit. We're returning to Plan A and saving the rematch for sometime in 2009. To this end, we have already obtained samples of the Sprague Orange Drops, the VTV Silvers, a previously unknown (to us) foil-in-oil called the Allesandro, and an offer from Audio Note (UK) to loan us samples of their Silver Foil caps. We plan to test their copper and aluminum foils, as well.



To these we'll be adding the 630V Duelunds, the aura-T, the Solen Teflons, Illinois Capacitor's metalized polypropylenes, and a pair of NOS Wonder Caps. Unfortunately, the Penta Cap has been discontinued by the manufacturer.



24 May 2008

Added a note to mention that we are advancing the shoot-out (really a "sound-out") between the caps on Tiers A and B against those on Tier X to Summer-Fall, 2008. Also, after reviewing the notes, we made some changes to the order on Tier B : Electronics.



19-20 May 2008

No change to the survey, but corrected a couple of minor typos and clarified certain points in the methodology.



1 April 2008

First date of publication.