Listening tests of high end capacitors...

[salvarsan]

That's "DC Al Coda", not Al Qu'aida

My general recommendation for tone caps is a polypropylene film rated between 100 and 250volts.
They are small, inexpensive, and well-behaved.
There is no benefit here in using a physically larger 400 or 600 volt unit.

[LtKojak]

My general recommendation for tone caps is a polypropylene film rated between 100 and 250volts.
They are small, inexpensive, and well-behaved.
There is no benefit here in using a physically larger 400 or 600 volt unit.

This reads Sprague Orange Drops. I concur!

I use the 400V kind just because they look better in the cavity and cost the same as the 100V kind.

[Albert Kreuzer]

Yep, but the 630V types look still more impressive

[Mike Sulzer]

This reads Sprague Orange Drops. I concur!

I use the 400V kind just because they look better in the cavity and cost the same as the 100V kind.

Orange drops are polyester, not polypropylene. I believe that polyester is the worst of the film types for distortion.

General comment: I am not convinced that frequency cutting circuits are more insensitive to capacitor distortion than other types of circuits. Tone circuits are in general sensitive because you are developing a significant fraction of the voltage in the circuit across the capacitor at least at some frequencies.

[EtLa]

Orange drops are polyester, not polypropylene. I believe that polyester is the worst of the film types for distortion.

The 7** series are polypropylene
SBE Inc. - Product specs

[Mike Sulzer]

The 7** series are polypropylene
SBE Inc. - Product specs

So they are. I guess the brand name "Orange Drop" can mean anything its owner wants, as long as it is orange.

[Tom Phillips]

So they are. I guess the brand name "Orange Drop" can mean anything its owner wants, as long as it is orange.

Yes. There are many different "Orange Drop" variants but this generic reference will probably live on forever. The various suppliers don't all stock the same types so the buyer needs to pay attention if they want a specific type.

[salvarsan]

This reads Sprague Orange Drops. I concur!

I use the 400V kind just because they look better in the cavity and cost the same as the 100V kind.

Um, actually, within the broad parameters, that reads Xicon, Cornell-Dubilier, Nichicon, Vishay-Sprague, Vishay/BC, Panasonic, WIMA, Epcos, Illinois Capacitor, Kemet, and a few others. You have a wealth of choices here and they are all good.

Xicon, Panasonic, and WIMA are easy to get in the through-hole form factor. For small quantities, the .047uF price ranges about $0.45 to $0.65 each.

Whether SBE or Vishay/Sprague, the 715 series caps (aka Orange Drop) always cost more, partly from higher voltage ratings, partly from brand recognition.

Everybody knows the 715's, but who remembers Panasonic ECG or V series?
I do.

I paid a lot less, too.

At this point, I would grab a generic radial lead 250V PP film from Mouser Electronics, DigiKey Corp., Futurlec, or Newark Electronics.

Select "passive components", then "capacitors", then "film", then "polypropylene".

C'mon guys, it's a frickin' commodity not a religious fetish ... unless the guitar player explicitly asks for Orange Drops so thatWillBe$20ExtraThankYouVeryMuchBye.

[salvarsan]

quorque snifphage

Angela.com sells fancy audiophlake caps.
Yes, for a mere $23, you can polish that turd of tone cap into the ultimate treble cut circuit..
Don't forget to use an ALPS Blue Velvet potentiometer ($27).

Angela Copper Foil Paper In Oil .047uF/630VDC Capacitor

Sez he:
...these paper in oil signal capacitors feature oxygen free copper foil
and solid silver lead wires. These copper foil caps set the standard for a natural and realistic
presentation of music
...
These are my personal favorite signal capacitors for my own audio projects;
I've even got one in the tone circuit of my Telecaster.


Oil caps actually do have a useful application as the coupling caps
to the phase inverter in a vacuum tube amp. For large voltage excursions
in the audio range, oil filled caps have the least hysteresis of all and
the oil also exerts a damping effect on microphonics.

[mode='sarcasm';style='caustic';]
Anybody out there have a pickup that dumps a 40 volt peak to the guitar jack?
[/mode]

[soundmasterg]

Orange drops are polyester, not polypropylene. I believe that polyester is the worst of the film types for distortion.

General comment: I am not convinced that frequency cutting circuits are more insensitive to capacitor distortion than other types of circuits. Tone circuits are in general sensitive because you are developing a significant fraction of the voltage in the circuit across the capacitor at least at some frequencies.

Polyester caps typically sound the best in many places in amp circuits that are aiming for vintage type tones too. Polypropylene caps tend to be too good at what they do and make things brighter than many would like. I've had good luck in guitars with polyester caps too.

Greg

[EtLa]

Here is an interresting link regarding guitar tone capacitors.
Crazy Tone Thing lanet z

Part 1,2,3,4 on youtube YouTube - Guitar Tone Capacitors, part 1: Evaluating Material Types

[-Elepro-]

Here is an interresting link regarding guitar tone capacitors.
Crazy Tone Thing lanet z

i agree on this comment

[Rick Turner]

Actually, I could give you a 40 volt peak from a piezo...under extreme conditions...


But I won't.

[Chuck H]

The blind test is paramount. In a treble cut circuit for a guitar I don't think the voltage, current or heat stresses are significant enough to differentiate any good cap one from the other (period).

That said... I do often use the 7XX series orange drops for builds for two reasons. The 7XX caps are film/foil non metalized and that is keeping with most vintage cap construction. I'm more concearned about tone than mojo, but when mojo is available buyers don't seem to mind so niether do I. Second is the fact that polypropylene caps exhibit better temperature stability than do polyester caps. I much prefere that my amps sound the same on the fourth set as when they are first fired up if I can have my way. I've had some problems with other cap designs changing the tone of my amps after hard use. So now I generally stick with the 7XX caps. But this is as it applies to amp design. Guitar circuits demand almost nothing with respect to heat stability and voltage/current requirements. I'll bet 6 beer (import or domestic) that any 'other than bad' film cap will perform adequately in a guitar tone control circuit without any repeatable bias from blind test subjects.

JM2C

Chuck

[salvarsan]

Actually, I could give you a 40 volt peak from a piezo...under extreme conditions...

But I won't.

Using a hammer in place of a pick doesn't count.