A week after recap

Posted by: David Robert Bell on 11 June 2002

Hi Guys,

This one is a blast from the past for all those who have had the good old 42.5/110.

I have just had the 42.5/110 recapped.
After a week the results have been as expected.
Not as dramatic as NACA5 and the mains spur but well worth it.
I thought my volume pot was stuffed but it's still fine. The crackle in the pot when moved and the channel dropouts are not longer.

Now I have a few questions.
1 How do I rid of a humming noise when no music is playing? Does this settle down after warm up?

2 Is it really worth putting a hicap on a 42.5 or should I get a flatcap so I can power an eventual CD player?

Also too I will be buying new as second hand ps's are as rare in down here.

cheers

David

confused

Posted on: 11 June 2002 by David Robert Bell

does anyone like the flatcap?
I realise that the 42.5 is from another era to the flatcap but is the hicap that good?

cheers

David confused

Posted on: 11 June 2002 by Rico

Yes a HiCap is that much better.

Rico - SM/Mullet Audio

Posted on: 12 June 2002 by Keith Tish

Had a choice between a Hicap or Lingo. After the demo had to get the Hicap....nuff said.

Posted on: 13 June 2002 by np

David,
I once took my 42.5/140 to a dealer to listen to some speakers. We (my wife came) chose some and then the canny dealer said "just have a listen to this" and stuck a HiCap in front of my 42.5. Within 5 seconds of a track starting my wife said "we have to have one of those" - and she's normally against buying new kit.
np

Posted on: 13 June 2002 by David Robert Bell

thanks guys

I knew the hicap would get the votes.
Just wanted to see if there was any merit in the flatcap.

Where are the flatcap devotees out there?

thanks for your replies!

David

Posted on: 13 June 2002 by Phil Barry

I think the FC has a place for 2 types of buyers: the very small minority who hear an improvement with the FC but don't hear a bigger improvement with the HC (perhaps because of a poor dem), and the buyer who doesn't have the funds for the HC, who doesn't want to wait until s/he can afford an HC, and who doesn't listen to an HC. Because if you listen, you'll propbably either overspend your budget or wait until you can afford it.

Posted on: 13 June 2002 by bec143

I have a Hicap and a flatcap and have spent a good deal of time compring them on a 92 and a cd5. I haven't yet done any A/B comparisons on my new 112/150. However, whereas the Hicap is clearly superior on the preamp, I found almost no difference between the Hicap and Flatcap on my cd5-really! When I brought this up on an earlier thread, Dave Dever said he wasn't surprised, and that because only a portionof the cd5 was being powered by the PSU, that there was less of an improvement possible.

Now maybe I have tin ears, but I did give this a lot of listening and I'm pretty convinced. I think that the problem with a flatcapa 2, however, is that it won't touch the Hicap on the preamp.

Bruce

From Seattle, Washington

Posted on: 14 June 2002 by David Robert Bell

Thanks Ian,

I knew my questions would end up costing the me the most dollars but previous answers have convinced me of the hicap. I've been offered one to borrow for a fortnight. I'm scared!!

Has the forum ever been asked this question...

hicap to 42.5 ( where benefits will arise for all of my sources )

versus

CDX ( assuming it will be only used 30% of the time )

Since starting this post the amps are still improving. When does it "settle"?

Thanks to those of the forum who keep recommending the worthwhile replacement of caps in amps.

David