Need your inputs/reviews guys on the following coupling caps, which would you prefer and why? Personal opinions, mga sirs
Sprague "Orange Drops", Sprague "Atoms", Black Cat, Auri Caps, Solen, Illinois, Jensen, Cerafine, MIT
hmmm, ano pa bang coupling caps.
These are from personal experience. YMMV
Black Cats - no good. Harsh, glary & grainy mids. Rolled off Lo's & hi's
Orange Drops - Cheap, closer to "vintage sound". If you want this, get the 716 rather than the 715. Value for money
Auricaps - more refined, smooth, sweet, detailed & neutral. Could be expensive.
Solen- ok but not great. Cheap, Not as refined and smooth as the auricaps. Mids can be a little forward.
Illinois - good compromise between cost & quality. Don't get the polyester versions. Not as good as the polustyrene or polyprop.
Jensen - have not heard the copper foil PIO's. The Alum PIO's are musical, airy and sweet with a lot of bloom tho have a tendency to sound lack punch. At best in the Mids but these are expensive caps.
Hovland Musicaps - in the same league as the auricaps but not as smooth and sweet. Good transients and dynamics but a little tilted in the mids for my taste.
MTX - Good dynamics and focus. Clean extended highs. Also expensive.
Bear in mind the value also changes the sonics to some extent.