Russian Cap Info

[mhuss]

(Crossposted from a deleted For Sale thread)

K42Y is a green looking metallized paper cap and the K40Y is a silver looking paper in oil cap (check the russian datasheets!) that is glass sealed and supposedly does not go bad like the old ones.

If I recall correctly, the green K42Y was designed for cathode bypass purposes. I do not know why it is available in 1000V but pretty cool for us ampbuilders. I think they do sound nice in guitar amps. Besides this ad, there's a whole bunch on ebay as well.

Here's a list of Russian capacitors and their composition. The list should be OK for most of the caps.

K31 mica (some w/silver)
K40 paper in oil (pio)
K42,MBM,BM(x) paper bathtub metallized
KBG,OMBG,MBGCH-Y " "
K70,K71 polystyrene
K72 teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene)
K73 polyethyleneterephthalate
K75 combination paper/polyethylene-terephthalate
K76 lacquer
K77 polycarbonate
K78 polypropylene metallized film


KBG - paper/foil hermetized;
KBGI - paper/foil, hermetized, in ceramic shell;
OMBG - metallized paper, hermetized, for general use;
MBGCh-Y - metallized paper, hermetized, high frequency use, improved;
BM - paper/foil;
MBM - metalized paper, miniature;
KBG-MN - paper/foil in metal body filled with oil;
FT - foil/teflon;
FP - foil/polystyrene
POV - polystyrene high voltage;
KSO - silver mica in pressed-on plastic shell;
KSG - silver mica hermetized;
KT - tubular ceramic;
KD - disk ceramic;
KDS - disc segnetoceramic;
ETO - tantalum

On ebay one can find many other values as well.

Jelle

[collinsamps]

While I agree that options are always a good thing, and I have used PIO's in tweed builds, I think the recent sellers hype driven ads coupled with the huge ebay surplus are in fact not good reasons to jump on the PIO bandwagon.

The real fact is that what we have all heard, of what could only be described as "holy grail, oh my god perfect, that's it gotta have it now" tone for 60 years has in fact NOT been PIO caps. I would venture to guess that less than 1% of studio recordings have been done on PIO caps anywhere in the amp. If you like them and want to use them for what suits your ears well, that's what it's all about. I'm always for anyone finding what works for them even if it includes shuffling through a VG, GP, or Tone Report magazine and ordering one of each thing advertised.

Having said that, If you are the kind of person who finds a "magic" tone on a recording, and love it to the point of paying $400 for a set of "tone clone"(not physical clone because they are completely different from the originals physically but yet they are supposed to sound exactly like them) transformers, you are probably also the person who should shell out some extra $ for these caps. Not that the original tone you seek used them, but because you heard it's what you should do.

Options are great, but using someone else's ears to tell you what you should sound like .............well.............there's one born everyday.

Not trying to start a debate, cause controversy, or tick anyone off. Just one mans opinion. Rant over. Lots of caffeine!

[jelle]

Lots of caffeine!

I guess that's what happened to the cap in the pic!

On a serious note: If anyone has info to add which caps work well in amps or guitars, or maybe data to correct this list, please let me know.

jelle

[outtahear]

Odd that you'd get that from my ad.
Found a pair of caps that made a difference (positive)
in my guitars. Bought a large lot of 'em for myself and a few clients.
Clients with gear from First Acts, to 'Bursts. UCLA students to studio pros.
(Hell, even a few fine folks here....)
Gear savvy people. People who buy-and-try, and make up their own minds.
Picky bastards (in tech parlance)
They also noticed a positive change in their guitars tone. (with their own ears)
Figured I'd offer 'em to others.
Received positive e-mails of people who noticed a positive difference
in their guitars tone (with their own ears), and posted some of their correspondence.

Never had a problem in any way-until a certain amp builder took it as some kind of affront. Apparantly, he doesn't feel that a paper in oil cap sounds any different/better that say-a Mallory M-150, , and has now gone on two different boards posting his disdain about these caps, "hype", and apparently, how satisfied users are,,, What....deluded? Stupid?

The real fact is that what we have all heard, of what could only be described as "holy grail, oh my god perfect, that's it gotta have it now" tone for 60 years has in fact NOT been PIO caps.

Actually, Early GIBSON Bumblebee caps were paper-in-oil. So, I'm guessing:

1)You probably have heard these in gear responsible for LOTS of "holy grail, oh my god perfect, that's it gotta have it now" tone ". and

2) You don't know what the hell you're talking about.


That aside, remember: one mans "Hype" is another man's ad copy;

Meticulous build quality, lead dress, and the best new old stock and currently produced components available, mean that your Collins product will outlast you while being rock solid and reliable the entire time.


Can you hear a difference? Fine. Buy some.
You can't hear a difference? Fine. Don't buy some.

[collinsamps]

I offered an OPINION clearly labeled as such........You want to take it as a frontal assault I'm game. What has me using the best parts available got to do with your self hyping promo infomercial ads?

Ad copy? Lets see the facts.............

Mine written on a personal web site, not plastered on every amp forum known to man 3 times a day followed by profanity when you jump on someone "correcting" you.

"Meticulous build quality, lead dress, and the best new old stock and currently produced components available, mean that your Collins product will outlast you while being rock solid and reliable the entire time".

Got a problem with the verbiage there? No mention of communist propaganda caps there............

and Yours - Repeated in EVERY SINGLE ADD DAILY...........

Smoothest caps I know of...
.I like 'em better than the Jensen PIOs....
Better than "Mouse-turds" for new builds.......
LOTS less $$ as well. .......
have a very warm and creamy sound.......
Everybody loves these which is why they are always out of stock.......
These are the only paper-in-oil Bumblebee repros available in the whole wide world,.............
and at half the price of the crappy fakes you can't go wrong...........
Mine are 100 Million times better and half the price!"..........(Wow 100 Million.....Love to see the math behind that conclusion)
These, same deal, just silver/green!...........
Lots of references, lot of folks here have bought 'em and dig 'em.......
Great seller and great caps................
AMAZING caps from a great seller ............
Just popped them into my LP and if anyone is on the fence about them, rest assure - they will not let you down...................
Man they sound good...................
Everybody, this man has good stuff, sells it for dirt cheap...............
great caps.....
great seller...........
great caps..............
interesting tonal variations...............
great seller................
Absolutley GREAT caps......put my Jensen P&O's to shame........
Great investment. ..............
maximum sonic benefit.................

And my personal favorite...........

My Guitar Weeps..................

After all.........a crying guitar is where tone lives.............

[collinsamps]

"""""""""Actually, Early GIBSON Bumblebee caps were paper-in-oil. So, I'm guessing"""""""""""


Yes, in fact you ARE guessing..............nothing new there


So all you have to back up your claim are early Gibsons huh?'

Make that LESS than 1% of recordings then..........

I rest my case............no wait, you rested it for me.

[outtahear]

So all you have to back up your claim are early Gibsons huh?'

Make that LESS than 1% of recordings then..........

I rest my case............no wait, you rested it for me.

LesPauls? SGs? Not counting all of the great tube gear used to record?

"If you're seeking a different sound and want the vintage Gibson sound. Buy
what Gibson used. Sprague Bumble Bee PIO ( Paper in Oil ) Caps.
The oil's are generally Polychlorinated Biphenyls ( aka PCB's )"

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/tonefre ... epros.html

[collinsamps]

Oh this just gets better and better

So you are not even talking amps anymore then

Now you're claiming that you can hear if a treble bleed cap used in a Lespaul or SG was a PIO or not, on recordings?

You, Steve Austin, Wonder Woman, and every DOG in a 10 block radius no doubt.

Add some more to the hype dude........you clearly deserve it being bionic and all.

[outtahear]

Oh this just gets better and better

So you are not even talking amps anymore then

Now you're claiming that you can hear if a treble bleed cap used in a Lespaul or SG was a PIO or not, on recordings?

You, Steve Austin, Wonder Woman, and every DOG in a 10 block radius no doubt.

Add some more to the hype dude........you clearly deserve it being bionic and all.

Read the ad there, Craiggers-these were primarily aimed @ guitarists for tone circuits as a lower cost option to Bumblebees, LUXE repros, Jensen, etc, paper in oils. (You haven't really addressed all of the people who've tried 'em and actually prefer 'em over ceramics metalized polys, even old bumblebees)

They were also used in recording gear, amps, etc.

They do sound great in amps though-for 1/4 to 1/10th of what vintage and exotic PIOs sell for.

Fer example-
Angela Copper Foil Paper In Oil .022uF/630VDC Capacitor
Price: $22.00



Maybe you could try 'em and see-again, if you can't hear a difference-no biggie

[collinsamps]

Oh I can't help but read it on every board on the web three times a week.

Gonna have to pass comrade! Das vidania and most obviously.......

До свидания и дым стопа дуя вверх по ишаку everyones.

[outtahear]

Well, ciao, godspeed, and thanks for bringing attention to 'em.

[billyz]

Well, I was going to thank Mark for the great breakdown of the Russian Codes. But, This one turned into a Nuclear disaster.

I am one of those unfortunates who actually thinks they can hear some differences amongst the various capacitor compositions and have developed a preference for a few types. ( I am now afraid to mention exactly which types) .

Actually, I find this thread pretty amusing.

[collinsamps]

Of course you can hear a difference, I can and I hope everyone can. That wasn't my point. Buy whatever works for you............pretty sure I said that in the first post.

[Andy Le Blanc]

Sure, put a cap in the poor bustards arse and walk away.

Haven't tried Russian caps, probably wont, the market for the crap we build
is so over inflated anyway, the stupid leading the blind. OOOOOOH, AAAAAAH.
If you spent money it must be .......AWESOOOOOOOOME.

Give it a rest ........ you can source more than adequate caps for less than
25 cents per. and have a hard time telling if you don't know. Its like bringing
a $3000 amp and or guitar to a bar full of loud drunks, they just dont care.
You can stick that hand made amp up your butt, it makes you look like a pretentious prick.

Don't get me wrong I really like paper, oil, precious metal foils, pure Au leads
and all of that, and would love a pressure sale to make a good turn around.
but telling other people that your hearing is some how better than they'ers
after years of loud music makes no sense.

I'd like to thank Mark too, for the codes, If I don't record them I'll get buried making repairs to
endless streams of Chinese amps with old Soviet caps that were all the fad, the least you guys could do is buy American.

[outtahear]

I'll post it.....

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