32/32uf vs 50/50uf?

[iknowjohnny]

I used a 32/32uf can in my marshall style 50 watt with 3 22uf nodes. Amp sounds great, but i can't help wonder what would happen if i stuck a 50/50 in there. Other than a slightly tighter sound, what do you think the result would be? Anything to speak of ?

[Phil_S]

If this amp has a tube rectifier, you need to see how much capacitance is too much for the rectifier. 32 should be fine for most tube rectifiers. 50 might be too much and it might not. At G34 is ok at 60. For a 5Y3-GT, 32 is the limit.

Remember that a 32mf cap is rated to a tolerance. Let's say it's +/-20%. That would mean it's not a good fit for a 5Y3-GT because it could be above stated value.

[iknowjohnny]

It's diode rectified.

[guitronics]

Since it's Solid State (Diode) rectified - the 50 uFd electrolytic caps will give a tighter sound: Cleaner Bass,Tighter mids,and less hum & noise.

A choke in the Power Supply will also increase the filtering capability.

[iknowjohnny]

It has a choke already. Not sure i want it any tighter tho, so i guess i'll leave it as is. i was just curious because marshalls always use 50/50. Maybe thats why mine sounds so much thicker and better than any of the marshalls i've had !

[billyz]

Marshall did not always use 50/50 uf caps. The JTM45 used 32/32 uf with the GZ34 rectifier. and 16uf for the preamp nodes.

[David Root]

That's right, and if you change to 50+50 on those and very early Plexis I think too, it will change the tone and not for the better either.

[roberto]

It also depends on the brand of the caps you want to use. Usually JJ (Ceriatone uses them in his plexis) are softer, smoother. LCR are rawer, CDE can instantly supply much more current than many others, making the amp seem louder. Try another V1 supply cap, this can change the sound of the amp a lot.

[iknowjohnny]

Try another V1 supply cap, this can change the sound of the amp a lot.

i'm not looking to change it really, i was just curious. However, a friend of mine now owns the first amp like this i built and mine sounds a lot better yet the only components that are different are the 3 22uf filter caps in the pre and PI. His are atoms and mine are F&T. Everyone tells me that can't be the reason it sounds so different, but everything else being the same it's the only thing it can be. Tolerance differnces couldn't account for it because the tone is totally different. one sounds like a marshall and the other doesn't sound like a marshall at all. So maybe i should at least try changing V1's cap on his, eh?