Question about WIMAs

I will put some Wimas into my G-SSL soon but don't know much about them.

I found some not so cheap Wimas in one local store. This would be - POLY 0,1uF 100V 5% R5
Wima's official name for this caps is MKM2 http://www.wima.com/navig/mkm2.htm

I wonder if those 5% Wima caps sound much better than 10% Wimas which I found here http://futurlec.com/CapPolyester.shtml They are much cheaper but they are all 10%. Would 5% be better?

I am from Europe so any suggestion where to order them will be nice. Thanks.

www.elfa.se
Tolerance is only important if you have filters. 10% is perfeclty fine for decoupling and such tasks.

I like the MKS2 series, cheap at
www.musikding.de/index.php?cPath=56_59_90
www.segor.de

Thanks. I am about to change those 25 100nF caps marked as .1 on the main G-SSL board. So 10% would be just fine for this purpose?

I just noticed that I can chose between :

-Metallised polyester capacitor, LS 5 mm
-Polyester/metal foil capacitor, LS 5 mm

...so which one are better?

Got to be careful with the Wimas on the GSSL board - get 63volts and not 100volts
The 100volts make life a bit of a problem with real estate (they are a bit too thick) - pin spacing is fine
Quick guide of thumb for pin spacing

02 = 2.5mm
2 = 5 mm
04 = all over the place
4 = all over the place (up to 27.5mm)

http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=7239&highlight=wima

Thanks. Does it matter which ones of the two above mentioned options?

My GSSL's have WIMA MKP-2 (red) for the 0.1uF caps and FKP-2 (green) for the 100pF caps, although they are really a pain in the a** to stuff, along with the ELNA caps, which are also huge in size. One of the green ones had to go under the board... but it sounds great!

cheers, Marten

[quote author="martthie_08"]My GSSL's have WIMA MKP-2 (red) for the 0.1uF caps and FKP-2 (green) for the 100pF caps, although they are really a pain in the a** to stuff, along with the ELNA caps, which are also huge in size. One of the green ones had to go under the board... but it sounds great!

cheers, Marten[/quote]

Thanks Marten. Where did you order them? Can't find the MKP-2.
Would these be OK? There is no info on the voltage...

MKS2 http://www.musikding.de/product_info.php?cPath=56_59_90&products_id=236

FKP2 http://www.musikding.de/product_info.php?cPath=56_59_101&products_id=746

[quote author="Purusha"][quote author="martthie_08"]My GSSL's have WIMA MKP-2 (red) for the 0.1uF caps and FKP-2 (green) for the 100pF caps, although they are really a pain in the a** to stuff, along with the ELNA caps, which are also huge in size. One of the green ones had to go under the board... but it sounds great!

cheers, Marten[/quote]

Thanks Marten. Where did you order them? Can't find the MKP-2.
Would these be OK? There is no info on the voltage...

MKS2 http://www.musikding.de/product_info.php?cPath=56_59_90&products_id=236

FKP2 http://www.musikding.de/product_info.php?cPath=56_59_101&products_id=746[/quote]
After reading that post I used the FKP2s as the 100pfs
And used MKS2s (I think the MKP is a misprint)

I soldered them last night with Elna Cerafines - serious stuffing problem
Nearly all the left hand side of the board the MKS and FKPs where soldered onto the bottom (those cerafines are fat m**f***ers)
I used C0Gs for the 22pf and 33pfs

If you solder them onto the bottom the voltage doesn;t make any difference
I got mine from Musikding as well - I think I got a bunch of different voltages (63V and 100V) when I ordered

well, I have a "conrad" electronics store around the corner, so I just got them there. But check online for www.conrad.de or the other usual suspects, like www.rs-components.de, they should stock them.

MKS2 is metallized polyester, MKP2 metallized polypropylene - I really don't know if they will sound different.
http://www.wima.com/mks2.htm
http://www.wima.com/mkp2.htm
http://www.wima.com/fkp2.htm

Be warned, the FKP2 are pretty big suckers for the SSL pcb and I am really not sure if this is the right kind of cap for its application. You might try high quality ceramics first, more expensive is not always better.

Should I use the ELNA cerafines 22pf and 33pfs which you mentioned or will any other brand be ok too regarding the sound?

I have problem finding the 100uF and 22uF Nichicon caps in Europe. Anyone?

Should I use the ELNA cerafines 22pf and 33pfs which you mentioned or will any other brand be ok too regarding the sound?

Click to expand...

The 22pF and 33pF uk03878 is using are COG ceramics, not ELNA electrolytics.

I have problem finding the 100uF and 22uF Nichicon caps in Europe. Anyone?

Click to expand...

me too, that's why I went with ELNA. cheers, Marten

oh - and whether Elna cerafines are better then anything else - that is not a educated decision on my part
I do not have the education to make that decision
I bought a stack of Elnas Cerafines at a big discount from Audio Cube in the Ntehrlands and am stuffing them everywhere
Ever seen a BA283AM stuffed with Wimas and Cerafines - you will soon!!!!

I got to have those Nichicons, there must be a way to get them :evil: :green:

What about the SMD versions? Any good?

:idea: Hey Greg, would you be so nice and buy for me some Nichicons in USA and send them to me? I can't find those values here in Europe. I can send you the money like for the HP filter boards.

Before I start ordering WIMAs. Are there any other capacitors needed beside the 0.1uF and 100pF for G-SSL which will give better sound results? OK, I know the 22u and 100u Nichicons for the input and output section are also wanted.

Before I start ordering WIMAs. Are there any other capacitors needed beside the 0.1uF and 100pF for G-SSL which will give better sound results? OK, I know the 22u and 100u Nichicons for the input and output section are also wanted.

Click to expand...

I guess my question has been answered too many times so nobody wants to answer it again. Fair enough ...

Actually, I don't really understand your question, do you want to know which other caps you need for the gssl in addition to the 100pf, 0.1uF and the 100uF / 22uF? Maybe take a look at the gssl BOM list available somewhere on this forum, maybe that will make things clearer. cheers, Marten

I was asking for some suggestions regarding which are the most important capacitors inside the G-SSL. I have all my G-SSLs already packed with capacitors I got in local shops (Jamicon and no name brands) but would like to change those which are the most important with WIMAs and Nichicons. I hope it's more clear now.

OK. Which ones are the most important to change?

[quote author="Purusha"]I wonder if those 5% Wima caps sound much better than 10% Wimas.... [/quote]

Seriously, why on earth would 5% sound better than a 10% tolerance capacitor? :roll: :roll: :roll:

If I would have known the answer I wouldn't be asking such questions, wouldn't I ? :wink: