Styrene Question

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HellfireStudios

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 17, 2011
Messages
513
Location
The Sunshine State
I know that styrene caps are finicky little buggers (alcohol and/or high heat can do them in), and I know they can be microphonic. I've heard that you can stabilize styrenes with hot glue to keep them from becoming microphonic. My concern is with the heat from the glue damaging the cap. Could superglue be used in place of hot glue, or is there something bad for the cap in the superglue? Thanks for any info.

-James-
 
ricardo said:
HellfireStudios said:
I've heard that you can stabilize styrenes with hot glue to keep them from becoming microphonic.
Where did you hear that?

I would have thought that the hot glue would do them in with the heat in applying it. I think that ricardo's suggestion about using COG ceramics instead of styrenes makes a whole lot of sense.

Kindest regards,

zephyrmic
 
HellfireStudios said:
So does superglue have something in it that could cause a failure with styrene caps?

-James-

I think that superglue would not improve them at all, because it dries very hard, and will probably eat into the styrene. If you are really wanting to use them, I suggest you try non-acetic acid silicone, coat the caps and also glue them to the board with the same silicone. When cured, it is an excellent insulator, and being flexible, may help with microphony. I stand to be corrected, but I think it may work.

Kindest regards,

zephyrmic
 
You can buy coated styrenes 8) hot glue seems like a good idea since it is removable, plus they have the cooler kind, and even the hot kind might not be that hot compared to a soldering iron tip. but i would just worry about puttying ANYTHING close to the extreme high impedance of the capsule gate circuit
 
please don't replace with ceramics - they probably won't act nearly as well at the ridiculously high impedances we use in mic front-ends. Styrene has one of the lowest interactions with environment humidity etc..
 
gyraf said:
please don't replace with ceramics - they probably won't act nearly as well at the ridiculously high impedances we use in mic front-ends. Styrene has one of the lowest interactions with environment humidity etc..
There are ceramics and ceramics.  NPO/COG ceramics are probably the best capacitors you can buy.  If the size/voltage fits, use them.  Their small size also makes them less susceptible to hum, RFI, humidity etc than polystyrenes.

They are the BEST capacitors between a capsule and Grid/Gate.  The only better capacitor is NO capacitor.  The only reason they were not used more often in the early 80s by major mike makers was cos 1n values were Unobtainium in NPO/COG.
 

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