DIY Telefunken ELAM 251 Capacitor Type Question

GroupDIY Audio Forum

Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Scrappersa

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 17, 2011
Messages
150
I'm working on a custom point to point 251 with Tim Campbell's capsule. I'm wondering what capacitor type you guys would recommend for the 3.3uf cap?  I've seen some people use the auricaps, and a lot of recommendations for mundorfs. I've been trying to find more information on the type of caps that were used in the older ones but there isn't a lot of information on them. Since the capacitor type (especially this one) has an effect on the sound, which capacitor would be most similar to the type that would have been used in one of the originals?
 
As for the original caps used, I couldn't tell you. I will say that my C12 clone (same family as 251) uses Illinois metallized polyester caps. They sound open with no harshness. I've heard that Wunder uses them as well.

BTW, what 3.3 uF cap are you referring to? The largest non-electrolytic cap is a 1uF (transformer coupling cap) in my ELA M 251 schematic.

-James-
 
http://www.treblebooster.com/m251e/m251e.pdf

Thanks for the response. It's actually an electrolytic 3.2uf cap right after the transformer. Would there be any benefit to replacing this with a non-polarized cap? I've seen a few of these builds do this. If not, I could just use a nichicon and call it a day.

For the 100pf non-electrolytic cap, I was thinking of using a wima but if you can recommend something that might be more true to the sound then I would love to experiment with it instead.
 
You can use 3.3uf Wima non-elko,i use in my Elam and works well!Increase a more bass and low mid!

Or just put 1.0uf Wima!

With Wimas you cant go wrong!Wimas are good for this aplication!

It must be MKP!
 
I went with a standard Nichicon for 3.2uf and a MKP Wima for 1000pf. I kept the values as close as I could to the schematic. If I'm unhappy with how it sounds, then I'll try a different value Wima or change the Nichicon to a Wima or some other audiophile type cap (auricap, mundorf). I know a lot of the vintage Neumann's used tantalum capacitors. I wonder how they would sound in this circuit.
 
If you want you can put 2.2uf/250 mkp4 on that place like is in G7!

For others i went to Iskra NOS styroflex they are amazing for Elam,and i got it in my G7!

I think that tantalums are not good for this aplication!
 
Hmm, doesn't seem like they make any tantalums above 125v. I'll have to check out those Iskra's if I'm not happy with my build.

For anybody interested, here is the BOM that I put together. Maybe somebody else will want to build a 251 as well.

http://www.mouser.com/ProjectManager/ProjectDetail.aspx?AccessID=ed43aa6167
 
The original 251 used wet tantalum (not the same as tantalum) capacitor for the 3.2u and ceramics for the 4800pf and 100pf. The 10000pf is polystyrene. Wet tantalums can be a bit hard to find but I think it's worth the effort. Not so much for the ceramics IMO.
 
Thanks for the info! How would this work in place for the 3,2uf cap? Is the 125V cutting it too close?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Sprague-109D365X0125C2-3-6uF-125V-20-Wet-Tantalum-Capacitors-/200814161436?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ec174ee1c
 
On the startup the voltage can shoot over 125V so I'd try to find the right value cap. The wet tantalum cap sounds a bit softer in the highs than the plastic film types so I wouldn't use plastic film if your after that kind of sound.
 
therea are a few different elam schematics around, I would go with 3.3 I'd take max 2.2  I used a 1µF russian oil fim
 
I'll post some clips and pictures next time I hook in my external hard drive. I used the body of an Apex and sanded it down so it looks like silver with "chromed" brass edges. The Apex is actually a super nice body underneath all of that paint. Then I used a dremel to slice out a little notch for the toggle switch so I could switch polar patterns that way instead of in the psu like the C12. My friend came up with the beautiful idea of bending a little piece of sheet metal to make a holder for the toggle switch that we just used the headbasket screw hole. I might design and some PCB boards that fit right into the Apex with the 251 circuit and have a few made. We used a simple piece of pcb with tons of holes and just laid it out the most efficient way could. It's a really simple design that was really fun to make once I got my head around the schematic. I'm also itching to try fitting it into some of those smaller U67 type bodies. My friend has a cheap Nady I might try to get my hands on.

This is the only picture I have of it right now. I'll replace it once I get some nice close ups.

375881_10151151652618138_1398291249_n.jpg


Tim Campbell capsule, Tab T14, Telefunken 12AT7 tube. I used the Telefunken tube because my friend is amazing and gave it to me for the mic. I ended up using the Nichicon electrolytic cap I already had in my mouser order so I could hear how everything sounded. If I didn't like it, then I would have replaced it with one of the other suggestions in this thread, but I don't feel like it needs to be changed. I'm in love with this mic. Next I'm going to work on a pair of C12s so I can use them as overheads.

I also want to add that your thread really helped me out when I began this project, so thank you for asking all of those questions. If you decide you want to try again and make one from scratch, let me know and I can send you my bill of materials or try to answer any questions you might have.
 
Cant seem to find the Capacitors or replacements needed for my ELAM 251 microphone build. Most of them like the Axial film Capacitor 3.3uf 160vac/250VDC are obsolete :-[ I NEED some help please and thank you.
 
Numerous companies produce axial film caps.

http://www.jbcapacitors.com/Plastic-Film-Capacitors/JFG-Axial-Metallized-Polyester-Polypropylene-Film-Capacitor.html

Cheap and good.

You can go wild with audiophile brands as well, there are lots of them.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top