Film Cap's ORIENTATION is highly audible in ALTEC crossovers

[LowOhms]

Unlike electrolytics, most film caps ( which we would use in an upgraded ALTEC passive crossover ) are considered to be " non -polarized ", that is, either end of the film cap lead can be connected to ground or hot.

In reality, when constructing round film caps, there is an inner and outer winding to this film cap, and there ARE HIGHLY audible differences when an " upscale" film cap is connected 180 degrees from its optimal orientation. The better the ALTEC speaker's implementation, the easier this is to hear !!

The BEST and most effective way I have found to determine any film cap's best orientation in your ALTEC crossover, is to listen to it in both directions, and select the direction that sounds the most realistic to your ear.

I did this optimization last night, on only one driver in my A7-800, and it was a great learning experience.

The VOTT's crossover cap ( to the left channel's 802D ) has four film caps in parallel, to both get a total uF value AND to bypass the entire bundle. The difference in how the A7-800s speaker pair played, before, during, and after this optimization, with only one in four drivers' caps properly orientated, so-optimized, was VERY audible to me.

It all came into better play-back focus, with nicer harmonic structure, better attack, and higher dynamic range.

I was listening to Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk, solo piano, with a Pioneer ELITE BDP-09FD BluRay player, speakers well-wired and powered with my DIY Direct Coupled Type 45 Single Ended amplifier.

Imagine what will result - once I attend to the other speaker's 802D - and optimize both of those 515Bs !!

You can do the same if you are not too lazy, and will use your ears. I used a simple new clip lead design, specifically made up to do this type of testing. See here for photos:

Audio Asylum Thread Printer

ALTECS are sensitive, have "HIGH transfer function", so ALL of this is easy to optimize in a decent rig.

Enjoy !!!

LowOhms, aka Jeff Medwin

[LowOhms]

See here,

AMP Orientation - allows for testing film Caps' Orientation - drlowmu - Tube DIY Asylum

Have fun.

Jeff