My
company, JENA Labs is most well known for our interconnect and cable
products, but what many of you might not know is that I got my start
in audio not in wire but rather in nuts and bolt electronic
engineering. I still do quite a bit of the electronics end of things,
both as a modifier specializing in Atma-Sphere OTL amps [for which we
are also a dealer] and as a custom builder, meeting the needs of
elite customers who want something beyond the products found on
dealer's shelves. In my role as an audio electronics engineer, I pay
particular attention to the musical qualities of the parts I
specify.
Over
the past almost 30 years I have been involved in the design of high
accuracy audio equipment, the single most difficult type of part to
find that would not significantly alter the sound has been
capacitors. Certainly, the past ten years has seen tremendous
improvement in the range of products offered, some specifically
marketed to the audio community. Sadly, even the best of these still
contained a few significant colorations, and left one with sort of a
palette of sounds from which to pick and choose. Some of my personal
designs are 100% direct coupled amps and preamps that have no caps at
all in the signal path, a significant difficulty when working with
100% tube designs. Though never offered to customers, these reference
electronics provided me an accurate “no cap”
reference to
judge
the colorations and changes in sound that occur when caps are
injected in the signal path. It becomes very easy to hear the warming
effect of one brand, or the zippy effect of another. I had almost
resigned myself to the potential that no really good cap would ever
come along when I discovered the Auricap. WOW!! I was amazed, and I
should have known about months before I did.
As
a writer for a magazine, a custom builder, and a modifier of
manufactured electronics, I get targeted by a lot of manufactures to
try out their products. Stuff arrives in the mail with claims of
transparency to the Moon or beyond several times a month. My usual
experience is disappointment, with the review and evaluate parts not
meeting the standards of parts I already use. When a package of caps
arrived one day from Auricap, I looked them over, and set them aside
to try when things weren't quite so busy. They looked nice, but how
on earth could they sound better that the $260.00 spacecraft grade
hermetic cased Teflon caps I was having custom built? I guess I
wasn't really that motivated. I was happy with the custom caps in
spite of their price, and though they tended to be a bit microphonic,
it was dealt with by using appropriate vibration damping and
isolation. Sooner or later Richard from Auricap called to find out
how I liked the parts, and well..... I couldn't tell him. I hadn't
taken the time to pop them into something and have a listen. To make
a long story shorter, he pestered me a few more times to get off the
procrastination bus and give them a listen. I finally did, and I was
shocked. It's that simple. I was just plain shocked. These babies are
like the sound of the “no cap” reference. Using
them, I had
none
of the microphonic problems that the custom spacecraft parts had, and
all or possibly more of the other signal integrity I was used to.
Suddenly, a whole new door of design opportunities was opening. At
last I could design with caps and NOT feel musically guilty about
using them. Equally important, I could get these great parts for
about 1/10th the price of the spacecraft grade parts! Better and
cheaper. What more can you ask for?
Auricap
has become my reference standard for audio caps. Period. I now use
them throughout my electronics projects, and have even used them in
speakers. My customers always comment about how much better and more
natural their audio gear sound when I install or provide them the
Auricaps. These customers have pretty discriminating ears, and have
already had the “previously best” audio caps in
their gear.
Many
even doubted me when I called them to say ö You Gotta hear
these, ..let me put them in, you'll be shocked!! Funny thing.
Everyone, without exception, loves the sound with Auricaps in the
gear. The highs are smooth and clear without tizzyness or hash or
dulling roll off. The Mids are meaty and full of emotion when the
source offers it. 'Three D' sound staging should be Auricaps middle
name. Bass is tight and well connected, chesty and textured with
power and authority. Best of all is not that these separate frequency
groups sound so good as separate elements, but that they sound so
“together” and “as one whole”
when music plays
through them.
I sense no loss of rhythm, pacing, or emotion in circuits that employ
these parts. An outstanding technical feat.
These
are great parts, and represent a significant step forward in
capacitor technology and audio-musical performance. I am pleased to
design them into my new upcoming products, pleased to retrofit them
into existing electronics and pleased to sell them to DIY
enthusiasts. They simply sound like no cap at all.
Hats
off to these caps!
Jennifer
WhiteWolf-Crock
Co-Owner:
JENA LABS
Sr.
Technical Ed,: Positive Feedback Magazine.
