Is this mod recommended?

[glynnw]

There is a pair of Paramounts on Audiogon which have had the electrolytic power supply caps replaced with large oil caps by means of an umbilical.  While ungainly, this seems easily doable.  Does anyone have any comments on whether something this drastic would be worthwhile?

Here's a link to them - http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstube&1294029497&/Bottlehead-Paramount-2A3-modif

I have nothing to do with selling these - just looking for ways to improve my Paramounts.

 

[Grainger49]

Glynn,

I like oilers in the power supply.  But I have no experience with them in Paramounts.

 

[ssssly]

Having done something similar I would modify a few things that he did. The last cap in the power supply should be kept in the original case. The benefits you get from upgrading to the oiler and the negative side effect of extending the pathway of that capacitor pretty much cancel each other out. Same for the choke.

I have a FPII clone that I built with an outboard power supply connected via an umbilical. I used double female ended IEC power cables to do it which worked out great (and looked much neater). Tried it much the way this one is at first and didn't hear much of an improvement. But on the advice of a forum member (prob Voltsecond or Grainger) I moved the final PS caps back into the original circuit position and it was a huge improvement. Night and day. I also built a completely separate chassis which the power tranny was attached to. Seems kind of odd to have the power tranny on the original chassis and then run wires out to the PS caps and then run power back in to the chassis.

 

[intojazz]

Hey Glynn,
Just wondering if you figured anything out about this "potential" upgrade. The seller does make it seem interesting though.
John

 

[glynnw]

Nope - just looked too ungainly.  Concentrating on upgrading crossover to Basszilla at this point.  Just ordered 2 uF OIMP V-Caps to go with the 2 new 50 uF Auricaps I have breaking in.  I sure spend a lot of time and money on these things.