[boodah]

On Oct 4, 11:07 am, wrote:
On Oct 3, 1:29 pm, "Arny Krueger" wrote:



wrote in message

oups.com

It's common for the bean counters that really run things
to demand manufacturing cost be cut. Surface mount parts
are cheaper than the discrete TO-92 transistors

In many cases equal or superior transistors are available in SMT format.
Technically speaking, for small signal transistors there is often little
that prevents the same piece of semiconductor from being mounted either way.

and Wima film and foil polypropylene caps originally used.

http://www.wima.de/EN/products_smd.htm

shows that SMD film capacitors are readily available.

You can't even buy the transistors I use in surface mount.

So what? Are you saying that the transistor type you use is totally unique
and a comparable SMD does not and cannot exist?

I suppose I could "sub" some surface mount transistors, but
the noise floor would rise.

Why?

Any audio designer with any hearing left can hear the
difference between a monolythic ceramic cap and a
precision polypropylene or polystyrene film cap,

Unless perchance you subject said designer to a properly-run bias-controlled
listening test. I've seen dozens of audio designers fail to back their
capacitor dielectric hyperbole with performance. I'm not saying that
capacitor dielectrics can be chosen willy-nilly, but the rules for choosing
them have been known for decades. There's no magic, only applied science.

you may
not think it matters but many would disagree with you.

There are still about 60,000 audiophiles who subscribe to Stereophile and
the kinds of anti-science I find preached therein. That constitues "amny"
but does it make the anti-science right?

All my designs use through hole precision metal film
resistors and big ass film caps.

Proving exactly what? Size does matter? ;-)

I design for quality of
sound, I leave the rest to Behringer and friends.

I suspect that you're proud of your through hole precision metal film
resistors and big ass film caps, and are still fighting battles that were
mostly won by modernizers in the previous millenium.

Try this experiment if you don't believe me. Replace the
quality film cap off one of your nice German mics with a
ceramic cap.

Excluded-middle argument, since it has been established that SMD film
capacitors are now common.

If Mouser and Digi-Key will sell DMD film caps to me, why won't they sell
them to anybody else?

http://www.mouser.com/catalog/631/704.pdf

They don't make polypropylene or polystyrene film caps in surface
mount. I thought you guys would know that. DMD is not polypropylene or
polystyrene. Look at the temp co's of those caps, they are not in the
same league. I have discussed this with the Wima engineers and they
told me they cannot make surface mount polystyrene as they don't make
polystyrene and polypropylene would melt. Another reason they are
large is the voltage rating is set very high. I get my polystyrene
caps from Reliable Capacitors in California. They are a major supplier
to the military/aerospace industry and are as I believe now the only
maker of quality polystyrene caps today.

If you can find me a surface mount transistor that will spec at .3 nv/
hz/sq with 1.6 ghz GBW and will run at 120 volts let me know...

Obviously someone hasn't done the cap test in their mics...

I love it when someone tells me I'm wrong when they haven't done the
test themselves. That's like commenting on gear you have never tried.
Most engineers used to be inquisitive about their craft, apparently
not around here. At least not enough to spend about the same amount of
time it takes to blow me off to find out.

Yes, I use through hole big ass film caps (they do sound better by the
way) and fat pcb traces and the companies I design for seem to hear
the difference as well. They are found not only in Rode but Basson
amps, Rhodes pianos, etc.

Many of the favorite recording pieces are made this same way and are
coveted for their sound. I don't see anyone coveting the sound of
their favorite surface mount gear. Besides, that stuff will be in a
landfill in 20 years. My stuff is built to last.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

So, can you upgrade a NT2-A to sound better?