Seems your having some trouble heating some of the joints. Those caps have heavy copper leads?a bit more soldering iron oomph might be in order. I use a Weller TCP 60w with the 700F chisel tip for stuff like this. It solders those joints fast and like butter.
Thank you for the feedback. Yes, I keep my heat around 330C that seems hot to me but as you can see still challenging sometimes. I will check out the 700F tip. Happy Audio!
@@hificonspiracy The point is to get the joint up to temperature faster. 330C is 626F so maybe you need a tip with more mass to get the solder joint up to temperature faster. I like the old Weller TCP series because it's heating element has some mass and that helps kepp the solder tip at temperature when a solder joint is pulling heat from the tip. A chisel tip that is 1/8" or more also helps het a joint faster.
No criticism, just a question :) Why did you felt that the caps needed support? My thinking would be that the leads are strong enough to hold the cap in place and nothing underneath would mean a better airflow. What is/was your thought?
Hi Dustin! Good question. The through hole spacing on the board was just short of the length of the new caps. The leads would hold the cap off the board but they would be more prone to vibration that would stress the solder joint. By elevating the cap with a support I could tuck the leads just under the cap body and into the board. The supports were the least invasive way to keep the caps supported and firmly mounted.
Hi Ramon! Congrats on the Freya! I'm sorry but I'm not set up to do mod requests at this time. However, The Solen film and foils caps would work really well in that unit. Check out @6AM_YT did A nice cap upgrade to the Freya. Find good local tech or buy a soldering iron and practice on an old clock radio and find how to solder vids on YT! No time like the present ! Happy Audio!
The caps are old gen Rel Caps yes they are MKPs and 30 years old. I wanted to use higher quality newer gen capacitor. I think I mentioned this in the vid? The smaller coupling caps are actually a metallized polyester and I've upgraded these to a Solen Tin Film/Foil with very good results. I'll expand on the changes in the next video update. thx!
Yes, well, I'd still have the same issue with pin spacing as above the board, but yes one would have more total room to place a caps and then extend the leads as needed. I might still add some film/foil bypass caps and mount those below.
@@robertwear1675 Yes, good thoughts. I think the spacing is ok and it has good ventilation But, I'll be watching this closely, perhaps I'll use a infrared thermometer on them and post the results.
@@robertwear1675 Yes, I'm recapping the power-supply and replacing some cathode resistors, and more. Will have a final update and sound demo in a few weeks.
SO GOOD ! ......................NO , ............(there are some nice videos to learn solder )..... This is no critisism , just want to help you with your hobby......and do a better quality solderjob and learn to do it correctly ...........witch is not the case . FIRST there's the two second rule.........two seconds , no more !!!! NEVER blow on the solder !!!!!!!!!!!!! Cut of the leads before soldering and finish the movement of the iron on the top of the lead...... Your iron has propably not the right temperature and should be adjusted to a higher temperature ( to getrespect the first rule of ....two seconds..) Clean your iron BEFORE applying solder and apply a " little solder " on the tip before soldering..............not after.........clean the tip BEFORE the next solder joint every time ! Put tip of the iron on the joint betrween the island and the lead foir a very brief moment and then apply/ flow the solder on base ofd the tip, the rosin should boil of in two seconds ....................traces of rosin must be cleaned of after with isoprop. Any way ........ nice to have a passion!
Hi Frank! Yes. I know ! My soldering skills suck and I don't often have the steadiest hand. I knew this would come under scrutiny. lol! I'm still learning! I'm using good solder and have my iron set at 330 C. I felt uncomfortable going hotter then that. What do you think? Yes, I will shoot for the 2 sec rule but I often feel I'm not getting good flow around the pad so I touch it again. Maybe I do need it hotter or my iron is out of calibration. Thank you for the tips!
@@hificonspiracy Hello Al;exander , I am happy you understand that I only wanted to help you 🙂 I think you have a good solderstation , I had to learn it also and before I thougt I did it right...........never to old to learn and share a life time experience............fine to see you are sharing your passion ! There are some good videos on the web............ By the way people seem to be confused by the difference metaized foil and plain foil capacitors..............besides sometimes bon inductive caps are usefull , and sometimes NOT ! One can eliminete inductance by mounting to identical caps " tête beche "............or series mounting with the polarity reversed on the second one...... Good resistors make a difference in those circuits and systems that allow you to experience the fact that something unnatural is gone .......... Most even high quality & expensive audio components are ALLWAYS subject to economic restraints..............SO YOU ARE RIGHT TO UPGRADE .............as allways only the RESULTS count........ Thank you for sharing with others who will follow your passion !
It's a single sided board. When there no concern of damaging a "via" a low speed dremel actually works very well to slightly open up or clean up the solder hole without having to expose the pad to to another reheat. Its not sacrilege just a common best practice.
That preamp was absolutely fine as it was, old caps were better or the same as what you butchered it with. Lateral mods are pointless except to keep you busy and you ruined its aesthetic vintage vibe for no gain. As another commenter said, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Even the filter caps are so quality that reforming with a dim bulb limiter would get you an other 20 ys. You shouldn't be allowed near vintage gear till you grow up and learn some respect for the equipment.
HAHAHA! OK. Well, I'm not sure what a "aesthetic vintage vibe" is suppose to sound like. I guess like dried out crap caps and aging crackling cathode resistors that are about to fail. Let me guess, you're that guy that keeps re-capping the same car tires over and over again to keep that "vintage vibe". ~sigh. The Mundorf and Solen film foils are superior by every metric to the REL MKPs and Metallized Polyesters and they weren't available 30 years ago. The power supply caps after 30+ years are EOL. I've seen gear butchered I certainly don't think I've butchered this. I've attempted to be very intentional with all the changes and keeping with OEM values and circuit design. Well whateves... Hey, come back and see what I do to a pair of KT88 mono blocks! Perhaps I'll convert them to sold-state and paint over the chrome just for you!
@@hificonspiracy It's amazing how many people search the internet for people to take a crap on. I believe they can't hear a difference so it's best to just ignore them because they will NEVER understand. I appreciate the attention to detail and understanding that many components have an impact on the final sound.
Seems your having some trouble heating some of the joints. Those caps have heavy copper leads?a bit more soldering iron oomph might be in order. I use a Weller TCP 60w with the 700F chisel tip for stuff like this. It solders those joints fast and like butter.
Thank you for the feedback. Yes, I keep my heat around 330C that seems hot to me but as you can see still challenging sometimes. I will check out the 700F tip. Happy Audio!
@@hificonspiracy The point is to get the joint up to temperature faster. 330C is 626F so maybe you need a tip with more mass to get the solder joint up to temperature faster. I like the old Weller TCP series because it's heating element has some mass and that helps kepp the solder tip at temperature when a solder joint is pulling heat from the tip. A chisel tip that is 1/8" or more also helps het a joint faster.
No criticism, just a question :) Why did you felt that the caps needed support? My thinking would be that the leads are strong enough to hold the cap in place and nothing underneath would mean a better airflow. What is/was your thought?
Hi Dustin! Good question. The through hole spacing on the board was just short of the length of the new caps. The leads would hold the cap off the board but they would be more prone to vibration that would stress the solder joint. By elevating the cap with a support I could tuck the leads just under the cap body and into the board. The supports were the least invasive way to keep the caps supported and firmly mounted.
@@hificonspiracy Good point. I understand :)
Hi, I just won a schiit Freya+ noval on eBay. My question is if I can send it to you to upgrade it as much as possible? Thanks
Hi Ramon! Congrats on the Freya! I'm sorry but I'm not set up to do mod requests at this time. However, The Solen film and foils caps would work really well in that unit. Check out @6AM_YT did A nice cap upgrade to the Freya. Find good local tech or buy a soldering iron and practice on an old clock radio and find how to solder vids on YT! No time like the present ! Happy Audio!
What about part 3?
Coming soon!
Those old caps are polypropylene, I think. What is wrong with them?
The caps are old gen Rel Caps yes they are MKPs and 30 years old. I wanted to use higher quality newer gen capacitor. I think I mentioned this in the vid? The smaller coupling caps are actually a metallized polyester and I've upgraded these to a Solen Tin Film/Foil with very good results. I'll expand on the changes in the next video update. thx!
If it ain't broke, don't fix it
Wouldn't the coupling caps fit underneath the board?
Yes, well, I'd still have the same issue with pin spacing as above the board, but yes one would have more total room to place a caps and then extend the leads as needed. I might still add some film/foil bypass caps and mount those below.
@@hificonspiracy My only concern would be the heat from the tubes damaging the new caps because of their close proximity.
@@robertwear1675 Yes, good thoughts. I think the spacing is ok and it has good ventilation But, I'll be watching this closely, perhaps I'll use a infrared thermometer on them and post the results.
Good deal. Will there be a part 3?
@@robertwear1675 Yes, I'm recapping the power-supply and replacing some cathode resistors, and more. Will have a final update and sound demo in a few weeks.
SO GOOD ! ......................NO , ............(there are some nice videos to learn solder ).....
This is no critisism , just want to help you with your hobby......and do a better quality solderjob and learn to do it correctly ...........witch is not the case .
FIRST there's the two second rule.........two seconds , no more !!!!
NEVER blow on the solder !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cut of the leads before soldering and finish the movement of the iron on the top of the lead......
Your iron has propably not the right temperature and should be adjusted to a higher temperature ( to getrespect the first rule of ....two seconds..)
Clean your iron BEFORE applying solder and apply a " little solder " on the tip before soldering..............not after.........clean the tip BEFORE the next solder joint every time !
Put tip of the iron on the joint betrween the island and the lead foir a very brief moment and then apply/ flow the solder on base ofd the tip, the rosin should boil of in two seconds ....................traces of rosin must be cleaned of after with isoprop.
Any way ........ nice to have a passion!
Hi Frank! Yes. I know ! My soldering skills suck and I don't often have the steadiest hand. I knew this would come under scrutiny. lol! I'm still learning! I'm using good solder and have my iron set at 330 C. I felt uncomfortable going hotter then that. What do you think? Yes, I will shoot for the 2 sec rule but I often feel I'm not getting good flow around the pad so I touch it again. Maybe I do need it hotter or my iron is out of calibration. Thank you for the tips!
@@hificonspiracy Hello Al;exander , I am happy you understand that I only wanted to help you 🙂
I think you have a good solderstation , I had to learn it also and before I thougt I did it right...........never to old to learn and share a life time experience............fine to see you are sharing your passion !
There are some good videos on the web............
By the way people seem to be confused by the difference metaized foil and plain foil capacitors..............besides sometimes bon inductive caps are usefull , and sometimes NOT !
One can eliminete inductance by mounting to identical caps " tête beche "............or series mounting with the polarity reversed on the second one......
Good resistors make a difference in those circuits and systems that allow you to experience the fact that something unnatural is gone ..........
Most even high quality & expensive audio components are ALLWAYS subject to economic restraints..............SO YOU ARE RIGHT TO UPGRADE .............as allways only the RESULTS count........
Thank you for sharing with others who will follow your passion !
I almost can’t bare to watch this dude ream out the solder pads with a rotary tool. That poor double sided plating, oh my goodness, sacrilege.
It's a single sided board. When there no concern of damaging a "via" a low speed dremel actually works very well to slightly open up or clean up the solder hole without having to expose the pad to to another reheat. Its not sacrilege just a common best practice.
@@hificonspiracy “common best practice” is your opinion. I’ve said all I will say on the topic and not return to your channel.
@@nelsondog100 Super! Happy Audio!
That preamp was absolutely fine as it was, old caps were better or the same as what you butchered it with. Lateral mods are pointless except to keep you busy and you ruined its aesthetic vintage vibe for no gain. As another commenter said, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Even the filter caps are so quality that reforming with a dim bulb limiter would get you an other 20 ys. You shouldn't be allowed near vintage gear till you grow up and learn some respect for the equipment.
HAHAHA! OK. Well, I'm not sure what a "aesthetic vintage vibe" is suppose to sound like. I guess like dried out crap caps and aging crackling cathode resistors that are about to fail. Let me guess, you're that guy that keeps re-capping the same car tires over and over again to keep that "vintage vibe". ~sigh. The Mundorf and Solen film foils are superior by every metric to the REL MKPs and Metallized Polyesters and they weren't available 30 years ago. The power supply caps after 30+ years are EOL. I've seen gear butchered I certainly don't think I've butchered this. I've attempted to be very intentional with all the changes and keeping with OEM values and circuit design. Well whateves... Hey, come back and see what I do to a pair of KT88 mono blocks! Perhaps I'll convert them to sold-state and paint over the chrome just for you!
@@hificonspiracy It's amazing how many people search the internet for people to take a crap on. I believe they can't hear a difference so it's best to just ignore them because they will NEVER understand. I appreciate the attention to detail and understanding that many components have an impact on the final sound.
@@hificonspiracy Great response to the troll!
I’m not impressed
Nope, I can’t take it. Incomplete view, thumbs down and don’t recommend this channel.