NEW REVIEW at Enjoy the Music.com >>> Scott Faller writes in his "Joe Audiophile" column: "These caps brought warmth to my system that was missing before. The strange part is we typically associate warmth (somehow) with a veiling of the sound. This isn't the case with these caps. The last thing these are is veiled..." "...It seems that many current systems tend to be a bit on the lean side nowadays. You'll find that these caps will bring a system like that back to life. They bring just the right amount of texture to the sound without sacrificing any of the detail and bass or treble extension that we all love so much. If you are currently using caps like Solens, Hovland, or MultiCaps, plan on getting even more detail from your system. As I said earlier, the last thing these caps are is veiled." Click here to read the full Review
**********
Just wanted to report that the OIMP V-Caps I installed in my Audio Research Classic 60 amplifier have taken it to new sonic heights. They are absolutely an improvement over the stock Rel caps and the TRT Dynamicaps that Audio Research offers as an upgrade. I could actually hear a slight improvement right away, but after about 200 hours of playing....WOW!!! All of the audiophile superlatives apply: soundstaging, bass, dynamics, transparency, musicality, etc. They are truly an astounding product! You have heard the designer's truism..."no capacitor in the signal path is the best". However, in this case, the V-Caps approach this ideal, but add their own special touch to the music that actually improves its listenability. Highly, highly recommended to anyone who wishes to upgrade any form of signal path capacitor! John Allison- Allison Dynamics
**********
Hi Chris, Have had both the Tef & OIMP v-caps installed in my speaker x-overs and have now reached the 100 hour burn-in stage (playing the Purist Audio Design System Enhancer CD) and am gob-smacked by the change _ WOW ! The bass is tight and quick, vastly improved soundstage & imaging, beautiful top-end with unsurpassed clarity but, above all, they have given the music a rich and full texture yet remaining "natural". The brightness/harshness in the top-end from old (60s & 70s recordings)and poorly-recorded CDs have been tamed to a large degree. I am looking forward to when we pass the 400 hour burn-in. I'm planning to install V-Caps in my CD Player and Amp as well. Will let you know after I consult one of our local pros. Regards, Tony
**********
I had a friend over last night who heard the speakers for the first time in a while. Let me give you some background about him first. He loves music and has a very well trained ear. He plays the acoustic bass in a jazz group and has for years. He records and produces much of the groups music. He is an audiophile with a very well set up system consisting of high quality gear (ARC tubes and large line source speakers made by the same designer as mine with excellent source components). He made the comment that it was "the best mid range sound he has ever heard" (from a stereo), and that it was "the best sound of the voice he had ever heard".
Although the sound after burn in is improved in several ways I will say that many of the attributes that I heard right away are some of the predominant sonic aspects that characterize the overall performance of this part. The first thing that struck me was the sheer amount of information that these caps let through. The test caps don't have what I call a subtractive coloration or what might be thought of as an editorial sound. I have experimented with a brand of caps that are very popular right now that although they have a certain sort of clarity, they in my mind achieve this attribute by a sin of omission. By this I mean is that initially they sound very clear. After a short time it is evident that something is very wrong, something is missing. They achieve this clarity by leaving behind much of the spatial and harmonic information. What is left is a pared down and somewhat dry sound that some may interpret (or in my mind misinterpret) as cleaner and clearer. The test caps have none of this brand of clarity. What they do have is a sound that is rich with information. Every bit of harmonic overtone seems right there. Every last bit of ambient information seems preserved. As you might expect the sound stage opens up and the speakers disappear better. Along with the harmonic and spatial information is a wealth of texture. I can hear subtle inflection, intonation and tremolo in vocal tracks that I am very familiar with that I have never heard before. There is more breath, body, and life in the voice. Instruments like the piano and acoustic guitar sound amazing. The piano has more of the sound of wood and felt hammers striking strings in a big wooden cabinet. There is more complexity and richness. The guitar has more of the resonant quality of it's body and soundboard with more texture and ring of the strings.
I'm hearing subtleties and inflection in vocals on tracks that I am very familiar with that I have never heard before. The test caps reveal a very vivid sound. The hardest thing about trying to get a handle on their sound is that they don't seem to have much of one and that I just get caught up in listening to the music. I think that says a lot about them.- Keith L
Well, another week, maybe 80 hours total on the caps now. No more catfight in the treble, It has easily surpassed the original cap now. I've been playing a mix of music, from simple arrangements to complex orchestral pieces trying toput my finger on what I am hearing. Definatly more detail, and in particular more realistic cymbals. Its like I can seperate each fiber when the brush touches the cymbal.
Its been 2 weeks now since the install, and I wanted to be sure I wasn't just comparing the improvement to the sound of the caps before they were broken in, so I unsoldered them both, and put the original Solen's back in. Without a doubt the new caps are smoother, and without any sense of smearing on fast changes.- John C.
**********
I installed your 3.3 uF V-Caps in a Bottlehead Foreplay preamp, 7PM tonight. They repalaced a fine pair of Wondercaps 3.0 uF, 210 V. "Jawdropping" is a very good word! My friend and I noticed immediate differences on his very efficient "custom designed" corner horn system driven by the Foreplay and 3 watt per channel Bottlehead Paramours.
Deeper soundstage. Quicker. More air around the instruments. Chris, how did you accomplish the unbelieveable bass improvement?....tighter quicker more detailed bass, but with also a gain in fullness and bloom (but no muddy or boomy bass) I have never been able to have both before. Piano was the best we had ever heard on his system.
Within the hour we both recognized additional musical qualities that were not as evident prior to adding the (beta) V-Caps. Better tactile imagery; richer and more detailed harmonic layering, more holographic presentation. Better micro and macro dynamics. The V-caps unfortunately did revealed the weakness in the Paramours existing power supply like never before, with earlier/quicker clipping on dynamic peaks. All this within one hour on installing them. Thank you for the opportunity to Beta test these Caps. We will provide our preliminary report within three weeks but could not wait to report our immediate findings.
The second beta test pair of V-Cap 3.3uF Caps are installed and breaking in the Kimmel design Preamp - coupling caps. Again a very obvious improvement immediately with another friend, Jim (last name omitted). He was a very hard sell - very sceptical, but a very good friend. He said I made him "eat crow" after listening to the V-Caps for only 30 minutes post installation. He did not want them to change and break in further. Ha! Ha! He has been comparing Caps for 20 years he volunteered. We will report on these again in 300 hours. The first pair has been in about a week. Johann calls me every day to report his excitement and is keeping a daily log. I find myself looking for places to use the V-Caps in my equipment and in customers products.- Robert S.
**********
Just wanted to let you know that I finally have the Usher X-718 speakers up and running. They contain the following upgrades: V-Cap Oil capacitors throughout, Mills 12 watt non-inductive resistors throughout, Custom Solid silver/hybrid internal wiring converted from bia-amp to single input. Even "fresh" these speakers far surpass their stock form and they are exception speakers out of the box. Having the oil caps all the way through provides a sense of texture and realism that I have not heard from these speakers in the past. The "Emotional Involvement" is heightened to a level beyond words. Looks like I will have to get more of these caps to finish off my big 7388 Ushers or build a new pair of 6371s. Amazing!! - Bill B.
**********
I received them and have installed them in my modified digital xover. After an hour of listening I have to say that they are sensational. There is rightness to the pace of things and the soundstage has deepened. I have used all ten in the xover. Followup: Well, they sound so good in my crossover, I am taking out the harness, and putting them in as if it were a ready to ship product...They are extraordinary. Now it appears that the sound is emerging from this so-called recessed sound and is more fleshed out, yet somehow more subtle. Subtle in a good way, almost vulnerable such as the sound of a piccolo flute can at once be forceful and graceful. Ok, I know my descriptions may a bit artsy, but after all I am a real audio freak :)- Don N.
**********
" ........ I have to say that after installing these new caps in the output stage of various tube preamps and tube CD players, there was a heightened sense of texture, layering and realism that I did not think was possible from these components. I also then bypassed these oil capacitors with the V-Cap Teflon units and........... WOW! end of story. Chris, you have done it again by bringing to the audio industry yet another truly remarkable breakthrough in capacitor design. Bravo!"- Bill Baker- Reponse Audio
**********
(User comment) "Quoting you- " It is at the 300-400 hour mark that these caps will be ready for critical evaluation ". Well, I gave 2 of the caps a listen last night and I must say they are doing everything better than what I have used before, right from the start. I have never heard one single cap that completely satisfied, and I've tried them all, except handmade silverfoils and relcap tef's. I am partial to Vitamin Q's and Auricaps, and have longed for one that sounded like both ( I sometimes parallel equal values of them ). The russian teflons are interesting to play with, but they have a bleached mechanical sound that doesn't go away- these are a different animal. One of the interesting things I've noticed is how CD as a source becomes more listenable- the digital artifacts are still there, but more separate from the music, if that makes any sense. And sibilance that occurs as a byproduct of studio recording is more readily identified as just that- something that has occured separately. This probably all has to do with less smearing in the waveform. When I say everything is better, the transparency gained is easily 'seen'. And the soundfield is bigger, too. Enough said; they are a no brainer recommendation to anyone looking for a reference grade cap. Here's to a pain-free burn-in! Tony
**********
Below is a formal review by a gentleman who received the beta OIMP V-Caps via one of the V-Cap beta testers. 11/1/2004. Bob (last name removed) arrived at my house today and asked if I would be interested in beta testing a pair of (beta) V-caps in my system. Bob is what I would refer to as the ultimate tweaker. He has taught an old experienced audio-nut like myself a couple of very good tweaks. I eagerly agreed to beta test the caps in my system. We decided to install them in my Bottle Head Foreplay preamp since they were the correct value replacing a pair of Wonder Caps.
The caps have a very good WOW factor right from the onset. I immediately realized that this is something spectacular. One of the first things that struck me was the incredible bass extension and increased definition & dynamics. It’s amazing how a piece of well-designed budget equipment can sound if you replace the vital components with the best possible ones out there. It is scary.
The V-Cap is so much more spontaneous and direct in character. Kind of like watching the dancers perform in River Dance. It is hard not to notice. I cannot tell you what the logic of the cap is, or is not, but I can tell you this. It does not obstruct the music. The music comes through with detail, spontaneity and energy! One thick pipeline of unobstructed music.
Many components add it’s own subtle gray tones and smeariness to the music. A little here and a little there. It does its job but it does more, it interferes just slightly. Just enough to keep us looking for more. It makes music more gray, more boring, and sometimes more irritating. V-Caps = More pure juice and less artificial flavor. Extremely sweet, detailed crisp and brutal. Yes, brutal in the finest sense of the word. Lots of energy down low in a powerful way. It will of course depend on the dynamic capabilities of your system and in particular your speakers.
At this early stage (day one) I can hear the power amps compressing sooner than with the previous caps. A sign that the preamp is sending a much more demanding signal to the power amps. The deeper bass also drains the power supplies dry quicker. These caps do not put a foot wrong. With music that does not have a lot of deep continuous bass notes the system is incredible dynamic. Well focused without being bright. The system is still a bit on the cold side although the harmonic structure is slowly warming up. I forgot to mention, the power amps that I am using are the well known 2A3 3.5watt SET’s driving very large custom horns.
I have been using the very first Bassmaxx B2 prototype sub in my system for years. This is a large 45” x 45” x 22.5” horn loaded cabinet with a single 18” open backed driver. I am very serious about good quality bass. I could never really enjoy the system without the sub. The irony is that I now frequently listen without the sub. Why? I don’t really need it any more. The corner horns now go lower, a lot lower.
The term opening the window wider has been used many times to describe the improvement in sound stage en terms of width and depth. In this case it has been a matter of removing the wall completely. No window, no nothing. Just musicians in very close proximity to the listening position.
11/2/2004. The importance to use the best possible components as early as possible in the amplification stream is becoming al the more obvious. Once a capacitor has painted its smeary little gray signature onto the music signal it can ever be removed. A good component (cap) will leave the music exactly as it found it, naked. The capabilities of this capacitor is almost scary. One thinks that it can’t be, but it is. Chris has definitely discovered something here. It is what I can only describe as understanding the fundamentals properly and not making compromises. I can not say that I am an expert on the various qualities of caps but I have listened to some very exotic capacitors in different applications and yes, the better ones do have better definition etc, etc. This cap is in a class of its own. It just sounds so right. I am of the opinion that there is not a close contender for second place or maybe even a third place. Ok, so there is a second place cap but it is several laps behind.
I hope that the unique qualities of this cap be discovered by audiophiles all over the world because that is the one thing that we all strive for, the pure golden tone. The quality of this cap becomes very evident on a very high definition high efficiency system where everything has been tweaked to the max.
11/13/2004 Saturday morning: (75 hours on the clock) I am now running the CD player, DAC and Preamp 27/7 to get the hours on the caps. Dynamic detail and openness has improved over the last 2 weeks. My system has developed a very strong dynamic character with regard to layering. We often see layering as a thin lightweight presentation of separation and depth. This aspect has taken on a completely new dimension. The layering information is now very dynamic in nature.
The soundstage has opened tremendously. Subtle tones are dynamic and is presented more forward in the sound balance. The dynamic character of the sound can now only be described as explosive. The focus of what comes through has definitely expanded downward. Although the system sounded more dynamic and open and better defined on all frequencies on day one after the insertion of the (beta)V-Caps, it has clearly opened up towards the lower resistors. The effortless nature of the dynamic structure is hard to comprehend. The midrange sounds bigger and extremely effortless but powerful. Some caps reveal more detail with regard to background noises, spatial clues and subtle tones. The V-Cap makes recorded music sound more real. The V-Cap does all of the above but with strong natural dynamics. It positively influences the experience of REAL music to a new level.
It takes a diehard devotion, dedication and obsession to the audio experience to come up with this kind of component. The type of person that never stops thinking about the principles of audio. The type of person that lies awake at 4 o clock in the morning contemplating on ways to improve the technical performance and abilities of products. The type of person that comes up with highly creative ideas while taking a shower. It is not about coming up with better audio. It is about being the ultimate in audio. It is a 24 hour devotion. Period. It is in your blood or it is not.
If you install these caps in your system and only experience subtle changes I can only guess that the dynamic capabilities of your speakers are not quick enough to respond and track the very fast and complex musical pulses in time domain. You will experience tremendous improvements but the weakest link always has the last say. Find out what it is and fix it.
The wholesome midrange has opened up to a new dimension. Voices are crisp with full velvety detail and wonderful palatability and throatiness. It is an EXPERIENCE. The low end is more controlled and focused also. The being there or they (the musicians) being here has taken on a whole new dimension. Listening to these caps breaking in is like watching a flower open. My system is doing really weird and wonderful things lately. The amount of dynamic high definition information lately fills my room to such an extent that it almost feels that there is too much of it to fill the room. It is like standing before a big beautiful landscape, something like the Swiss Alps seeing all of its beauty and glory. It is a big beautiful surrounding. It is not about listening into the soundstage but being in inside or the very least on the edge of the sound stage. Isn’t that were we all want to be? Front row. Every day, every night. I always say that a system is as strong as its weakest link. I never realized how weak this particular link was. These caps were the right things at the right time. As I have said before. If you do not get dramatic results with these caps you might need to look at your chain again. It is not about listening at one component at a time but the whole system, which has a lot to do in what you believe in and where you want to go with your musical experience. What is important? To me it is Dynamic clarity and realism. This is what these caps do so well.
Realism, yes it is possible. If you do not believe that it is possible you probably do not deserve it and likewise never be able to achieve it. I know that we can now go into long discussions on the real sound levels of a live orchestra or live sound etc. but that is hardly the point. We have too long been willing to compromise because we give up to easily and believe that it cant be done so we look for the type of sound we like. We compromise. Mediocrity is the voice of evil that says it is good enough. No wonder we get bored so easily. No wonder we keep searching on an on but we never find it because it doesn’t exist, that is if realism doesn’t exist. It is either true for you or it is not. If realism is your goal you are probably working your way to the truth. I did not say that it was easy. So many people to depend on getting it right. The source guy. SACD, DVDA, CD, transport, DAC, turntable, arm cartridge, The amp guy whether it be solid state, mosfet, tube puss pull or single ended, the power cord guy, the interconnect wire guy, The interconnect plug guy, the power cord guy, the digital cable guy, THE CAP GUY, the speaker wire guy, the speaker guy, the driver guy, the tweeter guy, the binding post guy and in-between all this you find a bunch of audiophiles trying to discern who really built the better mousetrap. That gentlemen is the bottom line, identifying the guys seeking the ultimate truth because it is as the Bible says, it will set you free.
The musicians are here in my room performing their hearts out. If it does not touch you emotionally you are not there yet. Although our systems operate on a technical basis it connects with us emotionally. This is where I feel the (beta) V-Cap absolutely excels like no other alteration that I have done to my system. It is a breathtaking experience. It exposes the music in a way hard to describe. I can only try to describe the experience. Can it really be that great? Well I hope that you doubt me and come listen for your self or at least find out all you can about these caps and invest in some. Remember, no matter how good your amp design, the electrons still have to run though those components in there. They do have the final say.
The whole performance has gone high definition. Bigger, clearer, more dynamic, closer with all of its perfections and imperfections. Interestingly enough, I now listen at lower levels (volume knob position) and it sounds louder which helps my power supplies keep up. That only means that it tracks the very complex musical signal very accurately and quickly. Very quick valleys and peaks with no mud in the valleys. The mud drains your power and amplifies hash.
11/16/2004 Tuesday night. 200 hours.
Bob told me that these caps would sound better at 200 hours and even better at 500 hours. As you know, they all say that, don’t they? Well equipment usually breaks in over time and sound somewhat better over time but usually not dramatically better. I have been running the CD, DAC and preamp 24/7 to accelerate the burn in process.
Bob was correct. It is better, way way better, It just keeps getting better and better defined. Spatial information has taken on a high definition character. The best way that I can describe it is more or less the way that you can hear the ambience and room reverb when a choir sings in a cathedral LIVE. Ambience is big, big BIG. What also surprised me was how much voices have changed after 200 hours. Much more detail in the voice. It is almost like getting to know the singers personally. It is hard to describe. It is almost the same as speaking to someone over the phone and finally being able to meet him or her. It is more personal, more exposed, nowhere to hide. Voices sound much more direct.
I continue to listen at lower and lower levels. The same enjoyment that I got at higher levels in the past now happens at much lower levels. The music is also more gripping. Instrumentation is more dynamic and better separated from each other. The harmonic structure is also better defined. It is amazing to think that a single driver can produce all these different instruments with their own individual harmonic structures simultaneously. It comes together better because it is separated better. The longer that I listen to the system the better the bass develops. I still can’t understand how a replacement pre-amp cap makes the speakers go deeper? The other interesting thing to note is that I could always achieve pretty loud levels with my 3.5 watt amp/ horn system but there were times that I realized that 6 watt or 10 watt might have been better. There were times that the little amps reached the paper ceiling and started to compress or clip leaving me slightly disappointed and wishing for more power. The reason that I mention this is that the system seems louder at lower levels as I have said before. It sounds more powerful.
It does not sound like little amps operating just below its stall speed any more but rather big and powerful. Power is not an issue anymore. The bass is not only deeper but also more impact full. It has tremendous slam with beautiful textural tone. I have to agree that the Bottle Head amps are good, really good. I have heard that the little Foreplay pre amp has come out on top when compared to many exotic (expensive “the fir$t an$wer for many audiophile$). It really stands out with the V-Caps. My vote is to use a very good and well thought out basic preamp with the best possible components inside.
Music that I didn’t really like in the past has become a joy to listen to. That is always a good sign. There is so much more to enjoy. The energy and spontaneity of the music is continuing to grow bigger, faster, more detailed and more dynamic. If I hadn’t experienced it myself I would find it hard to believe what is captured in these pages. Yes, I am impressed, highly impressed and I am not easily impressed when it comes to things audio. These caps are truly remarkable or shall I say a miracle. I love these things. Finally a cap that doesn’t sound like a cap. .
………….I will continue to write my findings and can’t wait for the final break in after 500 hours.
Saturday morning 11/20/2004 250 hours.
The first obvious thing that I noted this morning was the change in the character in the sound. The sound has become bigger even more but has taken on a Planar or electrostatic type character. An indication of speed. Effortless speed. Beautiful effortless speed. Emotional connective ness in a deeper way. Sweet, sweet and beautiful. Almost like my little girls. Spontaneous, honest and innocent and full of love, hugs and kisses.
The rhythmic aspect has also deepened. The timing is still the same but the focus on what the percussionist is doing has been emphasized. The focus on harmonic information on percussion instruments has been emphasized. Micro and macro dynamics has also taken on a new focus, a new sparkle. There is more air around the instruments. My listening level keeps going lower and lower. The level of detail and dynamics that I now hear is so high that I can listen at way lower levels with more exposure. It feels that if I turn it up it might be too intense almost like a Paine of thin glass shattering in front of you. It can do it, and do it well. The question is, can you handle it. Very similar to a formula1 GP bike being able to accelerate much faster than most riders feel comfortable with. The rider is the weak link. It might have to do with the dynamic character of my system. These are very efficient horns. I know many audiophiles do not like horns because of throat distortion, peaks in the response and weak bass. These horns were designed in such a way that these nasty things were eliminated completely.
The music has taken on a sense of innocence. Have you ever watched a toddler play? It is all about the play and nothing else exist, nothing else matters. It is here that matters, it is now that matters, nothing else. What a wonderful experience. Isn’t that what music is about? Being swept away into another world where nothing else exists. Just you and the music, nothing to remind you that it is not real, and that it does not exist. It is real and it does exist and that is why you will stay there as long as the music lasts. I remember when I was younger it seemed the movie theaters were darker inside. At the end of the movie when the lights came on again it was like being awakened out of a wonderful dream. The light was too much, too strong. You were slightly of balance. Coming out of another world. When music is good, it is like that. You come out of it in a different way. Emotionally touched and mesmerized but sad that it is over but hey there is always replay, and so many other cuts that I still want to listen to. The sense of time and space has taken on a more natural character. That is what we are doing with music. Passing frequencies through space in the time domain. Time, timing, speed, reaction time, acceleration, pulse response and the ability to track the very complex harmonic structure of music in the time domain is what makes this world of reproduced music real or not. It is as the Red Bull ad says. You can’t fly if you don’t have wings. That is it folks. If the system or any competent in it is slow it won’t convince you of real. This cap is quick, very very quick and natural. Not only that. It has so much energy in reserve that it does not strain/choke the music but comes through with a wallop of a punch. You know that nervous out of control feeling you get when things get pushed to hard. feeling you tou get when That is why it exceeds like it does. The caps do allow me to hear other areas in my system that I still need to address but it is easier now. I can hear what the system do a lot better and I can pay more attention to detail. Before it was more of a guessing game. Velvety midrange with crisp AAAAAA in male voice. Voices closer.
If you want to hear if a system is quick enough play trumpet music. If it shouts it is breaking up, reasons-plenty.
Sunday night 11/21/2004 250 hours
Went to Bob. Listened to 300B moded with Vcap. Didn’t really care for them too much. Were ok but didn’t ring my bell. Now they rock. Took my foreplay with and what a combination. Open, airy and thundering bottom end. Got the digital cable and what a major improvement.
Getting harder to do these components justice with words. You cant describe the Swiss alps in words especially to someone that has never seen it. You can try but no matter how Good you can write you just cant use words to paint. It is there. you cant paint with words.
Way beyond 500 Hours.
A lot of time has passed since the caps hit the 500 hour mark. I had a cold in-between and my ears were completely shut. I started to recover from that and experienced another setback. I was asked to help on the monitor sound desk at church. Another great opportunity to work with live sound. The monitor sound desk is very close to the drum set. Well the band started playing and WOW that was loud. The snare drum especially. I started wearing my headphones more for hearing protection than anything else but it didn’t really work. What got me really worried was the ringing that I experienced in my ears afterwards. Some nights when I went to bed it felt like I was standing next to a jet turbine. Boy, was I mad. Well, thank GOD, my hearing recovered and I can now hear normal again. The sound desk won’t see me again unless they move the desk away from the drum set. I was blessed with good hearing and I intend to keep it that way.
I love clean sound. A low signal to noise ratio is very important to me. If you experience ringing in your ears it defeats the purpose.
The good news is that I can enjoy my music again. My experience with the V-caps has been a truly enjoyable and revealing one. It is a rich almost cultural experience. It has to do about the meaning of things. The meaning of music and the intention of the artist and music writer. Why do I say it is a cultural experience? Cultural in the way of a deeper experience. The difference between something artificial and something real. Certain nationalities are great at making chocolate, cheese, smoked meats, wine, beer and champagne. We can create tastes that seem to get pretty close but there is still a richness that we miss. This is what I get with these caps. It is real in an almost scary way. The presence of the musicians and the music is presented in a much richer environment. It feels like you are in the presence of another human being. You are not alone, you can’t be alone. These caps bring the presence of people, the human element, and the musical, emotional component closer. It is more than technical correctness.
The (beta) V-Cap experience reminded me of one of the most wonderful experiences that I had experienced in live. Let me explain. Years ago I met my wife and was totally blown away by her beauty, her character, her integrity, her innocence. Naturally I wanted to get to know her better and started spending more time with her. The better I got to know her the more I liked her. She was real. We fell in love and got married. It has been 11 years now. 11 Great years and yes we still love each other more than ever. Yes I suppose that in a way you get used to everything no matter how wonderful but the secret is appreciating what you have because it is special. The V-Caps is about love, the love of music, about passion, about doing it right not because you have to but because you appreciate, respect and adore what is in front of you.
I really like these caps, they are wonderful because they are right. They don’t expose me to the music; they expose the music to me. This is what I feel the most systems miss. The human element. It brings a natural peacefulness, joy and excitement is real. We can’t explain love but we know that there is no substitute. It is an emotional thing and if you miss that everything else falls to pieces. Music is an emotional thing and if you miss that you can just as well be hugging manikins. I don’t care how well they are airbrushed and how well they are dressed, they are cold, hard and lifeless. They look real but they have no personality. This is where is feel the V-Cap comes into its own in a way that I haven’t experienced many components do. It is real, it is alive, and it has character, the character of the music.
Back to the sound. The system has warmed up over the break in period. It has reached a level where I often notice new things that I have never heard before. Sure, as an audiophile I have heard that type of comment many times. It usually refers to little things that appear when you listen closely. This observation has to do with the character of the music. The way the musicians breathe, the way they sing and try to control their voices. The way they play their instruments. They try to be perfect in their performance and they are all different, they are human beings with their own emotions, interpretations. That is the best way that I can describe it. The textural element of instruments sound so real you can almost touch it.
Most audiophiles have a selection of favorite disks that they play when the audio buddies come over. I listen to anything these days. Red book, audiophile disks oldies and even less than perfect recordings. The message of the music is there, the essence, the taste. It is surprising how much music there is on these disks. We often think that we know how much there is, but it is becoming apparent to me that we don’t really know.
I can highly recommend the V-caps for anyone wishing to upgrade their system. Remember, the audio signal goes through your components and by that I mean Caps, resistors, chokes etc. This has been the best mod that I have ever made to my system. Thank you Chris for the opportunity to review these caps. You have enriched my experience of music in a surprising and wonderful way. As a fellow audiophile I really appreciate the work you do. I know that these caps will be a wonderful experience to many audiophiles.
Johan van Zyl
If you have questions, you may contact us HERE
"V-Cap", "TFTF", "OIMP" and "Variable Stage Quadrant Dielectric" are trademarks of VH Audio, Inc.
The lifetime warranty on the OIMP series of V-Caps is limited to the replacement of the defective capacitor, when used in an operating environment that does not exceed rated voltage. Warranty is limited to one replacement cap for each capacitor purchased.
