From: jeffl@cruzio.com   
      
   On Wed, 21 Jan 2026 22:27:23 +0000, Cursitor Doom    
   wrote:   
      
   >On Wed, 21 Jan 2026 20:27:07 +0000, liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid   
   >(Liz Tuddenham) wrote:   
   >   
   >>Cursitor Doom  wrote:   
   >>   
   >>> On Tue, 20 Jan 2026 17:32:29 +0000, liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid   
   >>> (Liz Tuddenham) wrote:   
   >>>   
   >>> >Cursitor Doom  wrote:   
   >>> >   
   >>> >> Hi all,   
   >>> >>   
   >>> >> I think it might be a good idea to replace all the tantalum caps used   
   >>> >> for coupling and decoupling purposes is Uher tape deck I'm fixing up   
   >>> >> with new ones as I gather tants can go flaky over time.   
   >>> >   
   >>> >Is there any evidence of failing capacitors?   
   >>>   
   >>> Just generally poor audio which I can't pin down to a specific stage.   
   >>> Tantalums are not noted for their reliability and seem to be the prime   
   >>> suspect in cases like this.   
   >>   
   >>If the DC voltages on the various transistors are correct, the volume   
   >>control isn't noisy and there is no hum when working from the mains, I   
   >>would leave the capacitors alone and look elsewhere for the problem.   
   >   
   >I'm going to have to start from scratch again, anyway. The reference   
   >tape I made which I had implicit faith in despite not checking it for   
   >fidelity first turned out to have every bit as much distortion as that   
   >which the fault itself was giving rise to. Assumptions. The mother of   
   >all fuck-ups!   
      
   "That which is obviously correct, beyond any need of checking, is   
   usually the problem".  I forgot where I stole that.   
      
   If you seem to have hit a wall, and can progress no further along the   
   current line of reasoning, then stop and check your assumptions.  One   
   or more assumptions will likely be wrong.  If that doesn't yield   
   results, verify your procedures to make sure you're not dividing by   
   zero.  If everything sounds distorted, remove your ear plugs, clean   
   the wax from your ears, and turn off anything that might be producing   
   out of band noises, such as ultrasonics or ringing.   
      
   >So now it's back to square 1. :-(   
      
   The number 1 squared is still equal to 1.  It also stays at 1 no   
   matter how many times you square it.  No matter how many times you   
   repeat the mistake hiding in square 1, your answer will remain   
   unchanged and wrong.   
      
   Tantalum caps do cause problems.  However, the problems appear as   
   noises, not distortion.   
   "Tantalum capacitor causing scratchy noise in phono input?"   
      
   If you want to go hunting for noisy components, spray the suspect with   
   freeze spray.  If the noise disappears, you've found the culprit or at   
   least localized the cause.   
      
      
      
      
   --   
   Jeff Liebermann                 jeffl@cruzio.com   
   PO Box 272      http://www.LearnByDestroying.com   
   Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272   AE6KS    831-336-2558   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)