Alright, let’s talk about this “hovland girlfriend” thing. So, I stumbled upon this name while digging around some old audio equipment forums – Hovland, you know, the high-end audio company. And for some reason, someone mentioned “Hovland’s girlfriend” in relation to some capacitor upgrade on a preamp. It was vague, but piqued my interest.
The Start: Just Curious
Honestly, at first, it was just curiosity. What’s the deal? Is it some kind of legendary component? Is it a joke? So, I did what anyone would do: I Googled it. That’s where I found that the “Hovland MusiCap” pops up. Apparently, it’s a well-regarded capacitor used in audio equipment.
Getting My Hands Dirty
Now, I’m not usually one to blindly follow internet hype, but I was itching to upgrade the caps in my old tube amp anyway. It was sounding a little… tired. So, I figured, why not give these Hovland caps a try? I mean, everyone was raving about them.
Hunting for the Goods
The first step was finding some. I checked all the usual electronics parts suppliers – Mouser, Digikey, the works. They didn’t carry them. These caps aren’t exactly common. Then I looked at small audio component retailers and got lucky. I actually found a few at a reasonable price. I ordered a set of different values to replace some key caps in my amp’s signal path.
The Surgery Begins
Okay, time for the fun part. I unplugged the amp (safety first!), opened it up, and got to work. I carefully desoldered the old caps, making sure not to damage the surrounding components. I always take pictures before removing anything; it’s a lifesaver when you’re putting things back together.
Soldering in the New Goodies
Next, I bent the leads on the Hovland caps to match the original caps’ footprint and soldered them in place. I double-checked my work to make sure everything was connected properly and that there were no solder bridges. Cleanliness is key here. You don’t want any stray solder causing shorts.
The Moment of Truth
After making sure everything was properly isolated, I closed the amp, plugged it in, and crossed my fingers. Powered it on. No smoke! That’s always a good sign.
Listening Time
I let the amp warm up for about half an hour before I put on some music. And… wow. The difference was noticeable. The soundstage seemed wider, and the highs were clearer, without being harsh. The bass also felt tighter and more defined. It was like a veil had been lifted.
Was it Worth It?
- The Good: The Hovland MusiCaps definitely improved the sound quality of my amp. The difference wasn’t night and day, but it was noticeable enough to make the upgrade worthwhile.
- The Not-So-Good: They’re not cheap, and they can be hard to find. Plus, soldering delicate components can be a pain if you’re not experienced.
Final Thoughts
So, “Hovland’s girlfriend” turned out to be a capacitor. A pretty good one, at that. Would I recommend it? If you’re looking to upgrade your audio equipment and you’re comfortable with a soldering iron, then yeah, give it a shot. Just be prepared to do some searching and spend a little extra money. But for me, the sound improvement made it worth the effort.
