Black Gate (capacitor)
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Black Gate is the name of a brand of audio grade electrolytic capacitor made in Japan. They have acquired a reputation for very high quality for use in the signal path, and power supplies, of audio circuitry.
The quality of capacitors may vary considerably depending on their construction and the type of insulating materials used. They are also known to deteriorate (or "drift") over time, just like any electrolytic capacitor.
While debatable, the Black Gate capacitors are said by some to be the most significant upgrade that can be made to Hi-Fi equipment. They continue to be held in high regard by many high-end Hi-Fi manufacturers; tending to be used only in their most expensive, or signature, lines due to their high cost.
Black Gate capacitors base their manufacture on something called 'The Transcendent Electron Transfer' theory. The manufacturer attributes the capacitor's sonic quality to the use of fine graphite particles used in the separator between its aluminium oxide anode and cathode.
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[edit] Settling-in Period
Many audiophiles believe that it can take many tens of hours of "burn-in", where equipment is left switched on weeks prior to proper auditioning before the maximum sonic benefits can be heard in audio circuits. However, many debates arise about the beneficial effects of this practice.
It is said that it can take many hundreds of hours before the maximum sonic benefits are heard in audio circuits that use Black Gates. This long settling-in procedure is often a controversial issue when auditioning such equipment, as the frequency response is said to tend to shift around greatly during this period, making the equipment sound different from one audition to another. Once completely 'burnt-in' however, the benefits are said to be heard clearly.
[edit] Production
The Black Gate production has stopped in 2006, said to be caused by problems between Jelmax Co.,Ltd. and Rubycon Corp., after 18 years of availability. The capacitors were manufactured by Rubycon under license for Jelmax Co.,Ltd. which should close its doors in August 2007, once all their stocks get sold out.
Once the capacitors will become unavailable, or the current stocks become too old to be used due to deterioration, alternatives will have to be found. The Black Gate was very affordable when comparing it to some other similar-performing capacitors, and was easily available.
