[Smoothstereo]

Anyone else having cap problems in the MJ3? Spotted a couple caps go bad on a unit I was getting- visible bulging when looking through the lid. Opened up for a pic but this can be seen easily without doing so:



Doesn't seem to be a heat issue since the caps next to them are of the same values and the same ones went bad on each channel - so perhaps this is a PSA - take a look at your Mjolnir 3 and check these two caps. They are visible through the lid and you'll easily be able to see if they are good with a little light. I don't think this will be too common though and Schiit will undoubtably take care of any issues.

Any sound degradation from those bulging caps?

 

[Voxata]

I didn't have a non bulging cap amp to A/B Leaking caps can fail to smooth out fluctuations and could cause other failures despite otherwise functioning properly. It's not something to disregard if you are impacted. I've got full faith Schiit will correct any units that are faulty, just like with the switches.

 

[Slackaveli]

Yeah, as inconvenient as it is i'd send it into schiit. They'll take care of u.

 

[Melineous]

100% this is a problem. Leakage is well into failure territory. You need to contact Schiit.

Yeah, I didn't plan on using it now that I've seen it leaking. I have to be honest tho, I've already paid to have it fixed once, and it seems this could be a design issue if we're going to have multiple units with the exact same caps bulging. I don't plan on sending it in to be fixed every 6 months for a cap swap. I'll bring the issue up and wait it out to see what the solution is. I recently picked up a Mjolnir 1 and it happens to fit my tastes better than Mj3 does. So this issue doesn't put an end to my musical enjoyment.

 

[Voxata]

Yeah, I didn't plan on using it now that I've seen it leaking. I have to be honest tho, I've already paid to have it fixed once, and it seems this could be a design issue if we're going to have multiple units with the exact same caps bulging. I don't plan on sending it in to be fixed every 6 months for a cap swap. I'll bring the issue up and wait it out to see what the solution is. I recently picked up a Mjolnir 1 and it happens to fit my tastes better than Mj3 does. So this issue doesn't put an end to my musical enjoyment.

Your switch go out before? That is.. unfortunate I'd hope after the cap fix you'd have no further issues.

 

[betula]

I hope, Schiit has already sorted out this cap problem in later batches. A confirmation regarding this would be helpful.

 

[Melineous]

Your switch go out before? That is.. unfortunate I'd hope after the cap fix you'd have no further issues.

Nope. Believe it or not mine had a channel imbalance. Any time you buy the first run of a product Schiit indeed happens

 

[MisterRogersHaus]

There are a fairly large number of MJ3's in the wild; if it was a design issue, the failure percentage would likely be high enough that we'd hear about more of them. Also, impacted units seem to be isolated to first batch. Under-specced caps are a rookie mistake; not something Jason / team would do. It sucks, but it happens - I've had bad batches of components (caps, resistors, etc.) over the years.

 

[Melineous]

There are a fairly large number of MJ3's in the wild; if it was a design issue, the failure percentage would likely be high enough that we'd hear about more of them. Also, impacted units seem to be isolated to first batch. Under-specced caps are a rookie mistake; not something Jason / team would do. It sucks, but it happens - I've had bad batches of components (caps, resistors, etc.) over the years.

For now I'm doubting that it's a bad batch of caps. The caps that are failing are the same rating as the ones beside them, and both of the failing caps are at the same point in their circuit. Would be wildly unlucky, or lucky depending how you wanna look at it.

 

[betula]

For now I'm doubting that it's a bad batch of caps. The caps that are failing are the same rating as the ones beside them, and both of the failing caps are at the same point in their circuit. Would be wildly unlucky, or lucky depending how you wanna look at it.

Perhaps if the swollen caps keep working, many owners haven't even realised the fault yet. I wonder if this could also be due to overheating in a poorly ventilated area, perhaps wrongly stacked MJ3s?

 

[Melineous]

For reference purposes, I tried to get the clearest shot I could for anyone wondering which caps they are. (Marked C132 and C232 on the board)

 

[Voxata]

For reference purposes, I tried to get the clearest shot I could for anyone wondering which caps they are. (Marked C132 and C232 on the board)

Yeah this is the same spot where the caps on mine failed. Schiit will likely swap them for something larger or change the circuit to compensate (and again, replace them). This isn't a batch of bad caps, it is very likely a design issue - probably corrected later on. I'd wager the earliest amps are impacted by this.

 

[kopczas]

Yeah this is the same spot where the caps on mine failed.

you are talking about those black 470uf caps or blue 47uf?

 

[Voxata]

you are talking about those black 470uf caps or blue 47uf?

The blue 47s, notice how they are bulging in both mine and Mels photos. There are two for each channel with the ones closest to the front of the amp in each channel having gone bad.

 

[kopczas]

The blue 47s,

Ok, so those were replaced "just in case" or there was noticeable functioning problem with MJ3 ?