Bass amp performance mod's: capacitors and speaker wire

[GoChris]

I am looking for advise on the best way to increase the performance on my small collection of low-end bass amplifiers. I've been told that increasing the value of the output capacitors in one of the best bang-for-the bucks. For example, my Hartke B60 (60W, 12 inch) has a pair of 50v 4700uF cap's. I thought I'd wire in parallel with the existing cap's a couple of 50v 10,000uF caps, which effectively triples the uF value. Is there a max/min uF value one needs to keep in mind? E-Bay has inexpensive electrolytic capacitors available from China, Korea etc; has anybody has experience using these components?
Also, I am often appalled at the thin (cheap) wire that manufacturers use to wire the speaker driver on combination amp's. If I replace the speaker wire with something thicker, should I replace the wire back to the trace on the pc-board (as original) or follow the trace back to whatever component is driving the speaker ? (I assume the output transistors). It seems to me that the pc trace could be the weakest link in the chain between the amplifier output and the speaker.
Sorry if these topics have already been adressed on Bass Chat, but I couldn't find anything in my search. Thanks!

[LukeFRC]

what the hell increase in performance are you looking for?

Short answer -You need to buy a new amp

Longer answer - there are things in your amp that would change the sound if you changed them- whether it's a good idea to do or not depends on your knowledge of electronics. My guess is that the 4700uF caps you're talking about will be to smooth the power supply. Unless that's a massive problem I seriously doubt you would notice any difference in putting more caps in that position - for example your 500w Ashdown ABM head also uses two 4700uf caps in the same place.
Your signal goes from your thin wire to an even thinner trace on the circuit board and into a probably cheap IC.... I doubt thicker wire will make any difference - by the time you've replaced the wires, the circuit board, the cheap resistors used, the low end ICs..... you may as well just buy another amp that meets your specs.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

There are no output capacitors in your amp. You may increase the value of the power supply filter caps for somewhat lower ripple and better headroom, but the difference won't be major. It might not be even noticeable. Changing the wire will have no effect, it's far too short. Of all the shortcomings of an inexpensive combo amp the filter caps and speaker wiring are among the least significant.