Originally Posted by Simon - PG Music
Yeah, capacitor failure is always the most common component to go. I typically use caps rated for at least 100ºC whenever I build something, but when repairing I usually find caps rated for only 85º. Important to note that those are upper limits, not necessarily where they like to hang out 24/7.
When I'm designing something I usually aim for >5000 hours at 125C unless I'm being pressed hard on budget and I try to stay a long way from the temperature limit if I can.

5000 hours sounds a lot, but it's actually not very long at all (about 8 months. 24/7). I like my products to run for many years, not months, so I try to give electrolytics as easy a time as I can. Increasingly I'm using ceramics instead, where I can get the voltage and capacitance at an acceptable/tolerable cost. Neither are great in the audio path if they have any kind of large-ish signal across them; they're both rather non-linear.

Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful.
AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11
BIAB2025 Audiophile, a bunch of other software.
Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts
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