The temperature limit for heat capacity measurements with the direct heating pulse calorimeter has been increased up to 2000K by means of the combination of an optical pyrometer to detect the relative temperature change with tungsten–rhenium thermocouples to determine absolute temperatures. With this improved calorimeter the heat capacities were measured up to 1950K, for SiC and B 4 C, and 2000K for graphite. The heat capacity values obtained in this study were in good agreement, within the error of ±5%, with those previous values calculated from the enthalpy data by drop method. The electrical conductivities of SiC, B 4 C and graphite were also simultaneously determined from the inducted voltage and the current for heat capacity measurement.