Best capacitors for power supplies update

22nd November 2016, 09:09 PM

Electrolytic capacitors types for power supplies come and go. They attend different demands than stages interface or other more subtle applications.

Some are large and recommended for main raw filtering, usually before regulators. Some are small and have to take care of smaller currents.

Raw supply filtering usually requires low-esr and high temperature, even if large cans rarely fulfill any of those. That's why some people use smaller caps wired in parallel. Caps after regulators usually DON'T have to be low-esr.

The question is which brand types have worked for you in both places.

23rd November 2016, 12:12 PM

I find that providing adequate MF and HF supply rail decoupling at the load removes the need for anything fancy/exotic at the main smoothing (or bank of) capacitors.
Standard commercial grade capacitors that meet specification are good enough.

Omit the supply rail decoupling and you have a completely different operating regime.
Transients at the load demand extra current and the long supply lines prevent most of that demand being met. This is audible. Fiddling about with capacitors has become audible, because they try to send transient current through the long inductive connections. Sort the decoupling and this dependance on the PSU dissappears.

01:00 PM

There may well be audible differences between different types of capacitors for a given power supply/amplifier setup, but it's far more likely to be due to differences in impedances and resonances which may be specific to that circuit rather than the magical properties oft claimed for some brands of capacitors.

Stick to solid industrial types, use lots of them, keep wiring short and thick and have good local decoupling as Andrew T suggests and you won't go far wrong.

23rd November 2016, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlmart

The question is which brand types have worked for you in both places.

visit as many as online store that you can find such pcx, hificoll,mpercy,farnell,mouser,digikey then find the one that fit your wallet

23rd November 2016, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlmart

Oh, I don't believe in magic for audio. Music is magic, but retrieving recorded sound is filled with pitfalls.

Hi South American neighbour!

This guy sales magic. Or smoke?

Try it? ;-)

24th November 2016, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbdb

What's the output impedance of those supercaps?

About 1/(2π * f [Hz] * C [Farad])

22nd November 2016, 09:09 PM	#1
diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Brazil	Best capacitors for power supplies update Electrolytic capacitors types for power supplies come and go. They attend different demands than stages interface or other more subtle applications. Some are large and recommended for main raw filtering, usually before regulators. Some are small and have to take care of smaller currents. Raw supply filtering usually requires low-esr and high temperature, even if large cans rarely fulfill any of those. That's why some people use smaller caps wired in parallel. Caps after regulators usually DON'T have to be low-esr. The question is which brand types have worked for you in both places.

23rd November 2016, 12:12 PM	#2
R.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Scottish Borders	I find that providing adequate MF and HF supply rail decoupling at the load removes the need for anything fancy/exotic at the main smoothing (or bank of) capacitors. Standard commercial grade capacitors that meet specification are good enough. Omit the supply rail decoupling and you have a completely different operating regime. Transients at the load demand extra current and the long supply lines prevent most of that demand being met. This is audible. Fiddling about with capacitors has become audible, because they try to send transient current through the long inductive connections. Sort the decoupling and this dependance on the PSU dissappears. __________________ regards Andrew T.

23rd November 2016, 12:57 PM	#3
diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: UK	There may well be audible differences between different types of capacitors for a given power supply/amplifier setup, but it's far more likely to be due to differences in impedances and resonances which may be specific to that circuit rather than the magical properties oft claimed for some brands of capacitors. Stick to solid industrial types, use lots of them, keep wiring short and thick and have good local decoupling as Andrew T suggests and you won't go far wrong. Last edited by Gopher; 23rd November 2016 at 01:00 PM.

23rd November 2016, 03:11 PM	#5
diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Brazil	Oh, I don't believe in magic for audio. Music is magic, but retrieving recorded sound is filled with pitfalls.

23rd November 2016, 03:46 PM	#6
diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Barrio Garay,Almirante Brown, Buenos Aires, Argentina	Quote: Originally Posted by carlmart Oh, I don't believe in magic for audio. Music is magic, but retrieving recorded sound is filled with pitfalls. Hi South American neighbour! This guy sales magic. Or smoke? Try it? ;-) __________________ Osvaldo F. Zappacosta. Electronic Engineer UTN FRA from 2001. Argentine Ham Radio LW1DSE since 1987.

23rd November 2016, 01:02 PM	#4
diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia	Quote: Originally Posted by carlmart The question is which brand types have worked for you in both places. visit as many as online store that you can find such pcx, hificoll,mpercy,farnell,mouser,digikey then find the one that fit your wallet

23rd November 2016, 09:10 PM	#8
diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Brazil

23rd November 2016, 09:51 PM	#9
diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver	What's the output impedance of those supercaps?

24th November 2016, 02:23 PM	#10
diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Barrio Garay,Almirante Brown, Buenos Aires, Argentina	Quote: Originally Posted by cbdb What's the output impedance of those supercaps? About 1/(2π * f [Hz] * C [Farad]) __________________ Osvaldo F. Zappacosta. Electronic Engineer UTN FRA from 2001. Argentine Ham Radio LW1DSE since 1987.