cap size

[anthillrich]

i have noticed the physical size of caps have shrunk significantly over the past ten years or so. i realize that technology improves and things are made smaller, but i was wondering, is there any real difference in quality and life span of new caps vs old ones? i changed electrolytic caps for new ones that are less than 1/2 the size of the originals. it seems difficult for me to get past the bigger is better mentality i guess.
are they as good as they used to be?

[jrfrond]

There is no correlation between size and quality. It's all advancements in manufacturing.

[tedmich]

size doesn't matter? ugh....

[dai h.]

vaguely remember reading something (re: alu electros) about the alu foil being etched in some (increases surface area--I think this should help with miniaturization) and not in others (there was some difference with non-etched handling higher currents or some such technical difference). Also I recall someone cutting open a Sprague ATOM and basically finding a smaller cap inside a spacey outer alu housing.