Capacitors.. which ones for which applications?

[tubeswell]

FWIW due to being on the arse-end hemisphere of the tube-building world, I use what ever I can get my hands on that I think will be okay.

I go for mallory 150s or silver mica for the pf and low nf range (up to say 5nF), but if I can't find them, then ceramic disc go in as temporary installations until I can obtain the other types.

then film caps for the 1nF to 1uF range, - sometimes mallory 150s, sometimes orange drops, or brown turds, but I found a source of 22nF mustard caps that I have used in about 5 amps so far. I like these - but maybe that's mojo factor I dunno

the bigger ones 1uF and above are electrolytic for physical size considerations 2CW

[gbono]

Note that the melting point of polypropylene (capacitors) is 160 C. I believe polystyrene is over 260 C. Not that hard to damage these while soldering them into the application.

As previously stated many other non-audio applications created the market for the current technology used to make capacitors - low ESR for power supply filter, low dielectric absorption for sample and hold circuits, multilayer ceramics for RF, etc. "Subjectavist" high end audio applications for capacitors only started to show up in the mid-1980's - but unfortunately they still persist.

[Tele-Cat]

If you like the brown turds, that's all that matters.

[guitician]

As far as e-caps go, use the highest voltage rating you can find for your application and if they are also of the higher temp versions, like 105c, they will last longer.

[fezz parka]

And what does shizzle sound like?

It depends on your ears.

[tubeswell]

If you like the brown turds, that's all that matters.

yep I used them in my 5G9 (and cheap 0.6W metal film resistors throughout) and it sounds pretty damn amazing.

(Having said that I used mustard caps and CC resistors in a 5E3 and that sounds pretty damn amazing too, but of course in a completely different way)

[Steve Conner]

Come off it guys, they all sound the same (except maybe disc ceramics) You won't hear the difference in a properly controlled test.

If it makes you feel good to have some boutique capacitors in your amp instead of cheap mylar greenies, and that good feeling makes you play guitar better, go for it. But I think that's the only effect there'll ever be.

I wouldn't like to think that people are reading this thread and feeling inferior because their amp has "brown turds" instead of whatever brand of capacitor is cool just now. Again, all capacitors that aren't actually the wrong value or leaky will sound the same, and I challenge anyone to disprove this.

I'd make up an ABX test with 24-bit FLAC files for you to try online, but you'd just claim that the crappy capacitors in my digital equipment were "masking" the differences.

[Tele-Cat]

I like the name "brown turds." Heh heh heh.

[melvin]

Think there's anything to this?

The "Sound" of Capacitors

[gbono]

Yes Mr Steve appears to be looking at and measuring the dielectric apsorption properties of various dielectrics. Non-linear yes, but so is the transfer function of a bipolar transistor - what have we learned? I'm with Doug Self (and others) you ear isn't designed to hear the effects of these "non-linearities".

I can't wait to look at data for the audible effects of lead free solder (does SAC305 sound better than SAC105)???

[tubeswell]

What I meant by amazing and in a different way is that I think my amps sound amazing and they are all different.

Mojo schmojo. The article about caps is interesting but the differences probably aren't ones that you can hear in a geetar amp, (except for disc ceramics used as hi freq caps - they are a bit more bright/brassy than other types to my ear. Well that's what I hear from trialing them anyhow. Individual ears and brains are unique to a certain extent, and some people may hear a difference where others don't, just like noticing different flowers in the garden. How much of a difference? enough to notice some change in timbre/texture, but its not like one is red and the other is blue kind of different)

[Dave H]

I think capacitor type is very important in guitar amps.

I’ll only use the capacitor types that happen to be in the free issue bins at work on the day I need them.

Dave H.

[hasserl]

Again, all capacitors that aren't actually the wrong value or leaky will sound the same, and I challenge anyone to disprove this.

I'd love to see this too. I'd love to see someone actually identify which caps were which in a blind test. Build a test amp, put coupling caps of identical capacitance value but of different construction type on switches so they can be quickly switched in/out of the circuit, and then conduct a blind listening test, and identify the good / bad caps. I have my doubts that anyone could do it. It would certainly be interesting in any case.

[RudeBoy]

Note that the melting point of polypropylene (capacitors) is 160 C. I believe polystyrene is over 260 C. Not that hard to damage these while soldering them into the application.<snip>

From American Capacitor Corporation, some temp data:

Polystyrene -55C to +85C
Polypropylene -55C to +105C
Polyester (Mylar) -55C to +125C
Polycarb -55C to +125C
Teflon -55C to +250C

Some details on dielectrics here.

I like polystyrene, but I'm a bit concerned about the low temp range. I'd use them, located away from a heat source. I tend toward the foil wrap with epoxy endfills. Mallory 150s may be those - haven't checked yet.

[Enzo]

Well, I don;t think you need to be overly concerned. 85 degrees C is about 185 degrees F.