Path: utzoo!censor!geac!lethe!yunexus!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!news.larc.nasa.gov!grissom.larc.nasa.gov!kludge From: kludge@grissom.larc.nasa.gov ( Scott Dorsey) Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Re: How do I choose a capacitor type ? Message-ID: <1991Feb5.185727.14775@news.larc.nasa.gov> Date: 5 Feb 91 18:57:27 GMT Article-I.D.: news.1991Feb5.185727.14775 References: <64@owl.ukc.ac.uk> Sender: news@news.larc.nasa.gov (USENET Network News) Reply-To: kludge@grissom.larc.nasa.gov ( Scott Dorsey) Organization: NASA Langley Research Center Lines: 15 In article <64@owl.ukc.ac.uk> abs@ukc.ac.uk (A.B.Smith) writes: >I am currently building a number of audio circuits (pre-amps, effect >boxes, that sort of thing) and the circuits I have don't specify the >construction material of the capacitor. Four coupling capacitors in audio circuits (DC blocking caps), use polyester or polypropylene caps. They'll be a bit hard to find in large values, but the audio mail order places carry them and you'll be shocked at the improvement in sound over cheap electrolytics. For power supply caps, use good quality electrolytics. The high frequency types designed for switching supplies are good; they have low ESR which permits them to deliver a lot of current fast on demand, which is important for even small signal audio stuff. You'll find capacitors contribute a lot to the sound quality (and resistors contribute a lot to the noise figure). --scott