Vishay caps

[rinx]

Please explain me what does mean "Bypass" caps. I have seen they are usually very low capasitance, like 0.0...yF.

Why I am asking is that, I just got some Vishay caps MKT 373 and would like to get your opinion-can I use those in my crossover?! Are they for audio..?!

http://www.vishay.com/docs/28111/mkt373.pdf

And one thing I am intrested in - I need 150yF, is it reasonable to use 10x 15yF caps..parallel?! Does it has some effect to the sound, if I am using 10 small values caps except 1 big value...

[rinx]

hmmmm.. no posts. It means did I asked too many qiestions or didnt explain myself correctly
So , lets start from first one:
-is it benefit to use many small values caps instead one big value?!

[R-Carpenter]

By using multiple cups to achieve a final value, technically you are cutting down negative qualities of the capacitors such as inductance and resistance. By the book: it is a better way of doing a crossover.
However, it is usually not necessary from the power handling point of view.
It is also very questionable if it improves sound. Some people believe it does, some people believe it creates parasitic harmonics.
Bypass capacitor is usually more expensive capacitor (presumably of a better quality) used in parallel with main capacitor on the tweeter. It is done in order to save money and have a “high-end” sound.
I've done it both ways and if you use good capacitors such as Solen or Clarity Cap, you will be either way.
So, there's no straight answer as you see.

[rinx]

I see!
So, I am gonna use those Visahays and parallel to get final value.

Thank You!

[roland bios]

It's a common trick in loudspeaker crossovers:

Vishay Roederstein MKP1837 (a.k.a. ERO MKP1830) 0,01uF MKP 100VDC – 1% tolerance

Technical Specifications: Metallised polypropylene, radial capacitor, designed for LC/RC filter circuits, coupling and de-coupling at high frequencies.

Sound: I was tipped by Klaus Witte of Germany to try this capacitor as a bypass cap for the Mundorf M-CAP SUPREME. I tried them as a bypass for the tweeter series caps in my Progress speaker and I must say I am very impressed! To get straight to the point they don't change a Supreme into a Supreme Silver-Oil but they really do clear things up. I must admit I was sceptical at first as the value is only 10nF (0,01uF) - and the caps in the Progress are 12,6uF. The difference is most noticeable with classical music but also good quality recordings of jazz and fusion benefit: No change in soundstage width or depth but there is more "concert hall acoustics" that let you get into the recording more. Not as liquid as silver/oil but they take away the "grainy" edge from the Supreme's. A gain in clarity and transparency making instruments better separable from each other, the violins in an orchestra are a group of individual violins instead of one mass. Jazz drum brushes sound more like a brush than a "shush".

Verdict: Can’t live without them! – Use them as bypass cap with any capacitor, they cost practically nothing!

Humble Home Made Capreview

The Vishay costs 0.50 cents a piece. Use them in series with a capacitor for the tweeter. Don't mind the small 0.01 uF difference. The quality of the bypassed cap is no indicator for this trick to work or not.

It's a kind of love it or hate "tweak", results may vary.

Regards
Roland
Caps&Coils

[rinx]

You guys can confuse me!
I still cant understand what bypasses are...?!...are they "regular" caps or not, should I use them differently?!
F.e program gives me for crossover 10yF cap, parallel with tweeter, so I will put 10yF Vishay parallel with tweeter and everything is correct?

[pjpoes]

Any capacitor can be used as a bypass capacitor. It is called a bypass because its typically of a much smaller value, lets say .1uf or .01uf, and gives an alternative electrical path to the main cap. Since caps behave differently at different frequencies, and this is dependant on the value rating, this means that a smaller value will give a by-pass, or alternate route at certain frequencies. The negative side of a bypass is that these electrons will flow through each capacitor differently at the same frequency, and thus creates something known as different time constants. In other words, the amount of time it takes an electron to pass through one capacitor will be different than the other. This is thought to create potentially audible distortion, and so some people argue that the improved resolution is nothing more than distortion, and is actually a bad thing.

[roland bios]

Originally posted by pjpoes
Any capacitor can be used as a bypass capacitor.

On a objective basis, sure. But if you listen, you will not get the same "vishay mkp 1837" effect with a 0.10 uF mkp from Solen, Clarity, Mundorff or other mkp caps. I have tried other bypass caps, not the same effect.

Did anyone here try this bypass cap?



Never heard it. It's quite expensive.

[R-Carpenter]

My personal believe is that you need to use cups of the same value. For example if you need to achieve 10mfd value, use 2 of 5mfd or 3 3.3mfd. I think the main reason would be to cut down DCR and inductance of the capacitors, especially if you need to get to rather large value.
The whole idea of a bypass capacitor reminds me of a bypass drain pipe. Unfortunately it doesn't exactly work the same way.

The common practice would be to use, let's say Solen cap and parallel it with Mundorf of a very small value and there for smaller price sticker. It is believed by some that this way you could have best of both worlds: great sound of a very expensive boutique Mundorf and high MFD using cheap Solen.
IN the Double blind listening test the audible difference is yet to be heard.

BTW, capacitors are parallel to each other and you only need to be concern (if?) with capacitors that are in a series with tweeter. Zobel networks and woofer part of the crossover will not benefit from it at all.

Itertechnic parts aren't available in US, so I am not sure but I am quite skeptical of a $$$ parts unless it's Scan Speak or Seas.

[owdi]

Originally posted by roland bios
The Vishay costs 0.50 cents a piece. Use them in series with a capacitor for the tweeter. Don't mind the small 0.01 uF difference. The quality of the bypassed cap is no indicator for this trick to work or not.

It's a kind of love it or hate "tweak", results may vary.

Regards
Roland
Caps&Coils

Wire the bypass capacitor in parallel with the series capacitor in a tweeter filter, not in series.

Dan