Gents, curious to know the consensus or opinions on this - I recently swapped out the stock (cheap) electrolytic caps in my USB card used exclusively for my DAC:
https://www.startech.com/en-us/cards-adapters/pexusb312a3
I replaced them with Kyocera AVX
Decent results (I think). I'm interested to take things further, in stability in hopes of taking it even better. I came across the Kyocera TAP227K016CCS Tant and thinking of swapping these in - stability, low ESR, maybe have an impact? What do you think? Tantalum worth it?
https://www.startech.com/en-us/cards-adapters/pexusb312a3
I replaced them with Kyocera AVX
RPA0608221M016B
Decent results (I think). I'm interested to take things further, in stability in hopes of taking it even better. I came across the Kyocera TAP227K016CCS Tant and thinking of swapping these in - stability, low ESR, maybe have an impact? What do you think? Tantalum worth it?
Digital is either on or off with the bit in the middle between the levels that do the on/off ramp switching and allow for a clean edge. Digital is also extrememly tollerant of noise, so a noisy power supply will have little effect as long as the voltage ripple is less than 20% of the overall voltage. Frequency response is neither hear nor there solong as the circuit keeps up with the clock frequency.
Replacing capacitors therefore will have little effect.
Analogue is different and a tantelum capacitor has the benefits of being like an electrolytic, for capacity with a characteristic of ceramic for HF handling and may improve/change the frequency response of an amplifier section.
Unfortunately Tantalem capacitors have a dark side, if you employ a 25volt Tant and run it at 5volts, it is likely to fail prematurely, due to the characteristics and chemical composition of the capacitor. I see many Tants fail like that, they do like to be worked at 75% or more of their rated voltage.
Replacing capacitors therefore will have little effect.
Analogue is different and a tantelum capacitor has the benefits of being like an electrolytic, for capacity with a characteristic of ceramic for HF handling and may improve/change the frequency response of an amplifier section.
Unfortunately Tantalem capacitors have a dark side, if you employ a 25volt Tant and run it at 5volts, it is likely to fail prematurely, due to the characteristics and chemical composition of the capacitor. I see many Tants fail like that, they do like to be worked at 75% or more of their rated voltage.
Wow thanks Jon, with all that is out there on Tantalum, you'd think they'd be banned by now.. Digital is mysterious, these changes/factors in my experiments seem to yield results when they shouldn't! Thought process was more stability therefore having some kind of positive impact to sound v. the electrolytics there - but Tant, it is up to and including meltdown and fire!