Can I use capacitors made for speaker crossovers in low level electronics? Such as Solen or Audionote. I can't really afford Audionote caps or any of those big ones at post amplifier levels, but I can afford < 1.0uf values usually used in electronic circuits (actually I just can't see using a cap that is more expensive than the driver
). Obviously the power handeling on these things is plenty, but I didn't know if maybe there too big for line level applications. I would probably only use them in the actual audio circuit, anything for like supply resoivor caps I would probably just use the Panasonic FC's.

Yep
You can use a film cap in place of a bipolar electrolytic but not in the place of a polarised electrolytic. ie not as a power supply primary cap.
Mark
You can use a film cap in place of a bipolar electrolytic but not in the place of a polarised electrolytic. ie not as a power supply primary cap.
Mark
Sure, you can use crossover capacitors for line level duty. They will likely have a greater voltage rating than you need, which might even improve the sonics.
Getting the buggers into a chassis and PCB designed for smaller parts is another matter altogether.
IIRC, YMMV, IHMO, yada-yada
Getting the buggers into a chassis and PCB designed for smaller parts is another matter altogether.
IIRC, YMMV, IHMO, yada-yada
Re: Yep
As far as I know, the only reason why you won't probably use a film cap on a power supply is because it may not be big enough to filter as it should.
Film caps are available up to a few hundred microfarads, and you usually need thousands or tens of thousands pm a supply. A polarized eletrolytic is a much more economical way to deal with that.
Money becomes a problem then, but if you can afford it there shouldn't be a reason why you couldn't replace all electrolytics with film caps, as long as voltages are right and you parallel them to get the capacity.
In any case, some have reported great results with Black Gate caps, which are sometimes as expensive or more than film caps. There are also different film caps.
Carlos
mwmkravchenko said:You can use a film cap in place of a bipolar electrolytic but not in the place of a polarised electrolytic. ie not as a power supply primary cap.
As far as I know, the only reason why you won't probably use a film cap on a power supply is because it may not be big enough to filter as it should.
Film caps are available up to a few hundred microfarads, and you usually need thousands or tens of thousands pm a supply. A polarized eletrolytic is a much more economical way to deal with that.
Money becomes a problem then, but if you can afford it there shouldn't be a reason why you couldn't replace all electrolytics with film caps, as long as voltages are right and you parallel them to get the capacity.
In any case, some have reported great results with Black Gate caps, which are sometimes as expensive or more than film caps. There are also different film caps.
Carlos
Using film caps in PS, in place of electrolytics, is recommended and brings sonic improvement, but it's also very expensive and takes a lot of space. I was looking for Connoisseur Definitions production pictures, but it seems like the site is not available any more.
Jonathan Carr was using 20, or maybe 10😉, film caps in a preamps' PS for better performance.
Jonathan Carr was using 20, or maybe 10😉, film caps in a preamps' PS for better performance.
Jay said:
What is this "film" cap? I also do the same thing as with JC, but using MKP.
Film caps are all polyester, polycarbonate, polystyrene and polypropylene types. There are variations of each, but the main film cap groups are those.
Carlos
... and they are called film caps because they are constructed from an isolating film (as mentioned above) and covered with a conducting surface. The film acts as the dielectricum. They are usually rolled up, folded or anyother creative construction to get the max cap per volume and/or improve saleability.
Jan Didden
Jan Didden
tg3 said:Sure, you can use crossover capacitors for line level duty. They will likely have a greater voltage rating than you need, which might even improve the sonics.
IIRC, YMMV, IHMO, yada-yada
😱

Generically, high voltage caps have higher ESR that their lower voltage equivalents.
In terms of voltage rating, if you need a 35v cap, you can use 35 or 50v, but please don't use 100v, you're making things worst.
Signal caps can be as low as 16v (for electrolythics), but if you use film, stick to the 50~100v range or it gets huge.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
- Home
- Amplifiers
- Chip Amps
- Using speaker caps in line level applications?