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Are two capacitors in parallel just as good as one sonically?

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Posted on October 14, 2009 at 13:03:14
Paully
Audiophile

Posts: 5909
Location: West Virginia
Joined: February 15, 2004
 Excuse the low brow question but I wanted to know if two capacitors in parallel are just as good as one capacitor equal to their summed value. I ask because the only Russian teflon capacitors with the proper voltage are .22 and I was thinking I might put two in parallel to get close (enough) to the .47 Eros value. Might even do three if they will fit! Thanks!

 

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RE: Are two capacitors in parallel just as good as one sonically?, posted on October 14, 2009 at 14:19:49
Matts_
Audiophile

Posts: 2206
Joined: February 4, 2005
 sometimes yes, sometimes, no. Try it and see. Some worry about "smear" from separating the signal path and rejoining it, but it may more theoretical than actual in most situations.

 

RE: Are two capacitors in parallel just as good as one sonically?, posted on October 14, 2009 at 14:23:45
Jim_R
Audiophile

Posts: 110
Location: Rocky Mountains
Joined: March 25, 2009
 In my experience it is usually even better to parallel a couple of the same value -- depending on the capacitor and how it is wound and the type of cap -- generally doesn't work as well with electrolytics or quadrature wound caps klike mundorf andv-caps, but plain ol' film and foil and PIOs sound better to me when paralleled and the ends swapped so that the inside-out direction of the winding is split evenly between both halves of the AC waveform. On the other hand, it may have nothing whatsoever to do with this and may simply be a matter of halving the ESR of the cap.

I'll be doing it in my rebuilt s.e.x. amp and in stereomour or paramounts, whatever comes next, in the coupling cap position. Not sure it would do anything in the parafeed position though it wouldn't hurt to try.

HTH,

Jim

P.S. -- I match or get all my caps matched when they are used in both sides of an amp.


-- Jim Rebman

Audio is in the hear and now.

 

Nothing but to to try it, posted on October 15, 2009 at 06:11:54
Paully
Audiophile

Posts: 5909
Location: West Virginia
Joined: February 15, 2004
 Thanks for the responses. I will look into getting the caps. Thanks!

 

RE: Nothing but to to try it, posted on October 15, 2009 at 07:47:45
Matts_
Audiophile

Posts: 2206
Joined: February 4, 2005
 I don't think I'd buy caps to double them up if I could get the proper value- I would try it if I had them around already. They make the FT-3 caps in 0.47uF; here's a listing on ebay, although I haven't dealt with this seller.

 

200V, posted on October 15, 2009 at 08:15:09
Paully
Audiophile

Posts: 5909
Location: West Virginia
Joined: February 15, 2004
 Caps need to be 400V. I have looked at the Teflon options and the only way I see to get to the necessary capacitance with the proper voltage is to double them or spend $200 a piece for auriteflon or v-caps.

 

RE: Nothing but to to try it, posted on October 15, 2009 at 10:16:23
Matts_
Audiophile

Posts: 2206
Joined: February 4, 2005
 I'm not familiar with the Eros circuit; I assumed that the 200V commie cap would be fine almost anywhere in a phone pre.

 

RE: Nothing but to to try it, posted on October 15, 2009 at 10:35:01
Paul Joppa
Industry Professional

Posts: 7295
Location: Seattle, WA
Joined: April 23, 2001
 Eros is direct coupled, so the output triode sits at a higher voltage relative to ground.

 

RE: Nothing but to to try it, posted on October 15, 2009 at 11:06:46
Matts_
Audiophile

Posts: 2206
Joined: February 4, 2005
 I figured that must be the case. If I were Paully then, I'd maybe write some of the 'trusted' ebay sellers and see if they had the right size, as most of them have items not listed, then I'd try the doubling as a cheap experiment. If you like better than what you have, keep it, if not, go back and regroup. With the soviet teflon's, you'd have to give 'em some time to decide. I use the soviet FT-3/200v as couplers in my Seduction and they're nice, and Auricaps for outputs.

 

RE: Are two capacitors in parallel just as good as one sonically?, posted on October 15, 2009 at 16:43:35
DaveT
Audiophile

Posts: 1126
Location: Mid Atlantic (Wash, DC Area)
Joined: September 25, 2000
 I have done extensive testing of input capacitors. Parallel film capacitors to my ears sound better than a single capacitor achieving the same value. Parallel capacitors sound "faster" than a single value.

I have not tried parallel electrolytic capacitors. Electrolytics bypasses with smaller value film capacitors always sound better to me than the electrolytic by itself.

I would suggest you try it for yourself.
DaveT

 

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