Capacitor question?

[Dilandau]

This is kind of a generic question. Is it worth spending the money to use more expensive audio caps (Elna) in the audio circuit of a PCB game, or is it a better use of the money to just use high quality 105 degree caps (UCC) over the original 85 degree ones?

Just wanted to know what people's opinions were on this.

 

[fremen]

Hi,

This is kind of a generic question. Is it worth spending the money to use more expensive audio caps (Elna) in the audio circuit of a PCB game, or is it a better use of the money to just use high quality 105 degree caps (UCC) over the original 85 degree ones?

Just wanted to know what people's opinions were on this.

In my short experience the cheapest is the best option.

Saludos

 

[SnowKitty]

This is kind of a generic question. Is it worth spending the money to use more expensive audio caps (Elna) in the audio circuit of a PCB game, or is it a better use of the money to just use high quality 105 degree caps (UCC) over the original 85 degree ones?

Just wanted to know what people's opinions were on this.

i thought Elna was a crap brand of caps, i could have sworn i read about it on that badcaps forum... (though i could be thinking of some other ones, there are about a brazillion brands of caps lol) personally i'd go for rubycon or nichicon caps.

 

[Dilandau]

i thought Elna was a crap brand of caps, i could have sworn i read about it on that badcaps forum... (though i could be thinking of some other ones, there are about a brazillion brands of caps lol) personally i'd go for rubycon or nichicon caps.

Looking at the datasheets, I believe Elna is United Chemi-Con's audio line. That or Nichicon, although Nichicon has the Muse series. Either way the Elnas are made in Japan and in the 25V100uF range will run you about $.45/each whereas the similar valued UCC KMG series will run you $.32/each. The concensus from other places I have asked seem to indicate that due the amp and actual circut setup there won't really be any benefit to it.

I only even started looking into because the Capcom amp I have is completely fitted with Elnas, but it was probably desined to take advantage of them.

 

[Dion]

A cap is a cap on a pcb(as long as its not from a bad batch). I would only upgrade to 105 degree caps on a monitor chassis. That being said, don't go out buying shitty brands of 85 degree caps.

 

[channelmaniac]

I use Xicon caps in my kits and for the values/sizes I can't get in that brand I use Nichicon. Try to get 105 degree caps as they'll last longer.

RJ

 

[Dilandau]

I use Xicon caps in my kits and for the values/sizes I can't get in that brand I use Nichicon. Try to get 105 degree caps as they'll last longer.

RJ

I use United Chemi-Con for my main and Nichicon in values I can't get. UCC has recently come out with some pretty long life electrolitics like the LX series with 5000-7000 hour lives at 105. I've done a decent amount of boards at this point but I still have trouble with the ground plane on SNK stuff, even with my station.

Is there any need to take into account ESR or ripple values when re-capping boards, or does just matching values handle it with these kind of applications?

 

[channelmaniac]

You want low ESR caps when recapping voltage regulator sections of PC motherboards. For audio and standard 5v/12v filtering standard caps work fine.