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View Full Version : Can you bypass a coupling cap?



goraman
23-03-2019, 04:11
I am not sure how combining capacitors is done?
After reading Humble Hifi Capacitor shoot out , where they discuss combining one cap at 90% and another at 10% , I am assuming this is in series.

Are by pass caps wired in parallel?

And how can a small cap take over the sonic performance from a larger cap?

Light Dependant Resistor
23-03-2019, 06:03
I am not sure how combining capacitors is done?
After reading Humble Hifi Capacitor shoot out , where they discuss combining one cap at 90% and another at 10% , I am assuming this is in series.

Are by pass caps wired in parallel?

And how can a small cap take over the sonic performance from a larger cap?

Capacitors in series is c1x c2 / c1+c2 so say 2x 10uf capacitance total is 5uf , and where equal voltage values are used the available voltage is double
Capacitors in parallel is C1 + C2 so 2x 10uf capacitors capacitance is 20uf, voltage value is the lowest stated voltage value of one capacitor.

Where bypass caps are used, Yes they are wired in parallel - see https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/parts/140339-linking-capacitors-parallel-practice.html

My opinion is parallel capacitance using different values is not good practice, although it works well where the same capacitance value is used numerous times,
my experience has been with parallel capacitor power supplies and in loudspeaker crossovers. The theory being a smaller value capacitor enables signal to
take at high frequencies a shorter path.

Rather than thinking or trying to solve audio related issues with capacitors, the combination of inductance and capacitance has IMO far greater merit.