Tantalum vs. Electrolytic Caps

[BlackFlag1313]

Anybody have a tone preference of tantalum over electrolytic or vice versa?  How about regarding noise?  Is one superior to the other, generally?     :?:

[petemoore]

Tants are used at NASA, they're very stable IIUC, and last long.
  I read all about these things and use electrolytics...unless a schematic shows a tant, probably then too,

[Joe Kramer]

Hi!

It's true that tantalums are stabler and don't age like electrolytics.  I don't think they have any effect on noise in the signal path.  They have lower ESR than electrolytics, which means they look like a lower resistance to the rest of the circuit, and which in a given case might work better.  The "sound" of tantalums is controversial.   Audiophiles tend to hate them, although they are used in the signal path of the most coveted Neve gear.  It's a fact that tantalums don't like to be reverse-biased,  which is what happens if they are used a coupling caps in a bipolar-powered circuit, because this causes crossover distortion.  However, in a single-supply circuit (like a stompbox) where there is a DC bias on the coupling cap, there's no problem of crossover distortion.  The only big downside of tantalums is, they cost about ten times more than the equivalent electrolytic, and the price of tantalum happens to be going up because of limited supply of the mineral.

Joe

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

If tants ever get REALLY expensive, it will be worth getting surface mount ones out of old cell phones :wink:
There is only one place I *have* to use a tant, it calls for a high value low leakage cap (nowadays I'd redesign the circuit..)

[The Tone God]

From our beloved search function:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/sboxforum/viewtopic.php?t=23923

http://www.diystompboxes.com/sboxforum/viewtopic.php?t=16596

http://www.diystompboxes.com/sboxforum/viewtopic.php?t=16466

Search criteria used: "tantalum electrolytic" using "Search for all terms" option.

There will be other posts on the topic as well.

Andrew

[Alpha579]

i tend to use tants over electro's, but never use either as a coupling cap....

[sir_modulus]

I agree with the above post. At my electronics store, they have them cheaper than electro's (these are bulk..electros are indiv. packaged for most values). I find them to be less noise, and more durable (have you ever ruined an electro by putting the board somewhere, and finding that someons sat on it and bent the leads outa the cap?!?!)

Cheers,

Nish

[brett]

I use tants, but only where I know the power supply will be regulated.  When tantalum caps fail they sometimes catch on fire.

I've heard that bad transformers and bad tants in small appliances (such as clock radios)are significant causes of house fires and deaths.

It sounds plausible.  Anyway, in stompboxes things are probably safe enough.

[BlackFlag1313]

I use tants, but only where I know the power supply will be regulated.  When tantalum caps fail they sometimes catch on fire.

I've heard that bad transformers and bad tants in small appliances (such as clock radios)are significant causes of house fires and deaths.

It sounds plausible.  Anyway, in stompboxes things are probably safe enough.

I had a tant cap fail once that caught on fire (9V stomp box.)  Scorched the inside of the enclosure.  Scary looking mess.

[BlackFlag1313]

I talked a bunch with Dan Armstrong (Miss him).  He said that George Meriam (Co-designer Orange Squeezer) was very insistent in the importance of tantalum caps in the original Musitronics/Armstrong boxes.   I use them but I've never noticed any considerable improvement, truth be told.  (Plus see previous post.  Anybody have any info on them catching on fire.  Why would NASA use them then?)

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I've never seen a tant explode when it was used within its ratings.
here's an info sheet about caps from an EE course:
http://leonardo.eeug.caltech.edu/~ee14/lab1cds.html