[sdiy] Starter Components - Capacitors

[Ingo Debus]

Am Donnerstag, 13.01.05 um 18:00 Uhr schrieb Harry Bissell Jr:

> Yes... tantalums have their uses via
> electrolytics.
>
> Tyically they have less ESR (equivalent series
> resistance) so they are more 'effective' as a
> decoupling cap.  A tantalum outperforms an equivalent
> size (uF) electrolytic.
>
> Electrolytics have higher self inductance... so they
> will not perform as well at higher frequencies.
>
> This is why a good decoupling strategy would include
> a large electrolytic cap (for low frequencies), a
> smaller tantalum, and a cermaic cap for the highest
> frequencies
>

When I wrote this I had an old Elektor article in mind (from 1982). It 
basically says that electrolytics with dry electrolyt are as good as 
tantalums, much cheaper and a little bigger in size, and they don't 
explode that often. Somehow I had forgotten about the "dry electrolyt" 
part.
This is of course fairly old info, I wonder if tantalums have improved 
that much since then?

Anyway, if I look into recent audio/synth gear (say up to ten years 
old) I hardly see any tantalums, but electrolytics all over the place. 
In older gear tantalums seem to be more common.

I understand that where size really is an issue (FCPs, or "Handies" as 
we call them here) tantalums are still being used.

Ingo