[sdiy] SMD experiences

[David G Dixon]

> What would you suggest for said application of caps?
> Also, what sizes do y'all suggest?

We've gotten into the habit of applying 10p to 22p caps across the feedback
resistor in just about every opamp gain cell, to avoid HF oscillation.  It's
not always necessary, but at least make room for the option on the board.
In my funky Excel through-hole layouts, this is very easy to do: just create
a couple of optional pads 0.1" out from each output and inverting input of
every opamp.  I can even kludge them in easily if I forget (which I never
do).  This is harder in SMD multilayer boards, where you really need to have
it all there at the outset, or the board is basically a do-over.  However,
you can kludge 0603 caps over the adjacent output and inverting input pins
of SMD opamps pretty easily (if you're Rick Moranis, and you have very
strong glasses).