Tantalum 1uf caps on Low Rider

[AntKnee]

I'm building a Low Rider, ordered all 6 1uf caps electrolytic. I need 3 poly and 3 electrolytic. I'm thinking about going to rat shack and to get 3 tantalum 1 uf caps. Will it affect the sound if I get tantalum instead of polyfilm?

Oh, if it matters, the caps are at C3, C14, and C18.

[pryde]

tantalums are also electrolytic (polarized) caps

[AntKnee]

Thank you, that is good to know!
Will they sound different than the round "can" electrolytic caps?

[selfdestroyer]

Thank you, that is good to know!
Will they sound different than the round "can" electrolytic caps?

You trying to start a war? haha just kidding, its a huge debate. I suggest taking a look at this article by Beavis.
http://beavisaudio.com/techpages/Caps/

[AntKnee]

Ha!
No, just trying to get it built.
Didn't know it was a hot topic.
I will check out the link.
Thanks!

[AntKnee]

Well, that didn't answer much besides saying there is some debate on the subject. Looks like the most objective answer is to try it and see if I like it. Problem with that is I don't know how the pedal should sound. Oh, well. Try it and see.

[RobA]

Tantalum caps suck for audio. It's actually measurable and quantifiable. They also really suck at being reversed biased, which is part of the reason they suck for audio. There's an article I linked on here somewhere where the manufacturers of the tantalum caps themselves give the relevant measurements. Tantalum caps have their place. It's not in the audio path. There really shouldn't be a war about this. It's measurable.

On the specifics of the Low Rider, just looking at caps like C3, C14 and C18 would make me think it isn't a good idea. The caps have bias voltage on both sides of them. Figuring out which way to orient them would be difficult if it's even possible. It is critical with tantalum caps that they be oriented correctly.

[AntKnee]

On the specifics of the Low Rider, just looking at caps like C3, C14 and C18 would make me think it isn't a good idea. The caps have bias voltage on both sides of them. Figuring out which way to orient them would be difficult if it's even possible. It is critical with tantalum caps that they be oriented correctly.

Yeah, I was laying in bed last night when this occured to me. If I'm going to the trouble of using a polarized cap, I may as well use the electolytic ones I already have. Regardless, I'm not going to use either, but instead just order the film caps and wait for them. I'm just impatient, its killing me.

Thanks to all for the help!

[rullywowr]

Tantalums smell awful when they let the white smoke out!  They are known for exploding when hooked up backwards and fail with catastrophic results.   

I will echo what Rob said, they really are best in situations where a small size is important and not in the audio path.  A good example would be using a 10uF for power filtering of a microcontroller or similar.

[alanp]

It'd've been a hell of an octave up for a brief moment