Thoughts on Multi-cap or one large cap?

Design thoughts on 4-5 caps to get to wanted value... say 400-500uf... Or just one big cap to get to say 470uf.

Audio output coupling with electrolytics etc...

I have heard there might be some advantges in using a series/parallel circuit to achieve values... and I am wondering what might they be?

Just to make sure...
You are talking about interstage coupling or power supply filtering?
Tube or semi-conductors circuits?
In power supply circuits, many capacitors is better, since ESR ( a resistance equivalent) will lowers (good) and capacitance will augment (also good).
In coupling application, 470uF is a lot af capacitance, how low is the impedance of the next stage??
Tube circuit are very happy with less than half a uF (to open hostilities) and semi conductor circuits will be quite happy with about 10uF, again just to start discussion!!
Then the basic is this: without seeing the intended circuit, your question is a bit incomplete.
Luc

since there hasn't been much responce to this I'll say one cap is better
than multiple caps.  At least for coupling caps.

I can't really speak to the use of caps in filtering applications.

QUEEF BAG said:

since there hasn't been much responce to this I'll say one cap is better
than multiple caps.  At least for coupling caps.

I can't really speak to the use of caps in filtering applications.

Click to expand...

In filtering, it is always a good idea to use smaller caps in parallel... the capacitance adds up, contrary to resistance, but the ESR ( equivalent series resistance) lowers, because these resistance are in fact in parallel, so it gets lower... Here is a fairly good article here http://www.ecircuitcenter.com/Circuits/cmodel1/cmodel1.htm

On the other hand, for coupling, capacitors have an internal L reactance component that may prevent the perfectly linear transfer of frequencies... how much of a problem is that? hard to say, but known cure are: using non-polarized caps, bypass a high value (10uF) with a small value (0.1uF?) film type.... and there is the debate about what type of capacitors to use, and at what planet alignement or moon phase!!

Not a simple question to answer, and yet, just use good quality components, make sure you use a good margin of parameters for comfort and move on to the next step in your design!
Luc

In filtering, it is always a good idea to use smaller caps in parallel... The capacitance adds up, but the ESR lowers.

Click to expand...

Some years back I've investigated this a bit and came to the conclusion that the use of several parallel caps (instead of one larger) does not significantly reduce impedance, at least at frequencies < 100 kHz. For typical capacitors ESR is approximately inversely proportional to capacitance (twice C -> half ESR). Simple math quickly shows that the use of parallel caps does lead to the very same total ESR.

Samuel

I must preface this with the observation that electrolytic caps when I investigated this back in the '70s were inferior to today's parts and surely inferior to what Sam tested. That said I was able to measure significant differences at 20kHz for a relatively heavily loaded RC (i.e. gain leg in a phono preamp, something like 22uF and 360 ohm).

I measured tens of degrees of phase shift at 20 kHz between aluminum and tantalum.  I suspect ESL was a factor as well.

I also noted paralleling for improved HF behavior requiring much larger small caps... on the order of 1/10 size of large cap C for good results.

This is probably moot with the improvements to modern aluminum electrolytics for switching power supplies. But once upon a time there was some "there" there so old timers may be commenting based on old experience rather than current SOTA. 

JR