Mxr Distortion + Tantalum Cap????

[Canucker]

I built myself a distortion plus from this layout

and then I found this one which called for a Tantalum Cap....since I don't have any on hand I can't parts swap to hear if there is much difference. Any idea what the change in sound with the alternate cap? I wouldn't expect huge changes but since you guys seem to know everything around here I figured I'd ask.

[alparent]

If you use the same value. You won't notice any differences.

[EATyourGuitar]

If you use the same value. You won't notice any differences.

I just want to point out that this does not mean there are no differences you can plot ESR at every frequency for a cap and you will see that no two caps are identical. he is mostly right though. you won't notice a difference.

[Mark Hammer]

For a great many early MXR pedals, tantalum caps were often selected because they could be easily bent over on their side to achieve a low profile so that the board could easily fit in a 1590B, behind bit pots.

They likely have some impact on sound, but do they provide a distinctive sound, and more particularly, the essence of the tone of those pedals?  Not likely.  Same way that if you can only score 1N34a germanium diodes and not 1N270 (like the original), you won't be missing all that much.

At some point, type of capacitor will make an audible difference i some things, but keep in mind that this is a distortion pedal, and not a mic preamp to complement 96khz sampling.  Whatever that type of cap "does" will have negligible impact on the final product.  Same way that you probably strike a different impression in a suit and tie than you do in jeans and sweatshirt, but when plunked into a crowd of 5,000, your manner of dress does not change what the crowd looks like.

[Electron Tornado]

At some point, type of capacitor will make an audible difference i some things, but keep in mind that this is a distortion pedal, and not a mic preamp to complement 96khz sampling.  Whatever that type of cap "does" will have negligible impact on the final product.  Same way that you probably strike a different impression in a suit and tie than you do in jeans and sweatshirt, but when plunked into a crowd of 5,000, your manner of dress does not change what the crowd looks like.

+1

Excellent analogy.

[alparent]

If you use the same value. You won't notice any differences.

I just want to point out that this does not mean there are no differences you can plot ESR at every frequency for a cap and you will see that no two caps are identical. he is mostly right though. you won't notice a difference.

You can probably take 10 Tant caps of the same value and you stile would get a slightly different ESR plots.
But you won't notice any difference. Unless your a vampire and have bat like earing!

Yes, Mark's analogies are always great.

They are like a car without a spare tire, tooting it's horn on a frozen lake on the 15th of july. (I said HE was good at it ...... not me!)


 

[Canucker]

thank gawd you people don't sell used cars cus you guys can convince me of anything and I'm usually a really picky person... I guess that just proves that I'm faking my way through this pedal building thing...yet doing a remarkable job at it (faking it that is). Now I have to go look up what ESR means!