[sirquack]

Maybe one of you electronic gurus can answer this question.     Basically, I was curious if the capacitors on the Odyssey amps are wired in "series" or "parallel"? 

The reason I ask is I was a bit mislead by my recent Emotiva MPS-1 amp purchase that I have now returned in place of an Odyssey setup.  Their specs show each channel for having 48,000 uF (4x12,000) for capacitance and a grand total of 336,000uF total for all 7 channels.  However, reading the review on Audioholics on the MPS-1, it said this is a bit misleading since they were wired in "series" and yield an effective power supply capacitance of 12,000uF or ¼ stated in the literature for each channel for a total of 84,000uF.

So I guess I was just wondering if the Odyssey's are wired in parallel or series.  When it says 120,000uF capacitance per channel is that accurate?

Thanks everyone...Randy

[sirquack]

Dudes    80 views and no technical feedback, rock on dudes.   

[Bigfish]

I am not giving you a smart response when I advise you to call Klaus as you will certainly get the correct answer.

It sounds like you have ordered so welcome to the waiting list along with me.

Ken

[YoungDave]

Hi Randy,

In my experience, power supply capacitors are always wired in parallel.  I suppose somebody could make them in series, but I'm dashed if I can figure why they would want to. 

Power supply capacitors are there to deliver "charge" (read: electrons) to the system, so that it will have the juice to work.  Without the caps for storage - they are often called "reservoir capacitors" - the unit would have to run off the transformer alone, with no reserve for peak demand.

In series, the capacitance decreases (ex: 2 10K caps in series = 5k) and the resistive and inductive components of the caps simply add.  This is bad all around as it 1: provides less capacitance for producing "charge", and 2: it makes more resistance and inductance to hinder the delivery of the charge that is available.

I hope I've made it a "newbie simple" explanation without taking to many tech liberties or "talking down" to you.

Cheers,
Dave

[sirquack]

Thanks Dave,

That does make sense.  The Emotiva MPS-1 is a class H topology amp, so not sure if that is the reason for the design, not sure.  The review goes on to say In order to meet the height profile of the card cage, Emotiva had no choice but to use lower voltage caps in series to achieve a higher capacitance working voltage to meet the maximum rail voltage requirements for achieving the rated power. Though a clever design approach, series connecting capacitors cuts the available storage down by ¼ and also doubles the Effective Series Resistance (ESR) as opposed to parallel connecting. Considering this was perhaps the best way of meeting the design profile, I would say this was a good compromise.

[DMi]

The voltage rating of a capacitor is the maximum rated voltage for the device before break down occurs. That's one reason you'd want to wire them in series to get by limitations in the size of your design (space) and in voltage rating. In a typical linear power supply design caps are used both for smoothing the voltage output from a bridge diode configuration and for power reserves. Solid state power supplies can benefit from having both massive transformers which tend to act as voltage storage devices stepping down line voltage to voltages useful in electronic designs and from capacitors both for DC smoothing and for current reserve storage. These amps have both so their power supplies tend to act like a big batteries for the output devices.

I haven't looked at the brand that you mentioned but I suspect they use a switching power supply or a variation on that theme. Also while I have looked at a lot of class D designs and several class T I can confess ignorance of class H.

The last word probably should come from Alex or Klaus but I believe most of the caps in their power supplies (not bypass caps) serve to store massive loads of peak energy for reserve. I think you'll be hard pressed to find Odyssey amplifers a load that will make them unhappy. I have owned both the Stratos Plus stereo and currently own the Mono Extreme SE amps and both will drive nearly anything reasonable. The stereo units are class a/b and the monos are closer to an a-a/b design. They require time plugged in and turned on to get to full potential and a lot of break in but I'm certain you'll have to pay a lot more to come near the performance they offer.

You should call Klaus. It's best to catch him in the late afternoon or evening. He works odd hours and tends to be up until the wee hours. I don't think you'll be hurt by anything he has and I suspect you might just be impressed.

Doug

[sirquack]

Thanks Doug,

I have talked to Klaus on 2-3 occasions now if you read my other thread, and have already purchased some Stratos Mono's in Khartago cases.  They should arrive soon. 

[lazydays]

Hi Randy,

In my experience, power supply capacitors are always wired in parallel.  I suppose somebody could make them in series, but I'm dashed if I can figure why they would want to. 

Power supply capacitors are there to deliver "charge" (read: electrons) to the system, so that it will have the juice to work.  Without the caps for storage - they are often called "reservoir capacitors" - the unit would have to run off the transformer alone, with no reserve for peak demand.

In series, the capacitance decreases (ex: 2 10K caps in series = 5k) and the resistive and inductive components of the caps simply add.  This is bad all around as it 1: provides less capacitance for producing "charge", and 2: it makes more resistance and inductance to hinder the delivery of the charge that is available.

I hope I've made it a "newbie simple" explanation without taking to many tech liberties or "talking down" to you.

Cheers,
Dave

it's very common for CNC drives to have banks of capaciters wired in series with each bank feed into another bank, and that bank feeding into another bank for shear controled power. Why I mentioned this, is that the drive on DC servo motors are very very similar to audio amps in their circutry.
gary