Capacitor Introduction
5
When installed properly, your new stiffening capacitor will provide years of dependable
service. There are many benefits of adding a stiffening capacitor. The most significant benefit is the
capacitors ability to improve bass performance in your sound system. This is possible due to the
voltage stabilizing effects of the capacitor.
When an audio system needs to deliver an instantaneous bass peak, the vehicle's
electrical system often cannot provide enough power. This means that the system voltage drops
substantially to a point that the amplifiers are unable to produce their rated power. This is referred to
as clipping. When an amplifier clips, it will cause distortion and can cause amplifier and / or speaker
damage.
Stiffening capacitors are able to store large amounts of energy in preparation of these
bass peaks. When a bass peak occurs, the stiffening capacitor delivers power to supplement the
system voltage and prevent amplifier clipping. This retains amplifier output power, thus improving
bass response and increases amplifier and speaker life span.
Another beneficial effect of capacitors is their ability to filter the current produced by the
vehicle's alternator. This alternator current, can cause noise (alternator whine) in the audio system.
A capacitor will help reduce or eliminate this "alternator whine" and popping.
We recommend using 1 farad of capacitance for every 1000 watts of amplifier output. This
is a general rule of thumb and may be adjusted up or down depending on the efficiency, current
draw, and design of the amplifiers being used.
