37 replies to this topic

[Tiger]

Guys... I have 3 10" Jaycar DM subs running off Lanzar Amps... Is it necessary to run a Cap to better the bass? Or do I just stick with some decent cabling? Or do I need both? I don't really understand the theory of the caps and how they work? Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[ May 09, 2003, 16:40: Message edited by: jaycom ]

[DD]

umm i think cap's are a wast of time and money ....
just some big calbe will do

[T-Bro]

caps are like a 'surge tank' for your amplifiers they will definitely reduce or eliminate headlight dimming, and some people claim that they help tighten bass response. i think they make sense myself.

[Tiger]

db_king.. why would you say that they are a waste of time? I'm just curious.. I want to know pros and cons from all sides here. T_bro made sense on his last comment.

[DD]

unless your light's are dimming ..... you can get one ... there is far betta stuff to spend your money on then a cap .. i think a cap is just the cherry on top .. if u have everything eles then get one .. but i do not think they will help is SQ at all .... maybe if your running a 2 or 3 k install they might help u oyut apart form find something worth spending your money on

[SupaSwift]

They look cool

[Kramy]

well i will be putting one in my ute, I couldnt care less if they dont work wank factors is good enough reason for me.

[Tiger]

HAHAHA... thanks for the advice guys... Well, the system is worth around the 3k mark. I have to upgrade the alternator to 80 Amp minimum and the battery to a dry cell 1000CCA. The wiring is where I'm spendong my bucks for sure. I was told that these caps suck the power needed for low notes almost instantly. I'm assuming that's where the light dimming kicks in.
Keep the advise coming if you feel I need to know...

[Gino00]

caps wont help ur low notes dude and i dont think spending 3 grand on the equipment requires u to have a cap, my friend has a 900 dollar setup and he needs a cap. Anyways first of all before u add any caps u should see if ur lights are in fact dimming(thats after the upgraded battery and wiring), if they do then u have to look how big ur amps are in RMS and as a general rule of thumb u need 1 Farad cap per 1000 WRMS, and i can vouch for that, I fitted a 1 farad cap and my lights still dimm. Better bass response is complete bullcrap mate and it wont help ur SQ in any way.

[basspimp]

a cap will help with voltage drop in your system if your power cabling isn't what it should be or is over a long distance.
a second batt and isolator is one solution i used to replace a 1farad cap i had for 1500Wrms system.
but then $400 for a sealed batt and isolator plus you need the space, compared to $150 for a cap?
it's more about budget and need i think.

[Rmyers]

My cap made a surprisingly big difference in terms of SPL, but I think you'll find when people say that they are a waste of money, they mean that your money can be better spent on other things that will usually yield alot better results. It does help your voltage even out, my volts drops to 11.8v when cranking without a cap, 12.5v with a cap.

Whether or not you hear a differnce is dependant on how much power your draining and how good your electrical system is already. If you've already got a decent elecrtical system, then you won't hear as much difference than if your electrical system wasn't up to scratch. Also, you'd be less likely to hear a difference if you were draining 500wrms compared to if you were draining 1000 or 2000wrms.

[Tiger]

You guys are champs....
Thanks

[ May 10, 2003, 09:45: Message edited by: jaycom ]

[zayne]

I have a 1 farad cap and my headlights are still dimming.

[Tiger]

Zayne, Have you updated your electrical system though.. like the bigger battery and alternator? If you have.. that would make your problem a mystery otherwise

[zayne]

I have upgraded my battery. I run 0 gauge all the way to the DB and then 4 gauge to the amp.