{"id":18697,"date":"2026-02-11T11:05:29","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T10:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/?p=18697"},"modified":"2026-02-09T09:04:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T08:04:00","slug":"capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Capacitors and audio, an elegant history"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

This article stems from research done and witnessed on the video at the top, which is about the passionate search for the best possible sound to pull out of the Zen Balanced Line Stage by Nelson Pass<\/strong><\/a>. And so, along with the workshop, with practice, we wanted to witness the history and technical evolutions of probably the most “sounding” and debated passive component and within any piece of equipment. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

An indispensable component<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The history of capacitors is one of those quiet trajectories that pass through technology without making a sound, but end up leaving a deep imprint on the way we listen to, construct, and even imagine sound. In the beginning, the capacitor was little more than an elegant idea: two surfaces looking closely at each other, separated by a material capable of holding a charge<\/strong>. In the early decades of electricity, this conceptual simplicity translated into fragile, often bulky objects made of waxed paper, mineral oils, and casings that today seem almost like naive craftsmanship. Yet at that very pioneering stage, the capacitor began to reveal a personality, a kind of electrical character that went beyond numbers and formulas. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
A mica capacitor from the 1920s compared with a modern one<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

With time, and especially with the entry of electronics into everyday life, capacitors began to evolve following several parallel paths. On the one hand, the quest for reliability, stability, and industrial repeatability; on the other, more subterranean but no less powerful, the realization that those small components influenced “how” things sound. It is in this space, somewhere between technique and perception, that their evolution becomes almost narrative. I electrolytic capacitors<\/strong><\/a> classics, along with the tantalum<\/strong><\/a>, with their enormous density of capacitance in small volumes, dominated entire decades of electronics, becoming a structural necessity even before a qualitative choice, bringing with them an inevitable sense of compromise. Alongside them, the film capacitors<\/strong><\/a> were slowly beginning to emerge as more refined alternatives, quieter in electrical behavior, more consistent over time. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Mallory's 1960s film capacitors used in crossover filters <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The crucial transition occurs when polypropylene enters the scene. Not as a sudden revolution, but as a gradual refinement. Plastic film replaces paper, oil becomes less of a protagonist, and the condenser stops being a poorly aging object. With the metallized polypropylene<\/strong><\/a>, and particularly with MKPs, a phase opens up in which the component begins to seem almost “invisible” in the circuit, able to do its job without adding an obvious signature. But invisibility, in the world of audio and high quality, is a misleading concept. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Capacitors, the real modern innovation<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Nowadays, amplification and preamplifier circuits all look a bit alike. Each manufacturer flaunts its own circuitry, implementation, use of who knows what topology, but in the end nothing new has really happened. A new semiconductor has debuted, the GaN<\/strong><\/a>, Gallium Nitride, which is increasingly gaining a foothold in power amplification and may be the real news. But that is another story. The real revolution then came with the technology applied to capacitors<\/strong>, whatever technology they are, for which giant strides have been made. Just think of the dramatic decrease in the size of electrolytics, along with their increased reliability, basically due to applications in switching circuits, but not least all the other technologies, such as MKP (Metallyzed PolyPropylene). <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Let's take a step back<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The history of capacitors is a history of materials, applied physics, and changing technological needs over time. In the early days, the modern concept of an “electronic component” did not even exist: there were experimental devices, such as the eighteenth-century Leiden bottle, that stored electrical charge by simply exploiting two conducting surfaces separated by an insulator. Already there is the fundamental idea of the capacitor: two conductive armatures and an interposed dielectric. Everything else in the following centuries was a technical refinement of this simple principle. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
The Leiden bottle is a primitive capacitor invented in 1745-1746 by Dutch physicist Pieter van Musschenbroek and German Ewald Georg von Kleista in Leiden (hence the name) .<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

At first paper and oil<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

With the arrival of industrial electricity and then radio, in the late nineteenth and early decades of the twentieth century, the first real “built” capacitors appeared in a systematic way. Paper and oil capacitors arose from the need to obtain relatively high capacitances and significant working voltages in a stable manner<\/strong>. The structure was physically intuitive: thin sheets of paper impregnated with insulating oil, alternating with conductive metal sheets, rolled on themselves to reduce bulk. The paper acted as a dielectric, and the oil improved its electrical insulation and stability over time, filling microvoids and reducing internal discharges. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
An old paper-and-oil capacitor from the American Sprague, well known in HiFi<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

In terms of operation, these capacitors relied on a “porous” dielectric,<\/strong> which absorbed the insulating fluid and created a stable but slow electrostatic system: charges distributed with inertia, with relatively high dielectric losses and limited frequency response. They were robust, reliable, but bulky, heavy, and poorly suited to high frequencies. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Then the mica<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

At the same time, they developed the mica capacitors<\/strong><\/a>, especially in the radio field. Here the dielectric was no longer an impregnated fibrous material, but a natural crystalline foil with ordered atomic structure. Mica offered superior electrical stability, very low losses and much more predictable behavior. Structurally, they were built with overlapping rigid layers, not rolled, which made them mechanically stable but limited in capacity. Functionally, compared with paper and oil, they were much “faster” in electrical behavior<\/strong>, with lower dissipation and greater accuracy. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
An old mica capacitor, note the color code that defined its value<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

And tantalum<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

They grew out of the development of electrolytic capacitors, but with a completely different structural approach than either paper and oil or plastic films. Here the principle is no longer that of two armatures separated by a preformed “physical” dielectric, but that of a dielectric formed chemically on the surface of the metal itself. Tantalum, like aluminum, allows the formation of an extremely thin and stable oxide layer when subjected to an anodizing process. This tantalum oxide becomes the true dielectric of the capacitor. The crucial difference is that this layer is microscopic, much thinner than any impregnated plastic film or paper, which allows high capacitances to be achieved in extremely small volumes. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
A modern tantalum capacitor<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Structurally, a tantalum capacitor<\/strong><\/a> is not made of rolled sheets, but of a porous mass of sintered tantalum. The metal is pulverized and pressed to create a porous structure with a huge inner surface area. Over this entire surface, the dielectric oxide layer is formed. The opposite electrode is not a metal foil, but a solid or liquid electrolyte that penetrates the porous structure and acts as a cathode. In most common modern tantalums, the electrolyte is solid, typically manganese dioxide or conductive polymers. This means that the capacitor is not a “layered” system, but a three-dimensional system<\/strong>: electrical energy is stored on a giant internal surface, distributed within the volume of the component. From the point of view of operation, this produces a completely different behavior than MKPs<\/strong> or paper and oil. In tantalums, the high capacitance arises from the combination of huge surface area and wafer-thin dielectric, not from the outer geometric size. This makes them ideal for compact circuits, low-voltage power supplies, digital electronics, and portable devices. However, the dielectric is chemical, not physical: the oxide layer is stable only within certain electrical limits. If the rated voltage is exceeded or abnormal impulse currents are generated, the dielectric can degrade rapidly, leading to often destructive failures<\/strong>. Unlike MKPs, which tend to be self-repairing in a controlled manner, tantalums can short if the oxide film collapses locally. Electrical behavior is also different: tantalums have a more limited frequency response than plastic films, higher losses, and more pronounced dielectric absorption, but they offer a capacitance density per volume unmatched by film capacitors. This is why they have never been substitutes for MKPs in signal or precision applications, but complementary: ideal tools for power management, voltage leveling, and power supply decoupling in small spaces. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

The indispensable electrolytes<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The history of electrolytic capacitors<\/strong><\/a> is a story of miniaturization, materials chemistry, and reliability engineering. They were born as an answer to a very real problem: to obtain large capacitances in small volumes<\/strong>, which was impossible with paper, mica, and early solid dielectrics. The principle was simple and revolutionary at the same time: use a metal, initially aluminum, as an electrode and create an oxide layer directly on its surface by electrochemical oxidation. That very thin layer became the dielectric, while a liquid electrolyte served as the second electrode. The capacitance no longer depended so much on the outer dimensions, but on the inner surface of the metal and the microscopic thickness of the dielectric. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
An old electrolytic capacitor from the Italian company Facon<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

However, the first generations were large, fragile, and unstable. The electrolytic capacitors of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s had large sizes, wide tolerances, high losses, and a limited service life. The electrolyte tended to dry out, they were not sealed perfectly, and the quality of materials was uneven. They were essential components, but “weak” by nature, functional rather than reliable, often the first point of failure in an electronic device (still is today). The real leap came with improvements in industrial processes and chemistry. The introduction ofhigh-purity aluminum<\/strong>, chemically etched surfaces to greatly increase internal area, new, more stable electrolytes<\/strong>, and hermetic sealing systems radically changed the landscape. The same coiled structure, which before was just a geometric solution, becomes an engineered system: gigantic internal surfaces in smaller and smaller volumes, more stable oxides, more predictable electrical behavior. Size begins to shrink dramatically<\/strong>, while capacity increases by orders of magnitude with the same volume. In recent decades, evolution accelerates again. Modern electrolytics are the result of refined materials, extremely stringent quality control, and reliability-oriented design<\/strong>. Electrolytics are more thermally stable, seals more durable, and internal structures optimized to reduce series resistance and electrical stress. Today an electrolytic of a few millimeters can offer capacities that once required cylinders the size of a can, with an operating life of thousands of hours at elevated temperatures, something unthinkable in earlier generations. The increase in reliability has been as important as the reduction in size. Whereas the electrolytic was once the “consumable” component of the circuit, today it is an element designed to last, with specific designs for high temperature, long life, low ESR, and critical applications. The very perception of the component has changed: from a fragile and bulky necessity to a compact, reliable and engineered device. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Plastic polymers, the revolution<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The real technological leap, however, comes plastic polymers. With the development of materials chemistry after World War II, synthetic dielectrics such as polyester, polypropylene, and polycarbonate<\/strong> appear. Here the internal structure of the capacitor changes radically. There is no longer an impregnated fibrous material, but very thin, uniform plastic films with micrometer-controlled thickness. The armatures are no longer necessarily separate metal sheets, but often metallizations directly deposited on the dielectric film. This leads to metallized film capacitors, where the metal is a very thin layer evaporated onto the plastic. The structure becomes extremely compact: metallized dielectric film<\/strong>, coiled into a coil, connected to the terminals by metal spraying on the side. From the point of view of operation, everything changes. The plastic dielectric has a stable dielectric constant, low losses, rapid response to changes in electric field and predictable behavior<\/strong> over a wide frequency range. In modern MKPs, i.e., capacitors with metallized polypropylene<\/strong><\/a>, the structure is based on polypropylene films with very thin aluminum or zinc metallization. The most important feature is not only the material, but the way it is arranged: the metallization is designed to be “self-repairing”<\/strong><\/em>. When a microdischarge occurs, the short-circuit point vaporizes the metal locally, isolating the defect and allowing the capacitor to continue to function. In paper and oil, an internal discharge tended instead to propagate and progressively damage the entire structure. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
An old plastic film capacitor from ITT.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The electrical behavior is also profoundly different. In paper and oil, energy is stored in a dielectric system with strong dielectric absorption, which causes electrical memory phenomena and leakage. In MKPs the energy is stored in a plastic dielectric with very low absorption, which makes the charge release faster, “cleaner” and more faithful to the original signal.<\/strong> This is why MKPs are now preferred in audio circuits, power filters, power factor correction systems and high-frequency applications. Structurally, we thus move from large, fluid-impregnated devices with natural materials and coarse geometries to compact, dry, sealed components built with micrometric industrial precision. Functionally, we move from slow, dissipative and unstable systems over time to fast, stable, predictable and self-repairing devices. The history of capacitors is, in the end, the story of the transition from a “craft” technology of electrical insulation to a scientific technology of materials, in which the physics of the dielectric and the internal microstructure matter as much as the electrical scheme in which the component is embedded. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

The use in audio of a capacitor: the more transparent a component becomes, the more obvious it becomes when it is not.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

This is where construction approaches that are not limited to functionality but embrace a philosophy come into play. Brands such as Mundorf<\/strong><\/a> e Clarity Cap<\/strong><\/a> are not simply born to produce better capacitors in an abstract sense, but to question what “better” really means when the ultimate parameter is the listening experience. Their construction methods tell a story of attention to materials, the way the film is wound, mechanical tension, impregnation, even the type of resin or casing used<\/strong>. It is not a race for the most impressive specification on paper, but a search for balance, for consistency, for naturalness. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Modern MKPs<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Modern MKPs seem almost like the culmination of a long journey. Polypropylene, treated with care and precision, becomes a kind of neutral canvas on which the signal can flow without being colored.<\/strong> Winding methods, often slow and controlled, reduce internal voltages and make capacitor behavior more predictable, more “calm.” The idea that a passive component can sound more relaxed or more tense may seem poetic, but careful listeners know that these nuances exist and matter.<\/strong> Looking back, the evolution of capacitors no longer appears as a simple sequence of technical improvements, but as a cultural maturation. In the beginning there was the urgency to make things work, then the desire to make them last, and finally the desire to make them sound good, or rather, to not hinder the sound. Modern MKPs embody this maturity. They don’t shout their presence, they don’t promise miracles, but they offer a feeling of solidity and consistency that comes from decades of trial, error, listening and reflection. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
A modern industrial MKP condenser from EPCOS<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

In this sense, the capacitor becomes almost a silent witness to the history of audio<\/strong> and electronics. From a fragile and imprecise object to a refined and self-conscious component, it has followed the evolution of the way we listen and claim. And perhaps it is precisely this discretion, this ability to be fundamental without wanting to excel, that makes modern MKPs the most convincing symbol of a path that has arrived, at least for now, at a form of balance. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

The audio-oriented MKPs<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The distinction between a standard generic MKP<\/span> capacitor and a Mundorf or Clarity Cap, and that’s just to name two, is not simply limited to the initials or the color of the casing, but to theattention to detail<\/strong> in material selection and internal construction, with an approach that aims to reduce phenomena that are often overlooked in common capacitors. Standard MKPs use a rolled metalized polypropylene film with industrially soldered connections, designed to offer cost-effective basic capacitance values, voltage ratings, and reliability. Blazon components, on the other hand, arisefrom processes aimed at improving the mechanical stability of the film roll, controlling microphonics and internal resonances, and optimizing the connection between the metallized film and the terminals to reduce resistance and unwanted inductive effects.<\/strong> This involves different choices of materials (selected superior films, careful metallization, studied terminals and connection wires) and special treatments during manufacture, with the stated goal of achieving a more linear response and “musical” behavior in audio circuits than a generic MKP. The various series within the brand, while all based on metallized polypropylene, differ in the degree of micro-resonance control, purity of materials, and connection techniques, with the “highest” ones geared toward further reducing losses and perceived distortion. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Clarity Cap's PUR series represents the ultimate evolution of an MKP capacitor designed and manufactured for audio use<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

If one looks at the evolution as a whole, paper and oil represent the era of impregnated physical insulation, electrolytics the need for large capacitances in relatively small spaces, of the chemical dielectric formed by controlled oxidation on rolled structures. Tantalums, on the other hand, are the three-dimensional evolution of the same principle on very high internal surface porous structures, and MKPs the era of engineered polymer dielectrics and self-repairing microstructure. It is not just an evolution of materials, but of structural concepts and the engineering vision of the component itself: different ways of separating electrical charges in a stable, controlled and repeatable way over time, moving from physical impregnated systems, to chemical reactive systems, to microscopically engineered polymeric systems. A good story, in short. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

https:\/\/youtu.be\/nTc_0GdW1Js This article stems from research done and witnessed on the video at the top, which is about the passionate search for the best possible sound to pull out of the Zen Balanced Line Stage by Nelson Pass. And so, along with the workshop, with practice, we wanted to witness the history and technical evolutions […] More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":18698,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[1493,287],"tags":[633,664,1897,1896,1903,1902,1899,1898,502,1900,1901,539,540,1906,549,1904,1905],"ppma_author":[629],"class_list":["post-18697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technique","category-workshops","tag-audio-3-en","tag-audiohifi-en","tag-capacitor","tag-capacitors","tag-clarity-cap","tag-claritycap","tag-electrolitic-cap","tag-electrolytic","tag-hifi-2-en","tag-mkp","tag-mundorf","tag-musica-en","tag-musicahd-en","tag-polypropylene","tag-suono-en","tag-tantalium","tag-tantalum"],"yoast_head":"\nCapacitors and audio, an elegant history - Audio 2G<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The story of capacitors is a silent trajectory that leaves a deep imprint on the way we listen to and imagine sound\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Capacitors and audio, an elegant history\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The story of capacitors is a silent trajectory that leaves a deep imprint on the way we listen to and imagine sound\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Audio 2G\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-11T10:05:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1536\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Audio 2G\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Audio 2G\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Audio 2G\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/07ccf948de434247cc4b992cfbed878a\"},\"headline\":\"Capacitors and audio, an elegant history\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-11T10:05:29+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2909,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/image.png\",\"keywords\":[\"audio\",\"audiohifi\",\"capacitor\",\"capacitors\",\"Clarity Cap\",\"ClarityCap\",\"electrolitic cap\",\"electrolytic\",\"hifi\",\"MKP\",\"Mundorf\",\"musica\",\"musicahd\",\"polypropylene\",\"suono\",\"tantalium\",\"tantalum\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Technique\",\"Workshops\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\\\/\",\"name\":\"Capacitors and audio, an elegant history - Audio 2G\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/image.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-11T10:05:29+00:00\",\"description\":\"The story of capacitors is a silent trajectory that leaves a deep imprint on the way we listen to and imagine sound\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/image.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/image.png\",\"width\":1536,\"height\":1024,\"caption\":\"Capacitors and audio, an elegant history\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Capacitors and audio, an elegant history\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"Audio 2G\",\"description\":\"The most authoritative audio reviews\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"Video recensioni dei prodotti audio\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Audio 2G\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/Audio-2g_logo_500x526px.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/Audio-2g_logo_500x526px.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":526,\"caption\":\"Audio 2G\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"publishingPrinciples\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/tutti-i-documenti-gdpr\\\/\",\"ownershipFundingInfo\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/tutti-i-documenti-gdpr\\\/\",\"actionableFeedbackPolicy\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/tutti-i-documenti-gdpr\\\/\",\"correctionsPolicy\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/tutti-i-documenti-gdpr\\\/\",\"ethicsPolicy\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/tutti-i-documenti-gdpr\\\/\",\"diversityPolicy\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/tutti-i-documenti-gdpr\\\/\",\"diversityStaffingReport\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/tutti-i-documenti-gdpr\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/07ccf948de434247cc4b992cfbed878a\",\"name\":\"Audio 2G\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/edc7a80ac33397c039a1128e6fab2084eba2856047cdc3ddbf235d6e9d4e7ced?s=96&d=mm&r=g48dc687e1912de2613dc06268feccd0e\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/edc7a80ac33397c039a1128e6fab2084eba2856047cdc3ddbf235d6e9d4e7ced?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/edc7a80ac33397c039a1128e6fab2084eba2856047cdc3ddbf235d6e9d4e7ced?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Audio 2G\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/audio-2g.com\\\/en\\\/author\\\/redazione\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Capacitors and audio, an elegant history - Audio 2G","description":"The story of capacitors is a silent trajectory that leaves a deep imprint on the way we listen to and imagine sound","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Capacitors and audio, an elegant history","og_description":"The story of capacitors is a silent trajectory that leaves a deep imprint on the way we listen to and imagine sound","og_url":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/","og_site_name":"Audio 2G","article_published_time":"2026-02-11T10:05:29+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1536,"height":1024,"url":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Audio 2G","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Audio 2G","Est. reading time":"14 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/"},"author":{"name":"Audio 2G","@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/07ccf948de434247cc4b992cfbed878a"},"headline":"Capacitors and audio, an elegant history","datePublished":"2026-02-11T10:05:29+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/"},"wordCount":2909,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image.png","keywords":["audio","audiohifi","capacitor","capacitors","Clarity Cap","ClarityCap","electrolitic cap","electrolytic","hifi","MKP","Mundorf","musica","musicahd","polypropylene","suono","tantalium","tantalum"],"articleSection":["Technique","Workshops"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/","url":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/","name":"Capacitors and audio, an elegant history - Audio 2G","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image.png","datePublished":"2026-02-11T10:05:29+00:00","description":"The story of capacitors is a silent trajectory that leaves a deep imprint on the way we listen to and imagine sound","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image.png","width":1536,"height":1024,"caption":"Capacitors and audio, an elegant history"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/capacitors-and-audio-an-elegant-history\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Capacitors and audio, an elegant history"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/","name":"Audio 2G","description":"The most authoritative audio reviews","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/#organization"},"alternateName":"Video recensioni dei prodotti audio","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/#organization","name":"Audio 2G","url":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Audio-2g_logo_500x526px.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Audio-2g_logo_500x526px.png","width":500,"height":526,"caption":"Audio 2G"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"publishingPrinciples":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/tutti-i-documenti-gdpr\/","ownershipFundingInfo":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/tutti-i-documenti-gdpr\/","actionableFeedbackPolicy":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/tutti-i-documenti-gdpr\/","correctionsPolicy":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/tutti-i-documenti-gdpr\/","ethicsPolicy":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/tutti-i-documenti-gdpr\/","diversityPolicy":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/tutti-i-documenti-gdpr\/","diversityStaffingReport":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/tutti-i-documenti-gdpr\/"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/07ccf948de434247cc4b992cfbed878a","name":"Audio 2G","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/edc7a80ac33397c039a1128e6fab2084eba2856047cdc3ddbf235d6e9d4e7ced?s=96&d=mm&r=g48dc687e1912de2613dc06268feccd0e","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/edc7a80ac33397c039a1128e6fab2084eba2856047cdc3ddbf235d6e9d4e7ced?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/edc7a80ac33397c039a1128e6fab2084eba2856047cdc3ddbf235d6e9d4e7ced?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Audio 2G"},"url":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/author\/redazione\/"}]}},"authors":[{"term_id":629,"user_id":4,"is_guest":0,"slug":"redazione","display_name":"Audio 2G","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/edc7a80ac33397c039a1128e6fab2084eba2856047cdc3ddbf235d6e9d4e7ced?s=96&d=mm&r=g","author_category":"","user_url":"","last_name":"","first_name":"","job_title":"","description":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18697","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18697"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18697\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18698"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18697"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=18697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}