Test the Misunderstood Stiffening Capacitor

Listening to the sweet sound of music is great fun.
Every great experience starts with the care given to details. I was often asked "how is it possible that you get this level of transparency" by those listening to one of my creations. Inevitably, though, giving them the facts was the wrong answer. They, specially experts, would response: "no way, that doesn't work".
So let me understand, you first ask me because you are surprised with the performance, you then tell me how it is impossible? While this was not my response, I sure hope it would have been. Instead, I would simply ignore the comment and let them keep their prejudices.
Most people ignore the fact that great discoveries arise from mistakes and that only an open mind catches such discoveries. Trying to prove one's preconceptions is sure to lead to frustration and to missing of learning opportunities. An open mind is a scientist's main tool.
At the same time, many of what I did had to pass a test: it had to be repeatable and predictable. If results were not always there, then I would simply discount any theory I had.
Finally, I understood my fallibility. If I found something that gave predictable and repeatable results but which I did not understand, I would simple be happy knowing that I was ignorant. Of course that I would try to understand first. But one needs to know that many things happen beyond our ability to comprehend. Thinking that we have to know everything is a sure sign of personal insecurities.

Launch Video

So, one day I decided to test the speed of large carbon capacitors. I will discuss these tests in another post. For now I will focus on the fact that, thanks to these tests, I found that class D amplifiers dumped incredible amounts of noise to the power source. The noise was correlated to the input signal at the amplifier. This meant that applying pink noise to the input would result in pink noise dumped onto the power grid of the system.
Once I knew this, I developed a measuring system that would allow me to find ways to reduce the impact of the noise.
I also conducted extensive evaluations on the sound characteristics of what the newly developed testing system showed.
As usual, much of what I did would not be audible in many systems. Yet, its results were constant in any one of mys systems. The reason, I though, was the fact that other systems did not have enough transparency. I felt that such systems masked the nuances contained within the music recording. As a result, I am not surprised when others disagrees with my findings. If they own a system based on professional-audio techniques, for example, their system will maximize efficiency and dispersion at the expense of time response. This compromise makes systems dynamic but flat. Small changes in sound are often not noticeable.
When I originally posted this video to YouTube, response was polar in nature. Many people were very thankful for the insight. On the other hand, many industry experts were furious that I would imply that their great amplifiers produced noise, that capacitors would make a difference at all or that the difference would be audible.
I honestly do not care now any more than I did before. As I previously said, many would ask how and then disagree with the answer. They ignored the results achieved and the fact that such results were repeatable.

Capacitors in Power Supply

What these experts also missed is the fact that I gave them the test to be conduct at their own leisure. Rather than ask people to trust me, I wanted them to do the test themselves.
The test shows that class D amplifiers dump noise to the power grid at levels equal to those from the alternator. The test also shows how a good quality electrolytic capacitor can help. Today, many experts dislike the use of these capacitors without considering that all of their electronics use them internally.
What the test does not show is that the system noise is audible. But this would be difficult to show in a video.  In my experience, signal processors are most susceptible to power supply deviations from DC.
Try the test for yourself after getting your system to a higher level of transparency. See if you find the test to be a good tool for system design.