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Many audio enthusiasts are interested in buying audio capacitors. One must take into account a few characteristics in order to make the right choice among different audio capacitors. There’s been a lot of controversy as to which capacitor is best between two Elna audio capacitors. This article will mention the differences between Elna Cerafine vs Silmic II.
The main difference between the two is that Silmic has a lower ESR (resistance) than Cerafine. The ESR of a capacitor is measured in ohms and refers to its resistance to a change in voltage; a lower value represents less resistance and therefore higher efficiency.
This means that capacitors with higher capacitance will also have higher resistances, all other things being equal, but this doesn’t mean they’re worse than ones with lower capacitance. Instead, it just depends on what your application needs are.
They are very similar in terms of sound quality. Silmic is a newer series of capacitors, so it would be more common to find them in new audio equipment. The dielectric of both is different. Cerafine uses a ceramic material while Silmic uses Silmic II (silicon dioxide).
Comparing Elna Cerafine vs Silmic II
| Elna Cerafine | Silmic II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $$ | $$$ |
| Capacitance range | 0.1 µF to 22 µF | 1 µF to 100 µF |
| Voltage rating | 50 V to 1000 V | 50 V to 1000 V |
| Tolerance | ±1% to ±5% | ±2% |
| Dielectric material | Ceramic | Silmic |
| Key features | Low ESR, high reliability, low dielectric loss, high ripple current handling | Low ESR, high reliability, low dielectric loss, high ripple current handling, stable capacitance |
| Customer reviews | Generally positive | Generally positive |
Difference Between Elna Cerafine vs Silmic II
While you might expect to see clear-cut differences, there aren’t many things that differentiate both. Both Elna Cerafines and Elna Silmics are high-quality capacitors made by reputable brands. You can’t go wrong with either one of them, but if you’re curious about their differences or want to know which one may be better for your needs, read on.
1. Sound quality
Sound quality is subjective, so it’s difficult to say which capacitor is better without hearing them side by side under identical conditions. It’s important to understand that sound quality is a combination of many things, including:
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- The components used in your amplifier and Speaker setup
- Your listening environment (including room size and acoustics)
- Your listening habits (how do you listen? At what volume?)
While Elna Cerafine audio capacitor and Elna Silmic ii audio capacitor are similar in terms of sound quality, there are many factors that contribute to how good your music sounds. Both capacitors will produce a natural sound with good detail and spacial qualities. This is the goal of audio equipment: to reproduce sound as it was originally produced. A good speaker system, for example, will provide you with an accurate representation of the sounds in your environment.
The more detail that is captured by your speakers, the better they are at producing this accurate representation.
2. Recency
Elna is a well-known producer of capacitors. The Elna Cerafine series was one of their most popular lines, but it has been discontinued.
The Silmic II audio capacitor is a newer generation of audio capacitors designed to be more efficient than the Cerafine series. Because it’s a newer product, it’s more common to find this type of capacitor in modern audio equipment or devices with high-fidelity sound systems.
3. The dielectric of both is different
Ceramic is a good dielectric but Silmic II has better electrical properties than ceramic. This is because of its lower ESR and higher breakdown voltage. The properties of a capacitor are measured by its dielectric constant and insulation resistance known as the Electrical Stability Ratio (ESR). Ceramic has a higher ESR than Silmic II so it has less stability in high-frequency circuits.
4. Noise
Some people claim that the Silmic has less noise, but I haven’t heard any evidence to support this. The ESR (equivalent series resistor) is a measure of how much resistance is in the capacitor. It can be measured in ohms, which is like saying “how many volts it takes for the current to flow through the capacitor”. The lower the ESR, the better – this means that more current flows through and less energy is wasted as heat.
ESR is determined by a capacitor’s physical characteristics: its size/physical dimensions and the type of material used for dielectric. Because of these physical constraints, most capacitors have about 1-5 ohms worth of resistance in their construction; anything higher than this would be considered bad capacitors.
5. Response time
I’m not sure if there are any differences in the response time of these two capacitors, but it’s hard to say which one is better without hearing them side by side under identical conditions.
6. Price
The price difference may or may not be significant depending on what kind of money you have to spend and how much extra cash you’re willing to invest in audio equipment. In my experience, higher prices generally correlate with higher quality.
However, this isn’t always true and often depends on the specific item being purchased. In addition, there are many other factors that can affect pricing such as manufacturing quality control processes, and whether or not there’s a brand name associated with either product.
The main reason to choose one over another is your budget. If you want to save money, go with the Elna Cerafine Audio Capacitor; it’s a slightly cheaper product that performs equally well. If you have some extra cash lying around or just want to splurge on something nice for your system, then get yourself a bottle of Elna Silmic II Audio Capacitor; this is an excellent choice if you can afford it.
Pros and Cons of Elna Cerafine and Silmic II
When it comes to high-quality audio capacitors, Elna Cerafine and Silmic ii are two of the most popular choices in the market. While both capacitors are designed to deliver exceptional sound quality, they have their own unique set of pros and cons. Let’s take a closer look at them:
Elna Cerafine
The CERAFINE series delivers exceptional audio quality by integrating ultra-fine ceramic particles into the fibers of the electrolytic separation paper.
Pros:
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- Ultra-fine ceramic particles integrated into the fibers of the electrolytic separation paper reduce distortions and control electrical noise caused by outside disturbance.
- Reproduces great sound with true concert-hall presence, resolution, power, good bass presence, and less distortion in the mid and high regions.
- As near to the Black Gate sound as you can get at a lesser price.
Cons:
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- Limited information available on the Elna Cerafine audio capacitor.
- Can be difficult to find.
Silmic II
The SILMIC series of Elna’s highest-grade audio capacitors have excellent acoustic properties. Silk fibers are used in a completely new type of electrolytic separating paper
Pros:
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- Excellent acoustic properties with the use of silk fibers in a completely new type of electrolytic separating paper.
- The extreme softness of silk can diminish vibrational energy generated by the electrodes, external vibrations, and electromagnetic fields.
- Signal transmission speed is increased, allowing it to generate a more potent yet mellow sound than before.
Cons:
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- Silmic ii has no obvious setbacks, but this is partly because there is not much to go by in terms of reviews. This can be a good thing though.
Final Thoughts on Elna Cerafine and Silmic II
If you have a preference for Elna Cerafine or Elna Silmic II, then by all means use it. The capacitors are basically the same and both produce a natural sound with good detail and spacial qualities.
Polymer has slightly lower impedance but still produces excellent results in terms of sound quality so this shouldn’t be a big issue unless you’re building an extremely high-end system that requires very low noise levels or needs to work well at high frequencies.
The main difference between the two is that Silmic has a lower ESR (resistance) than Cerafine. But I don’t think that makes it better. I’ve heard many amps with silmics and cerafines and I don’t think one sounds better than the other. Some people claim that the Silmic has less noise, but there’s not much evidence to support this.
