Would buying a larger cap then i need be bad?
 

My system is a single sub with 375w RMS, im very pleased with the sound im getting from it, but i want to add a "stiffening" capacitor to my system right beside my battery, (its under my back seat)

my car has no dimming headlight problems, but my radio lights dim and my battery gauge goes down a few ticks, but still stays at or above 14v.

just wondering because the chart says i would need a .5 farad cap, but 1 farad are more readily available and cheaper, any thoughts?

dont waste your money. caps do nothing. at least tiny ones like 1 farad .
You dont have a problem! seems your system is working well!

are there any SQ beneifits to adding a cap? because thats more what i was after :D

you have obviously not searched any threads about caps.. NO NO NO dont waste your money. NO one selling caps have ever shown the benefits of simple couple farad caps. Maybe 100 Farads can act like a small battery.. But a few farads are totaly uselss.
I am an electrical engineer and have done the math.

there can definitely be sound SQ benefits.

just don't get dragged into thinking a cap will solve a lack of power issue.

caps are great at reducing noise in a system.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPTlfwgPGyM


check out that video. simple demonstration of an overlooked benefit of a cap.

Wow "Monster Cable" marketing... This is a very high profit margin product, no surprise that a company like IXOS want you to have one (or more) If you have a crappy amp that generate noise on the 12V line to a point it's a problem, change the amp... Also even if there's noise on the 12V, the internal power supply of the amp will simply get rid.

i dont have power issues, the car stays above 14v, but sometimes it bobbles a few ticks up and down (always staying above 14v though) and i was just thinking a cap would "steady" that out,

the sub is a jbl gto and the amp is a jbl 3501, very happy with both

To the contrary of what this guy is saying, the smaller 1F cans are the only caps that can help. The inductance of the larger 5-250F+ carbon caps makes them useless.

If you look through the archives over at carsound.com you might be able to dig up performance graphs from some real world testing which clearly shows the benifits and limitations of using a cap. In most cases you would probably be better off spending your money on a high performance low resistance battery.

Please show them to me.. "might be able to dig up" ? fat chance !

OP, as you can see, you are NOT going to get a straight answer.

There are simply too many opinions on the benefits and uses of capacitors (or lack of)