Power supply for Sonic T

[Puffin]

I have just made a battery power supply (12v)with integral charger, using the same size battery and (I think) layout as in the Clari-T power supply. It seems better than the mains powered 13.8 supply that I have been using to date. I would be intersted to hear what others are using and how you feel they affect the sound.

[GJF]

I would like to know in which ways you find the battery power supply superior and also what type of 13.8V d.c. supply you used previously as battery power is next on my list of supplies to try.

At the moment I have a choice of 4 supplies, 13.6V 5A regulated as per Amp 6, 12V 1.2A modified Mascot regulated using a switching i.c. controlling a pass transistor, 12V 1.0A unregulated and one of NUUK's smps with 4,700mf cap on the output with the voltage tweaked to 13v.

I have a fairly clear order of ranking amongst these supplies and it isn't in line with what is normaly expected. The Amp 6 supply comes in at number 1 closely followed by the 12V 1.2A Mascot and the unregulated 1.0A supply and NUUK's smps equal third depending on which amp they are used with.

I have a modified Sonic, Amp 3 and a newly constucted and modified Amp 6 ( power regulator, bridge rectifier and associated caps/resisters and bulk cap moved off board into a seperate case together with a 100VA transformer and 4,700mf cap on the output)

The sound with the Amp3 and 6 using the smps can seem finely detailed but extended listening reveals a subdued top-end response and I find listening fatigue sets in after a while.
With the Amp 6 preference is for, unsuprisingly, the Amp 6 based power supply but with the Amp 3 its too close to call between that and the Mascot, indeed if anything I prefer the sound of the Amp 3 with Mascot to the Amp6 with its own supply!
Then again, the Amp 6 has only about 30 hours on it and seems to be improving slowly but I seriously doubt it will ever sound as good as the Amp 3.

Which leaves the Sonic. And that sounds best with the unregulted supply would you believe? It has 4,700mf of bulk cap just off-board and is used by my son to power a set of Russ Andrews Rave speakers and just seems a match made in heaven. In some ways its probaly the best sounding of all 3 of the amps but just too low powered for my application. Its also the one with the most modifications to it and not something I would care to repeat, I marvel that it still works sometimes.

Hope this all helps somehow.

[Puffin]

Hi GJF, The mains power supply is a Maplin 13.8 (3amp) regulated supply designed to be used with C.B radio rigs (£14.99). However it works very well with the S.I. The battery seems to give more midrange and "air" around instruments. I have found that a 4,700uf stiffener cap is about the right boost.