Using step-up regulators?

[AudioWizard]

Hi all,


is it ever acceptable to use step-up regulators for hi-fi audio?

My own answer until now would be no, but I'm wondering how I can design a power supply from a single-cell Li-ion battery (~3.6V), to get something like +/-12V (or 24V and I'd use a virtual ground circuit).

Is there a solution for this? I mean a solution that would be acceptable in terms of performance for audio stages?

Any ideas welcome.

Thanks!

[luka]

Hi

I think that pushpull would be great, but problem is, that you have only 3.6v, which is not enough for most/all? smps chips

[jackinnj]

There have been some very, very low voltage converter designs in EDN. Take a look at Design Note 280 on Linear Technology's website:

http://www.linear.com/pc/downloadDoc...42,C1031,D4476

[luka]

Hi

Yup only chips like that, pretty new compared to what normally is used...or uController

[theAnonymous1]

I have used MAX629 (with rail splitter), and Texas Instruments PTN04050C/PTN04050A for +/-12v from a lithium cell. Whether either of those solutions could ever be considered "audiophile quality" is beyond my understanding of these things.

[jackinnj]

MAX629 looks interesting for a low voltage SMPS -- and the package is SO-8, has its own switching transistor.

You would probably want to clean up the output with a low noise linear regulator -- but there is plenty of overhead to take care of the losses such a regulator would entail.