I think that equipment designs which incorporate a succession of circuits, that each stage leaves opportunity for gains in performance. The power supply obviously starts with the mains, so that is where I start messing with things.
I have seen commercial amps that advertise a higher output, mostly at lower impedance loads by only increasing the size of the transformer and filter caps. This was with an older SCS mosfet amp from about 30 years ago. Not sure if the sound quality is improved, would think so with the right speakers, less with a higher impedance load...
I can appreciate how a good power supply helps, however it is made.
I have seen commercial amps that advertise a higher output, mostly at lower impedance loads by only increasing the size of the transformer and filter caps. This was with an older SCS mosfet amp from about 30 years ago. Not sure if the sound quality is improved, would think so with the right speakers, less with a higher impedance load...
I can appreciate how a good power supply helps, however it is made.
Hi lucpes,
Yes, many people. It was normal to design power supplies like this in the very early days, but later on we had better and less expensive devices to choose from. We can approximate an infinitely large inductance with a series regulator fairly cheaply. From a distribution standpoint, the extra weight of chokes will kill you on shipping and damage claims. From a technical standpoint, electronic systems should give you a lower noise and more stable voltage source for your circuitry. Kind of a push-pull situation towards electronic regulators.
You wouldn't like the cost or performance of a C-L-C ... type filter in products you buy. However, at high switching frequencies where the magnetics can be much smaller, the situation is reversed. Electronic regulators have a more difficult time rejecting high frequencies and this is where an inductor can out-perform an electronic regulator. Things aren't quite that clear-cut, but with switching power supplies you will see LC filters, possibly followed with an electronic regulator.
-Chris
Yes, many people. It was normal to design power supplies like this in the very early days, but later on we had better and less expensive devices to choose from. We can approximate an infinitely large inductance with a series regulator fairly cheaply. From a distribution standpoint, the extra weight of chokes will kill you on shipping and damage claims. From a technical standpoint, electronic systems should give you a lower noise and more stable voltage source for your circuitry. Kind of a push-pull situation towards electronic regulators.
You wouldn't like the cost or performance of a C-L-C ... type filter in products you buy. However, at high switching frequencies where the magnetics can be much smaller, the situation is reversed. Electronic regulators have a more difficult time rejecting high frequencies and this is where an inductor can out-perform an electronic regulator. Things aren't quite that clear-cut, but with switching power supplies you will see LC filters, possibly followed with an electronic regulator.
-Chris
I've used such things very successfully in other contexts, but in an audio amp, the 'L' is going to add impedance within the audio band, unless we are just talking an RF choke or a pi filter well above the audio bandwidth.
But sometimes that's OK, what you want to do is isolate different circuit sections which are fed by the same rail.
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Update ...
That said, the very good sonics with unreg. output stage is praiseworthy -- especially given its economy (i.e., no of parts, and all being stock).
Note that the PSU of new reg. is completely independent from CDPs power (note the separate power cord).
Still not sure un-regulated is still superior to the upgrade noted above (and shown in pics below).
That said, the very good sonics with unreg. output stage is praiseworthy -- especially given its economy (i.e., no of parts, and all being stock).
Note that the PSU of new reg. is completely independent from CDPs power (note the separate power cord).
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
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