How "mono" is your mono power supply?

[yldouright]

I've noted here that this is a contraversial topic so I'd like the forum members to provide their opinions on where the most benefit is likely to be derived when making a mono channel supply for their amps. Below are five examples which could all be considered "mono" powered amps so pick your favorite and state why you expect an audable difference?

1. Everything separate, even the lines to the outlets.

2. Common delivery but separate transfomers, rectifiers and caps.

3. Common transformer but everything separate after that.

4. Common transformer and double bridge but everything separate after that.

5. Hybrid combination based on greatest bang for the buck.

[JOE DIRT®]

#2 is the true "mono" p/s setup, the rest are improvisations

DIRT®

[yldouright]

JOE DIRT

What are the sonic advantages of using two transformers as opposed to one?

[Cradle22]

Hi!

At least in car-hifi, "true" mono supply designs are being used in order to minimize (that is, get entirely rid of) the influences of one channel of the stereo music signal on the other channel -> stability (for example, if a "strong" bass impulse is only heard on one channel, normally the voltage of that channel would drop a little bit because of the needed power, therefore influencing also the power available to the other channel, but if you use separate supplies, only the voltage of the "demanding" channel would drop, while the other stays "stable").

So far I have not used a "true" mono supply, only what you describe under pt. 3 for my P3A (500 VA toroid, but seperate rectification and smoothing). But I'm a student on low money , so who knows what crazy stuff I would build if I had the money for it... a P3A with 150.000 uF on each rail, built entirely of BG caps...


Bye,

Arndt

[Peter Daniel]

Originally posted by yldouright
JOE DIRT

What are the sonic advantages of using two transformers as opposed to one?

For instance, with GC, I'm noticing better soundststage.

[yldouright]

Cradle22

If the power delivery is the issue, isn't this a function of the size of the transformance as opposed to it being divided?

Peter Daniel

How are you my friend, its been a while and from my reading I can see that you've progressed nicely in your art, Congratulations! Now, is the soundstage improvement better focus or greater size? This is important because what you're hearing may be phase delivery timing issues that appear to increase the soundstage at the expense of resolution.

[yldouright]

For the record, I happen to be in Cradle22's camp and believe a single transformer has the potential to sound better than multiple transformers in a mono amp scheme but I'd like a robust discourse to see if my opinions and their logic hold up.

[UrSv]

Originally posted by yldouright
For the record, I happen to be in Cradle22's camp and believe a single transformer has the potential to sound better than multiple transformers in a mono amp scheme but I'd like a robust discourse to see if my opinions and their logic hold up.

Well, that seems like exactly the opposite of what Cradle22 is saying as he says he would build true mono if he had the cash and that in car audio it is used as a desired feature to avoid the same as we have been discussing here and in other threads.

[yldouright]

UrSv

Nice to see you here I wanted to address the points you made earlier in this thread. Wouldn't the spike that gets through one transformer also get through another transformer on the same power line? As I understand it, each transformer is also a source of noise and HF hash so do you still maintain that multiple transformers will sound better?

[NickC]

i have tried option 2 3 times, even though i assume they are dual mono but sharing mains, a buzzing sound is heard from one side. This doesn't happen if i just connect one side of the amp
(2 monos in one) oppose to the dual mono same chasis and same mains.
Recently i built a real monos-separate chasis and separate trans but sharing the same distribution block for ac mains but 2 power cords are used. i couldnot hear any buzzing at all.