I am building a Classd Audio amp. I can use either a linear or an SMPS. Which do you suggest and why. I am an old tube amp guy and know nothing about class d. Thus my question? Thanks and kindest regards
He He this could be a fun thread.
My view is either, as long as they are well designed and well layed out, layout or bad layout being the biggest cause of SMPS's getting bad press.
My view is either, as long as they are well designed and well layed out, layout or bad layout being the biggest cause of SMPS's getting bad press.
Switching if you can buy one off the shelf or have proven plans to follow. Linear if you have to design it yourself. I suspect the switcher will provide better performance since it is regulated.
Both can be excellent or poor depending on the implementation.
AFAIK not all SMPS are regulated. A linear supply may be regulated if you are willing to deal with the heat/losses that will come with this. A linear supply should have a very large transformer for best performance.
I have never built a Class D amp but I have built Class AB amplifiers with SMPS supplies with very satisfying results. For an idea of how good a Class AB amp can perform with a SMPS have a look in the thread for the LME49830 based 'The Wire' amp where opc measured its performance with a high quality regulated SMPS.
AFAIK not all SMPS are regulated. A linear supply may be regulated if you are willing to deal with the heat/losses that will come with this. A linear supply should have a very large transformer for best performance.
I have never built a Class D amp but I have built Class AB amplifiers with SMPS supplies with very satisfying results. For an idea of how good a Class AB amp can perform with a SMPS have a look in the thread for the LME49830 based 'The Wire' amp where opc measured its performance with a high quality regulated SMPS.
I prefer linear supplies for their simplicity. Easy to fix if/when they do go wrong.
A faulty SMPS could be a pig to fix.
A faulty SMPS could be a pig to fix.
Thanks for all the input. I think I will buy one of each (they are fairly cheap, especially in kit form) and try them with the amp. I will use which ever sounds best and keep the other as either a back-up or a bench supply. Thanks again for the suggestions. Regards
You can get better performance with a regulated SMPS. As with any other thing, there are good and bad ones. Linear PSU of similar performance is usually much bulkier, heavier and expensive than an switching PSU.
The traditional EMI problems of SMPS have been reduced to excellent levels making them practical for high-end audio. Again, in good designs.
The traditional EMI problems of SMPS have been reduced to excellent levels making them practical for high-end audio. Again, in good designs.
Don't think that a regulated SMPS will be cheaper than a linear!😀
And what's the purpose of the stabilization or linear , or SMPS ? All (almost 😉 ) amplifiers have an excellent rejection of the supply ripple.😕
oh I think it will, if you take everything into account. to build an equivalent linear supply that is capable to not sag in the slightest on highest transients, you have a reasonable cost right there, then you have to build or buy a much larger chassis than needed if using SMPS as well, add in the shipping of the heavier parts and you would be surprised how close or even behind
I agree , but i didn't mean any weight , shipping , heating , and other non electric properties 😀
My opinion is that there is no need for regulated (stabilized) supply , neither lineer or switch. 😉
Just want to start a thread about power supply of D amps.
As I seen many prebuild solid state amps has power transformer has power equal or less than the dictated power of the amp. For example, a 80*2 ta2022 has a 160W transformer. Does redundancy need for transformer? May it a compromise to cost and size?
For the cost, I survey the Taobao,
24V 300W turtoid transformer: RMB65
24V 10A SMPS: RMB80-121
I don't sure the quality of either.
As I seen many prebuild solid state amps has power transformer has power equal or less than the dictated power of the amp. For example, a 80*2 ta2022 has a 160W transformer. Does redundancy need for transformer? May it a compromise to cost and size?
For the cost, I survey the Taobao,
24V 300W turtoid transformer: RMB65
24V 10A SMPS: RMB80-121
I don't sure the quality of either.
well ermm yes you were, you were talking about cost vs quality, those are all factors of cost and therefor value for money.
I really think you need to look at those measurements of the wire powered by DPS-600 and then tell me theres no advantage to regulated. I didnt buy them to save money, I bought them because the performance was spectacular and i'm building a multichannel amp so size matters
actually here i'll link some. show me a linear unregulated supply with that sort of performance and i'll show you something that costs more and is 5-10x the size. it would have to be an exceptionally well designed unregulated supply at any size/cost.
i'm sure it can be done, but in particular the full power (250W) pulse at 100Hz and lack of under or overshoot on the start/stop at 1kHz measures (this is of it actually powering the amp, red and blue traces are the rails) it would be a tall order. swing in this case is +/-65v, 20v divisions and noise is dB/V
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