Just purchased a headphone amp (Schiit magni 3) and would like to eliminate the giant wall wart and have a power supply in a separate chassis. Its 14-16vac, 1.5-2.5A is acceptable. I'm pretty green at this stuff, but I know how to solder and can follow directions pretty well.
What are some good beginner friendly pages i can read through to learn about design considerations for building a low noise power supply.
What are some good beginner friendly pages i can read through to learn about design considerations for building a low noise power supply.
The incoming AC is just the beginning of the power supply, and it's turned into low noise DC inside the main box.
I guess you could get a 14VAC xformer from digikey or mouser put a fuse on the 120 side and put those two things in a box with a cord or IEC connector. Not sure that is going to look any better than the wall wart. The good stuff (AC->DC conversion) is in the magni.
Aside from the AC transformer itself, which Schiit conveniently supplies as a wall-wart, the PSU is contained in the Magni itself, where the incoming AC is rectified into bipolar DC, and then filtered and regulated. A bigger transformer isn't going to make much difference at all, but you certainly could do it for fun.
The biggest issue is you are dealing with the MOST dangerous part of the entire project, the AC wiring. Also, as things need to be in a protective box, you'll find that getting all the stuff, box, transformer, AC mains inlet, cable glands, cabling, jacks, hardware, fuse, etc... will very quickly rival the cost of the Magni.
Personally I'd spend that money on a new DAC.
🙂
EDIT: From the Schiit website -
"Hey, so does that mean I can plug in some uber-special, gold-plated, cryo-treated, 85-lb 2000VA wall wart and have even better performance?
Unless you know what you’re doing, we don’t recommend that. Magni uses an AC wall wart. Most are DC. DC won’t work with either Magni. Plus, seriously? This is an affordable amp. You want to use some $599 power supply with it? Nah."
The biggest issue is you are dealing with the MOST dangerous part of the entire project, the AC wiring. Also, as things need to be in a protective box, you'll find that getting all the stuff, box, transformer, AC mains inlet, cable glands, cabling, jacks, hardware, fuse, etc... will very quickly rival the cost of the Magni.
Personally I'd spend that money on a new DAC.
🙂
EDIT: From the Schiit website -
"Hey, so does that mean I can plug in some uber-special, gold-plated, cryo-treated, 85-lb 2000VA wall wart and have even better performance?
Unless you know what you’re doing, we don’t recommend that. Magni uses an AC wall wart. Most are DC. DC won’t work with either Magni. Plus, seriously? This is an affordable amp. You want to use some $599 power supply with it? Nah."
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Yeah, I bought it used from that auction site, and I have some of the ancillary components already. Besides, DIY isn't always about saving money. I can't build a headphone amp for what I paid for this one. Its more about the available space, I can have another chassis, but the area for power is getting crowded.
Exactly what Andersonix said, not sure what´s your point.
Plus:
A 14-16vac, 1.5-2.5A (40VA) unit IS a large unit, as far as wall warts go.
I mean EI transformer type, not SMPS
Nothing you DIY will be smaller or lighter plus it will be way unsafer.
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Its more about relocating the large unit to a different area than the power strip. I have the space for another chassis, but limited space where the power is. So if I could run a cord only that would help. It'll also be nice to have a power switch on the front of the unit, instead of the toggle on the back of the schiit.
