I wanted to start a thread to discuss power supply options. The power transformer is a fairly large and heavy component in a tube amplifier. Are there other options?
Why aren't switched mode power supplies common in tube amplifiers?
It dawned on me that active power factor correcting computer power supplies first step up the line voltage to ~400v before stepping it down again to 12v, 5v, and 3.3v. There are other voltages but those 3 are the high current outputs. One other output to make note of is the -12v output. Maybe it could be used for bias. The 400v DC source inside the supply would seem ideal for the output stage of a tube amp. The 12v may be ok for some preamp tubes. Would the 5v be enough for lighting 6v heaters?
I'm not sure how isolated a tube's filament is from the rest of the tube. Could a pair of PP output filaments be wired in series for 12v without effecting the function of the tube?
Another cheap switched mode supply is electronic ballasts used in fluorescent lighting. Maybe it could be used as is or modified for tube use. My concern with it is that some may not be 100% isolated from the ac line.
Thoughts?
Why aren't switched mode power supplies common in tube amplifiers?
It dawned on me that active power factor correcting computer power supplies first step up the line voltage to ~400v before stepping it down again to 12v, 5v, and 3.3v. There are other voltages but those 3 are the high current outputs. One other output to make note of is the -12v output. Maybe it could be used for bias. The 400v DC source inside the supply would seem ideal for the output stage of a tube amp. The 12v may be ok for some preamp tubes. Would the 5v be enough for lighting 6v heaters?
I'm not sure how isolated a tube's filament is from the rest of the tube. Could a pair of PP output filaments be wired in series for 12v without effecting the function of the tube?
Another cheap switched mode supply is electronic ballasts used in fluorescent lighting. Maybe it could be used as is or modified for tube use. My concern with it is that some may not be 100% isolated from the ac line.
Thoughts?