I have recently received an Connexelectronic (PCBStuff) SMPS500Rv2. Aside from an initial issue with the fast-on spade connectors literally coming off the board, all seemed well. After a few hours of testing and use it has become mechanically noisy and though the output seems stable it runs hotter when making the noise. I have approached the company about this and await their recommendation on what to do about it. I'm a little disappointed in it as a result.
Can anyone recommend a quality SMPS that will output +/-45V (even if it has to be configured / adjusted to the desired output) in the 300W to 500W range? The Connexelectronic was a good price, but I'd be willing to pay more for a higher quality product. I know some have advocated the Hypex product and others the Coldamp product and am curious if there are others that come recommended.
Can anyone recommend a quality SMPS that will output +/-45V (even if it has to be configured / adjusted to the desired output) in the 300W to 500W range? The Connexelectronic was a good price, but I'd be willing to pay more for a higher quality product. I know some have advocated the Hypex product and others the Coldamp product and am curious if there are others that come recommended.
With the lack of recommendations I have looked about some and find three potential candidates:
Hypex SMPS400A180
Coldamp SPS30
AudioPower DPS-500/DA
Of these both Coldamp and AudioPower can customize the output voltage without added expense, though the Hypex is the least expensive of these.
Has anyone had direct experience with any of these or has any other recommendations? I have been in touch with Coldamp and got very prompt response, so for me that bodes well.
Hypex SMPS400A180
Coldamp SPS30
AudioPower DPS-500/DA
Of these both Coldamp and AudioPower can customize the output voltage without added expense, though the Hypex is the least expensive of these.
Has anyone had direct experience with any of these or has any other recommendations? I have been in touch with Coldamp and got very prompt response, so for me that bodes well.
A friend of mine bought SMPS300RE and quoting him, is the "best SMPS ever used for an amplifier" that can't be beaten nor by quality, price or performance. Smallest form-factor, highest efficiency, lowest noise and bullet proof safe. I dare to believe that the SMPS500R isn't that far either. I read some reviews on some french and german websites and these power supplies stand in front of others for the same reasons. It might be just you're unlucky or not careful enough that something came of and probably the rest of the problems just started there. I see that the vendor offered you replacement or refund, I think is fair enough and you should take the chance and let us know how it went. I plan to buy one SMPS2000R for my next First One project and I hope that will be up to my expectations.
Few years ago I bought one coldamp SPS30 for my Quad405 project and I was having a lot of problems with that until it eventually died with blown transistors and few other parts, making it unrepairable. Never got it fixed, they never answered to my emails not to mention about replaced or returned the money. I just gave up. Then I decided to build a robust linear supply which never had any issue. The first impression of SPS30 was an expensive, poorly designed, with lack of protections and extremely noisy power supply. I wouldn't recommend it to any of my friends.
Hypex SMPS's are good quality a little expensive and I find them an excellent match for their class D amplifiers and not only. But the lack of regulation of output voltage make them unsuitable for many applications. This is a point where I still believe that Connex electonic SMPS are superior.
Audiopower DPS-500/DA ? hmmm, doesn't inspire too much trust though. I gave a hope to them and I was about to order one for my project till I found one post on diysmps forum where someone dismantled one power supply and showed how was built. I find it as a "Coldamp reloaded" with contradictory informations and specks, flooding advertisement and annoying promotion made by the very single guy who promote them (and probably produce them in china too) and lack of positive feedback from neutral or trust able sources.
Few years ago I bought one coldamp SPS30 for my Quad405 project and I was having a lot of problems with that until it eventually died with blown transistors and few other parts, making it unrepairable. Never got it fixed, they never answered to my emails not to mention about replaced or returned the money. I just gave up. Then I decided to build a robust linear supply which never had any issue. The first impression of SPS30 was an expensive, poorly designed, with lack of protections and extremely noisy power supply. I wouldn't recommend it to any of my friends.
Hypex SMPS's are good quality a little expensive and I find them an excellent match for their class D amplifiers and not only. But the lack of regulation of output voltage make them unsuitable for many applications. This is a point where I still believe that Connex electonic SMPS are superior.
Audiopower DPS-500/DA ? hmmm, doesn't inspire too much trust though. I gave a hope to them and I was about to order one for my project till I found one post on diysmps forum where someone dismantled one power supply and showed how was built. I find it as a "Coldamp reloaded" with contradictory informations and specks, flooding advertisement and annoying promotion made by the very single guy who promote them (and probably produce them in china too) and lack of positive feedback from neutral or trust able sources.
Thanks for your input and suggestions. Yes, sometimes we have a spot of 'bad luck' with a product or service. Shame it had to be the first experience though.
I have emailed the vendor and have had one reply so far and await another response. Hopefully I can get this resolved satisfactorily. My current project is in a compact chassis, so a regular linear supply would be tight, though not out of the question. Size and perceived value is what drew me to the SMPS in the first place. Only issue is if something isn't right the typical DIY'er can't fix it. Live and learn.
Hm, I was beginning to lean towards the SPS30. Decent form-factor and the right power level for my needs. They have also been responsive to my contacts as well. Guess not everyone has the same experiences.
The only thing that keeps me from the Hypex is that LazyCat made a bunch of recommendations to modify it, largely due to inferior capacitors being used. I guess we can see that in many different products though. I just didn't want to buy something only to have to 'upgrade' it to get the best performance from it.
As far as regulation goes, I'm OK without firmly regulated rails. I just want decently low levels of ripple.
I have emailed the vendor and have had one reply so far and await another response. Hopefully I can get this resolved satisfactorily. My current project is in a compact chassis, so a regular linear supply would be tight, though not out of the question. Size and perceived value is what drew me to the SMPS in the first place. Only issue is if something isn't right the typical DIY'er can't fix it. Live and learn.
Hm, I was beginning to lean towards the SPS30. Decent form-factor and the right power level for my needs. They have also been responsive to my contacts as well. Guess not everyone has the same experiences.
The only thing that keeps me from the Hypex is that LazyCat made a bunch of recommendations to modify it, largely due to inferior capacitors being used. I guess we can see that in many different products though. I just didn't want to buy something only to have to 'upgrade' it to get the best performance from it.
As far as regulation goes, I'm OK without firmly regulated rails. I just want decently low levels of ripple.
Hi,
Please, you can show me the link of our DPS-500/DA dismantled??
Just for info (all know this),It is developped and assembled in Italy.
ColdAmp reloaded?? ColdAmp have a smps with this performances? and or technology? sorry but not know.
Our simple smps for audio is the DPS-400, It features performances by musical and cleaning that I do not seem to have other smps.
I do not know a DPS-400 broke.
The cost of production of 1 DPS-400 is equal to 2.7 times compared to a similar smps, you can see just by looking I think.
You have posted information that is not absolutely true.
"flooding advertisement and annoying promotion??"
Well, I need a TRUE clean and fast in response smps for our new project class A-B, Please... advise me a smps for this use, the price is not important, I just want to measure if I can use this, on my new amp.
regards
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"Pseudo science...obsolete smps"??
I not have words....please, develop you for me, a smps regulated with fast response, clean,with no PWM. you know what is "PWM" I think.
and use 470uF max becouse 1600uF is illegal and catastrophic.
When you realizze this for me, I buy a lot.
Based on what? you recommend Hypex smps and decide that others are not good.
In this area (smps), which is very delicate, it takes the measurements, no words.
A company that saves on components of a smps is not worthy of selling.
convince me that you have a good smps ...
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2xDPS-400+2xPBTU3 (ELNA Filter 2x5000uF) at +/-45V or 36-58V €120 +ups.
from measures, the best is the DPS-400
''The only thing that keeps me from the Hypex is that LazyCat made a bunch of recommendations to modify it, largely due to inferior capacitors being used. I guess we can see that in many different products though. I just didn't want to buy something only to have to 'upgrade' it to get the best performance from it."
The way I perceived it, some people that bought or wanted to buy LC's VSSA amp did not want the Hypex because there were Samwha caps used. They read about bad Samwhas in the past or experienced bad Samwhas themselves. Either way they felt very strong about this. That was in my opinion reason for LC to look at replacing these, and when somebody like LC starts measuring into finding suitable replacement parts he is bound to find possible improvements too (for intended use).
So I don't think LC actually found the Samwhas to be inferior.
I still use the unmodded Hypex. I also use Cristi's connexelectronics500rs, same possitive experience with that smps, no problems (it also has Samwha caps).
The way I perceived it, some people that bought or wanted to buy LC's VSSA amp did not want the Hypex because there were Samwha caps used. They read about bad Samwhas in the past or experienced bad Samwhas themselves. Either way they felt very strong about this. That was in my opinion reason for LC to look at replacing these, and when somebody like LC starts measuring into finding suitable replacement parts he is bound to find possible improvements too (for intended use).
So I don't think LC actually found the Samwhas to be inferior.
I still use the unmodded Hypex. I also use Cristi's connexelectronics500rs, same possitive experience with that smps, no problems (it also has Samwha caps).
Jason: did you sent the unit already ? I sent you another email and I got no reply at all.
Dj Daru: Please bring some proofs to support your affirmations, our colleague AP2 seems irritated by these affirmations. where you found that post ? I can't find any.
I recommended the Hypex ones because I trust their skills and quality. Although they are competitors (bigger than our company) I respect them and appreciate a good product. Not the same I can say about others who just claim to have a much better product in fact just vaporware. Hypex SMPS's have no regulated output voltage, while most of the ones we sell have. This doesn't make them useless. In exchange some of them use synch rectifiers, at the moment the only ones commercially available which I'm aware of. that's the reason of using such a small secondary side capacitance. anyway I will not enter in details, not many will fully understand the reasons and motivations. The story of bad caps is obsolete too. and using audiograde capacitors for a smps only proves that the smps was made to sqeeze more money not performance.
even your last post was advertisment: 2xDPS-400+2xPBTU3 (ELNA Filter 2x5000uF) at +/-45V or 36-58V €120 +ups. from measures, the best is the DPS-400
AP2: I read some of your posts and I have to admit that it worthed time spent. And yes I have developed (but not for you, unless you gonna get inspired from it) a smps regulated with fast response, clean,with no PWM.
I don't know what is PWM, sorry, pls explain with your own words.
Why I said that too much praised using excessively amounts of pseudo science terms ?
There are few threads where you had offered discounts, free boards, group buys and so on, and almost every time some of the members got tired of endless excuses why wasn't shipped couple of months later. let's be serious you're in the heart of Europe and there are no shipping problems like I face here in china where each day comes with new challenges.
"The smps integrated in this amplifier is unique in the world a this moment. like it or not, this is a truth!" http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/clas...ound-pressure-improvements-2.html#post3287834 I can make a list with several telecom, medical and even industrial SMPS which can perform much better. and in decent quantities, the prices are similar if not lower.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/243725-revolution-b-class-amplifiers-3.html#post3661647
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/243725-revolution-b-class-amplifiers-2.html#post3660666
Please, respect forum users if you want to be taken serious. also, respect your competitors and don't think that everything else is trash. I do respect Hypex and I would respect any others which will do something at least at the same level of performance/price as I do or they do.
Dj Daru: Please bring some proofs to support your affirmations, our colleague AP2 seems irritated by these affirmations. where you found that post ? I can't find any.
I recommended the Hypex ones because I trust their skills and quality. Although they are competitors (bigger than our company) I respect them and appreciate a good product. Not the same I can say about others who just claim to have a much better product in fact just vaporware. Hypex SMPS's have no regulated output voltage, while most of the ones we sell have. This doesn't make them useless. In exchange some of them use synch rectifiers, at the moment the only ones commercially available which I'm aware of. that's the reason of using such a small secondary side capacitance. anyway I will not enter in details, not many will fully understand the reasons and motivations. The story of bad caps is obsolete too. and using audiograde capacitors for a smps only proves that the smps was made to sqeeze more money not performance.
even your last post was advertisment: 2xDPS-400+2xPBTU3 (ELNA Filter 2x5000uF) at +/-45V or 36-58V €120 +ups. from measures, the best is the DPS-400
AP2: I read some of your posts and I have to admit that it worthed time spent. And yes I have developed (but not for you, unless you gonna get inspired from it) a smps regulated with fast response, clean,with no PWM.
I don't know what is PWM, sorry, pls explain with your own words.
Why I said that too much praised using excessively amounts of pseudo science terms ?
There are few threads where you had offered discounts, free boards, group buys and so on, and almost every time some of the members got tired of endless excuses why wasn't shipped couple of months later. let's be serious you're in the heart of Europe and there are no shipping problems like I face here in china where each day comes with new challenges.
"The smps integrated in this amplifier is unique in the world a this moment. like it or not, this is a truth!" http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/clas...ound-pressure-improvements-2.html#post3287834 I can make a list with several telecom, medical and even industrial SMPS which can perform much better. and in decent quantities, the prices are similar if not lower.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/243725-revolution-b-class-amplifiers-3.html#post3661647
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/243725-revolution-b-class-amplifiers-2.html#post3660666
Please, respect forum users if you want to be taken serious. also, respect your competitors and don't think that everything else is trash. I do respect Hypex and I would respect any others which will do something at least at the same level of performance/price as I do or they do.
Hi,
Explain me your word "pseudo science..obsolete" ??
Instead of list my some post. what error have my post?
How dare you judge my smps obsolete?
What do you mean pseudo-science 'if you have a smps regulated, of course you're using a chip that allows you to adjust the voltage as Pulse Wide Modulation. DPS-500 not use this. which is my pseudo-science then?
I offered the DPS-500/DA 250 € two. I have add muse caps for?
Yes, I waited the products EVA Amp, and re-open thread in agreements con this forum when I'M ready. now I'm ready...you want the photo of EVA Amp? just I have one sample on my table today.
Ask to another engineer to explain to you what I wrote in the thread. DPA-400 pressure..
What you want ?
Explain me your word "pseudo science..obsolete" ??
Instead of list my some post. what error have my post?
How dare you judge my smps obsolete?
What do you mean pseudo-science 'if you have a smps regulated, of course you're using a chip that allows you to adjust the voltage as Pulse Wide Modulation. DPS-500 not use this. which is my pseudo-science then?
I offered the DPS-500/DA 250 € two. I have add muse caps for?
Yes, I waited the products EVA Amp, and re-open thread in agreements con this forum when I'M ready. now I'm ready...you want the photo of EVA Amp? just I have one sample on my table today.
Ask to another engineer to explain to you what I wrote in the thread. DPA-400 pressure..
What you want ?
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Last year I think it was a thread on diysmps. Somebody tried reverse engineering of SMPS400 and DPS-400 Powersupply. Thread is deleted maybe, cannot be found but I kept some of the pictures and remember the comments about poor assembly and quality in general.
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Hi Cristi,
I have it packed up but won't have it sent until this Friday. I have been slowed with having to spend more time assisting a family member who has had a surgery and can't do a much yet for herself. I will email you with a tracking number when I have one.
Thank for show, what is wrong? components low cost? Not see.
poor assembled? not see.
GoldAmp reloaded?....pcb have printed date, it's 2005/08.
a part this is old version but...no problem. at short I show the complete doc and photo of this magic smps (last release, as buyed on GB).
You know the Man as Diysmps? him have two denunce legal,from AudioPower..ahahah problem is that him not know this.
but because I lose time to explain?
Your intervention is clear.
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Yes there is very poor assembly! Please see the picture I posted with the red arrows.
On the right side there is a through hole resistor directly soldered to a smd pad. Not a good connection.
On the left side there is a uninsulated wire directly soldered to the right angle connector. 2 problems: no insulation on the wire and bad soldering practice.
In the middle there are two other solder joints between wires. Also 2 problems, no insulation and mechanical weakness. If there is too much heat the solder joint can break apart and cause all sorts of problems...
Also, this small board has no insulation from the transformer or the metal heatsink in the third picture, maybe it was removed by the person making the photos, but if it is like this from production, and no insulation in a small 2-3mm gap then it is also a very poor standard of assembly...
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
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Well, I have tried power supplies from Connex, Hypex and AudioPower (AP2) and I can honestly say that AP2 is not lying in terms of performance and it is audible. Not comparing products here but since many are bashing AP2, I'm saying you should try them before you do. I have tried some amplifiers with three different PSUs (Regular linear, 2x SMPS) and I was not alone during the tests. Results were extremely good with DPS-400 and even better with the DPS-500 in terms of speed and transients, not the same amplifiers in the end.
Hope this help some make a decision
Ciao!
Do
Hope this help some make a decision
Ciao!
Do
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This is not standard even it's old version ,back to release 2 or maybe 3.
All in this module,not have ref with ISO area.
Thank for alert the customers. i think you want this..no?
Tomorrow you can see how is made the dps-400 that customer have in home.
You can invent everything about these products except 2 things.
AudioPower quality, well-known and also visible.
MDI is the team search for AudioPower, I can assure you that smps for audio, are for Audio, not for lamps.
with the GB, I wanted to show that with very little money, you can have great products, as the new DPS-400 ELNA capacitora bank at € 65. I help some competitors to change the Philosofy and stop to sell a smps which costs 10 € at € 150 with poor performance for audio amps.
All in this module,not have ref with ISO area.
Thank for alert the customers.
i think you want this..no?Tomorrow you can see how is made the dps-400 that customer have in home.
You can invent everything about these products except 2 things.
AudioPower quality, well-known and also visible.
MDI is the team search for AudioPower, I can assure you that smps for audio, are for Audio, not for lamps.
with the GB, I wanted to show that with very little money, you can have great products, as the new DPS-400 ELNA capacitora bank at € 65. I help some competitors to change the Philosofy and stop to sell a smps which costs 10 € at € 150 with poor performance for audio amps.
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I don't try to bash, only write my opinion for @ jkuetemann who ask which alternative to chose. If you offer such a good product as you pretend how can explain your reaction. If this design is so old why some part of this is still used in the last projects which you offer recently ?
Your products look nice, still you have very aggressive marketing campaign with countless threads where you participate alone 5 or more consecutive posts. Even moderators warned you to not open commercial threads at "Class D" or "Power Supply" sections and to not open too more than one thread at Vendor's Bazaar.
Not 100% fair-play, and some explanations are using terms which are not easily understand and cannot be verified by most of the customers and taken as it is. Who can verify you will not bother because there is no interest in doing so. Your measurements are made in unknown conditions, not everybody have a laboratory at home and we can trust you blindly. When someone ask for explanations, arguments or contradicts you, the reaction is not polite. We are on a public forum and users opinions must be combated with arguments. When something wrong is discovered you just panic.
What makes the difference between SMPS for lamps and SMPS for audio ? Out of my knowledge latest solid-lighting SMPS for LED are either constant current or constant voltage type or a combination of both. Constant voltage SMPS deliver a near perfect constant output voltage. In some of the oscilloscope pictures which you posted can see very clear that the ripple of SMPS voltage is 1-2 volts or more ? I think this audio SMPS is not good enough for lamps in this case.
One fellow had some nice signature, I cannot remember who: "Audio grade components: components who failed any other critical application".
Your products look nice, still you have very aggressive marketing campaign with countless threads where you participate alone 5 or more consecutive posts. Even moderators warned you to not open commercial threads at "Class D" or "Power Supply" sections and to not open too more than one thread at Vendor's Bazaar.
Not 100% fair-play, and some explanations are using terms which are not easily understand and cannot be verified by most of the customers and taken as it is. Who can verify you will not bother because there is no interest in doing so. Your measurements are made in unknown conditions, not everybody have a laboratory at home and we can trust you blindly. When someone ask for explanations, arguments or contradicts you, the reaction is not polite. We are on a public forum and users opinions must be combated with arguments. When something wrong is discovered you just panic.
What makes the difference between SMPS for lamps and SMPS for audio ? Out of my knowledge latest solid-lighting SMPS for LED are either constant current or constant voltage type or a combination of both. Constant voltage SMPS deliver a near perfect constant output voltage. In some of the oscilloscope pictures which you posted can see very clear that the ripple of SMPS voltage is 1-2 volts or more ? I think this audio SMPS is not good enough for lamps in this case.
One fellow had some nice signature, I cannot remember who: "Audio grade components: components who failed any other critical application".
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