I bought a Pathos Aurium Headphone amp/preamp. It’s rated 12V 5A, question is is it possible to use anything more powerful than a 12V power supply? Say, like the 24V Meanwell power supply recommended on diyaudio store?
I’m no expert. Does hifi equipment adapt to “overpowered” power supplies? I want to upgrade the power supply on my TC Electronic BMC-2 DAC too, and that is rated 12V 1A.
Please help me decide. Better to stick to 12V as recommended, or diminishing returns on changing stock for something like 15V power supply? Thanks!
I’m no expert. Does hifi equipment adapt to “overpowered” power supplies? I want to upgrade the power supply on my TC Electronic BMC-2 DAC too, and that is rated 12V 1A.
Please help me decide. Better to stick to 12V as recommended, or diminishing returns on changing stock for something like 15V power supply? Thanks!
Never ever exceed the voltage recommendation for any equipment. If it says it needs 12 volts then only 12 volts is to be used. At best using higher voltages will just generate more heat (in linear supplies and regulators) and at worst will damage parts through over voltage.
Using a supply of higher current ability is fine (so 12 volt 25 amp for example) as long as it actually performs as well as the recommended one in terms of regulation and noise etc.
Using a supply of higher current ability is fine (so 12 volt 25 amp for example) as long as it actually performs as well as the recommended one in terms of regulation and noise etc.
The only way to judge this is to see the schematic and the voltage and power ratings for all the components. Everything is different, there are no generic rules about circuit like this, so play safe.
As the others have pointed out, that depends entirely on how quickly you want to see it burn itself up. When you let all the smoke out, these things tend to quit working.
First guess is: $1,400 of smoke.
Plug a 6V headlight into a 12V car. The usual 500-hour life will reduce to a few minutes or instant death. This may directly apply to those tube heaters.
But look deeper. The black finned modules are voltage converters, typically regulated. You can feed them "any" voltage within limits and they will output a solid steady voltage. Outside the limits they quit.
Any why would you want "more"?? Supply voltage is a basic design limit. And often the cheapest to "upgrade". And at the price of the Pathos, 12V vs 24V is not a cost difference. I'm guessing from the absurd power rating (3 Watts in 16 Ohms???) that it internally runs +/-15V on the MOSFETs.
