Want to build a 12V PS like the KingRex

[phrarod]

I've been playing around with smps lately and am floored by the difference they make on my chip amp and dac. I saw the inside shots of the KingRex with a small torodial and it looked interesting. In the 6moons review they rave about how the amp sounds with the ps. Natually, since we all know how important the ps is.

Anyone have a schematic for something like the 12VDC KingRex?

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/kingrex/t20.html

 

[Puffin]

I would suggest you look at a Snubberised PS.

 

[phrarod]

Thanks Puffin. I'll do a search for one now.

 

[phrarod]

Just finished a long search and reading. A hot topic. Since you know about them is there any conclusion on a schematic or a board or kit?

I found this kit. http://www.chipamp.com/supply.shtml

Any experience with it?

 

[Nuuk]

IMHO, SMPS is way better than the snubberised PSU!

 

[phrarod]

Hi Nuuk!

I heard you're the expert on PSUs. I'm using SMPS at the moment and the improvement is incredible. I was just getting greedy in case there's something even better.

I got the units from Apex Jr.

 

[Nuuk]

Don't know about 'expert' but I have spent a lot of hours listening to nearly all the GC options. SMPS is great as many have confirmed. I also very much like the Pedja Rogic discrete regulated PSU! 😉

 

[phrarod]

I just went to his page. Wow. A little complex but I could figure it out I guess.

How do you compare it +/- to SMPS?

Worth building?

I just put in low impedance caps and that woke it up even more.

 

[Nuuk]

How do you compare it +/- to SMPS?

I haven't compared them directly in my present main system as the SMPS causes some weird noises and I am yet to find the problem. In my second system, they sound quite similar, ie both as good as I have heard with the GC. Lots of power without sacrificing the mid-range/top-end strengths.

 

[phrarod]

Thans NUUK! If they're so similar no need to spend the money to build that one.

Which SMPS do you use?

 

[Nuuk]

This one . I've currently got four wired up for +/-24v.

 

[phrarod]

That looks a lot beefier than the one I got from ApexJr.

http://www.apexjr.com/images/APEXJRSWITCHERSPS.jpg

I read the one you're using is hard to get in the US. Is there a comparable model to that you know is available here?

 

[Nuuk]

I don't know too much about them TBH. I guess I got lucky being offered those Skynet modules. I would like to try some others (like a 24v version) but it seems to be pot luck what comes up on Ebay at an affordable price!

Those Skynets are available via Ebay!

 

[phrarod]

Thanks again Nuuk!

 

[phrarod]

I nosed around eBay and Skynet themselves. Nothing much on eBay. I did see a coupe in the Skynet cat that looked interesting.

The SMPS I have now is 12V 30W. I saw some hospital grade ones that were 60-70W. Any reason to think they would be more stout or sound better than what I have?


Z077 9567

 

[Nuuk]

I don't know if it is possible to say that one SMPS is better sounding with a GC than another. Probably the only way to find out is try them. I only have experience with the Skynet 8080 modules.

In the early days of this chip amp forum, some people even reported good results with PC PSU's.

 

[phrarod]

Nuuk. I couldn't find a data sheet on the 8080. The average ripple seems to be ~120mV which seems high to me. I did find one unit with ~50mV.

Just found the specs on the 8080 -120mV ripple

 

[phrarod]

Just a couple more questions 🙂 I'm wondering if an additional cap at output can clean up the ripple more?

Also my unit is 2.5A 30W. I could get a 6.3A (not sure the wattage). Considering its a chip amp is there any gains having more reserve?

 

[Nuuk]

I've been meaning to play around with some sort of filter on the output of the SMPS but not got around to it yet. I have a feeling it may be one of those 'suck it and see' jobs where the best option is empirically based!

I'm afraid the answer you your second question is the same, ie try it if it doesn't cost too much! 😉

 

[phrarod]

Nuuk. I've been playing around with dampening the SMPS. Just a bit of blue tack on the top of the caps made a HUGE difference. I just did it as a lark and was not in any way prepared for the results. Since then I dampened all the caps and transformers. The sound stage EXPLODED.

Give it a try. Cost a few pennies..