Linear Power Supplies - any improvement in sound?

rikardo1979

rastus wrote
rikardo1979 wroteif you want the best, get the R-core transformer. They are the best for this applications
Hi rikardo1979,

this is the same conclusion I'm coming to....

R-core have characteristics that are best suited for low level source applications. For dacs and source gear in particular, I'd rate them as follows in terms of suitability (from best to least):
•R-core
•EI core
•Toroidal
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/r-core-vs-toroidal-vs-wall-wart-transformers-for-dacs.678546/

I was recommended by a friend the S130 is very high-performance. I need a dual unit for my system, DC5V (Raspberry Pi 2B) and DC12V (DSPeaker Anti-Mode 8033Cinema), so I am thinking of these two....

LT1038cp 2 way linear Power supply, using one 30VA R-core transfosrmer, each groups 15VA power.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Finished-LT1038cp-2-way-15VA-linear-Power-supply-115V-230V-Z92-/271974844058?hash=item3f52f6c69a:g:TRsAAOSwDNdV5xUC

ZEROZONE 2 way HIFI Linear Power supply
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ZEROZONE-2-way-HIFI-Linear-Power-supply-USB-amp-DAC-external-LPS-12V-12V-1A-/322041785157?hash=item4afb2fab45:g:u8UAAOSwoudW6Pc1

Regards,

rastus.

those are nice u its for some applications but not for RPi. Those need more power and these have only 15VA transformers.
Check this one Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221873423925
Its not dual unit but it has 65VA transformer

OP2

dunghnguyen

@[deleted]: for what I am aware, the transformers list for priority (best is first) should be:

R-core
Toroidal
IE isolated
Switching

rastus

rikardo1979 wrotethose are nice u its for some applications but not for RPi. Those need more power and these have only 15VA transformers.
Check this one Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221873423925
Its not dual unit but it has 65VA transformer

OP2

Hi rikardo1979,

thank you for your feedback brother, I will look into that unit.

Regards,

rastus.

dunghnguyen wrote@[deleted]: for what I am aware, the transformers list for priority (best is first) should be:

R-core
Toroidal
IE isolated
Switching

Hi dunghnguyen,

thank you also for your feedback brother. So maybe we should go with something like this then...

•R-core
•Toroidal / EI isolated
•EI isolated / Toroidal
•Battery
•Switching

Either way, we do seem to agree that the R-core is the better of them.

Regards,

rastus.

dunghnguyen

I saw many audio devices especially the high-end ones, its supply unit went with toroidal transformer so the IE ones are lesser in the sense of high quality audio.

Some other experiments proved that a battery like this https://www.amazon.com/ExpertPower-EXP645-4-5-Rechargeable-Battery/dp/B002QGVW3K#nav-search-keywords that feeds a dc-dc step down board to supply a very good linear / purity source for the Pi. This is surely better the case of EI transformer.

rikardo1979

dunghnguyen wroteI saw many audio devices especially the high-end ones, its supply unit went with toroidal transformer so the IE ones are lesser in the sense of high quality audio.

Some other experiments proved that a battery like this https://www.amazon.com/ExpertPower-EXP645-4-5-Rechargeable-Battery/dp/B002QGVW3K#nav-search-keywords that feeds a dc-dc step down board to supply a very good linear / purity source for the Pi. This is surely better the case of EI transformer.

very high end manufacturers like Audio Research use EI in top signature range.
There is an reason for it

Toroidal transformers are used cks they are easiest to make an more important they are cheapest

OP2

dunghnguyen

@[deleted], @[deleted]: it is so surprised for me with the R-core I tried, the sound changed much better

rikardo1979

dunghnguyen wrote@[deleted], @[deleted]: it is so surprised for me with the R-core I tried, the sound changed much better

nice to hear

Tinitus

Hi guys,

in the end it does not matter how you get the best (most noiseless) power. Someone has design a device in order to make SPS behave well:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1684029908/the-silentswitcher-mains-free-low-noise-15v-and-5v

Well thought out

Regards

Uwe

dunghnguyen

Thanks @[deleted] for the share. At least it made me to be aware there is always the way to be better = life is going on..

pradeepkumar

Thanks for sharing information

bertie

I'm quite interested in this topic and had tentatively reached the conclusion from digesting hundreds of websites that moving away from a switchmode supply was a no-brainer for all the digital signal devices in my hifi.

Sad to say, though, when I recently connected my raspberry pi (with DigiPro hat) and its wired harddrive (self-powered) to two separate power packs I could not (definitively at least) hear any difference. This was an initial test to find out whether it was worth buying 3 linear power supplies (including another one for my DAC).

Now, these lithium devices have quite high internal resistance (apparently) compared with, say, a nickelhydride battery or 'supercapacitors" so my result isn't conclusive. Also, my SMPS devices always run off a power conditioner that reconstructs a sine wave at tightly defined voltage (overkill but is the result of previously blowing a preamp), so 'mains' noise was never an issue for me (though I thought the whole point of the exercise was to remove noise created by the SMPS devices themselves).

Of course my sound system may not be sufficiently resolving (fairly likely) or my abused 50year old ears may not be up to the job (very likely). Anyway, while I'm always looking for the next item to buy, at this stage I'm leaning to the idea that SMPS devices have become adequately quiet for my purposes - indeed some websites claim to have recently tested off-the-shelf SMPS adaptors and found essentially zero noise.

Bottom line is I will look to upgrade my DAC or speakers before worrying about power supplies.

Might I just toss in that the Rune audio software is fantastic and I am so appreciative and in awe that the Rune team put together an image for the DigiPro so quickly.

bertie

Four months later I would like to retract my previous 'null' result. I have since replaced my external dac (dacmagic plus) with a dac costing twice as much and then hooked the raspberry/Digi+Pro up again to a lithium battery pack as the power supply. Definite improvement, including a noticeable reduction in glare. Have since purchased a 25W linear power supply to preserve the improvement, without having to recharge every two days! Count me as a convert, with the caveat that one does actually need a 'half-decent' system for it to make any noticeable difference.

dirtylarry

Im curious to what batteries can be used for clean power? Id like to pick one up for at work listening via headphones.

rastus

dirtylarry wroteIm curious to what batteries can be used for clean power? Id like to pick one up for at work listening via headphones.

Any battery... that supplies around 5v 2a...

rastus

bertie wroteHave since purchased a 25W linear power supply to preserve the improvement, without having to recharge every two days! Count me as a convert, with the caveat that one does actually need a 'half-decent' system for it to make any noticeable difference.

Yep, got myself a LPU that feeds my Raspberry Pi and my DSpeaker Anit-Mode 8033 sub eq at the same time.... works a charm, and my system would be deemed 'half-decent'.... sound awesome, to me.

nic

I tried a few different 5V 3A lump-in-line switchmode power supplies but now I have a linear power supply feeding my Kali/Piano DAC . It uses a conventional 25VA split bobbin mains transformer rather than toroidal for good isolation . This is followed by a bridge rectifier of SB560 schottky diodes , 0.47uF film cap , a pair of 5mH chokes (one in the + , one in the - rail) running choke input and 10,000uF of capacitance feeding an LM1085-5 . The reg chip is bypassed with tantalum caps . It's just a pre-regulator to get rid of the original switchmode but a subtle difference and noticeable after a few minutes listening . I will eventually build a similar supply for the Raspberry Pi main board but I doubt this will be as effective

Probably overkill and slightly pricey but I had the chokes already . This is a worthwhile way of wringing out that little bit extra

cheers

Nic

Stephane

After a few minutes your ears accomodate so it is more likely that your brain wants to ear an improvement !
If there is a real improvement you can hear it as soon as you power up the system. And it can be measured.

--
Stéphane Acounis

nic

I know what I hear and my ears are not easily fooled , I build a lot of audio equipment and after soldering , there is a lot of listening

I use a hybrid tube / mosfet amp which takes a while to settle so for me after a few minutes is what it takes

In a switchmode supply , all that is between the mains and their amp etc is the enamel wire insulation and inter-section tape insulation within the flyback transformer . That has got to couple more crud from the mains than a split bobbin EI transformer . probably the reason for better sound . I used a search coil a few years ago and found some cheap Chinese power supplies emitted a lot of nasties

With the choke input supply , far lower peak current so reservoir capacitors are less stressed . Same goes for the mains transformer , I have not powered down the supply since it was built , the transformer is hardly warm at all . Benefits all round...

cheers

Nic

arnaldo

My way for linear power supply of my raspberry pi media player...sorry only in italian but schemas are int.

https://musicboxit.wordpress.com/2019/04/24/alimentatore-lineare-raspberry/

joshep

With a linear power supply, sound quality depends on the amplifier. If we use a high SNR amplifier then automatically sound quality will be increased. design of the amplifier should be correct and with high BW. The correct design is described in many articles on https://www.facebook.com. and I think if the power supply is linear then the sound quality will be improved slightly.

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