2. amps-preamps
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Can SMPS based preamps/amps sound organic ?

Lately I have been reading about some well known companies who make amps and preamps based on switch mode (digital) power supply. Nagra, David Berning, Linn, Crayon Audio comes to mind. I have heard a couple of their products but I always seem to hear some kind of switching noise which comes through as "digital" sounding. The organic quality is somewhat robbed and replaced with some hash. I wonder if there are any designs using SMPS that can actually sound natural and organic ?

To me it seems mostly a matter of convenience to use SMPS but I would love to discuss.
pani

Showing 3 responses by atmasphere

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,115 posts
 
SMPS issues got sorted out a long time (decades) ago. These days a properly designed SMPS should be as quiet or quieter than a conventional supply.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,115 posts
 
Given the positive and encouraging comments here with regard to SMPS  what explains the continued popularity  of linear power supplies?  It leads me to suspect that they must have some significant inherent justification. Or is it just stubbornness on behalf of many builders?

I'd love to 'switch' (if you will pardon the expression) to SMPSs but to get the voltages we need for our products simply isn't in the cards unless we buy a lot of supplies, costing 10s of thousands of dollars. For a small business its not practical unless the power supply is conveniently available off-the-shelf. So traditional supplies will be with us a long time.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,115 posts
 
Ralph,  
I am familiar with the very high sound quality of your products, are you suggesting that they'd sound even better if you could use SMPS rather than LPS?
Charles,
I think its very possible. SMPSs have the advantage of better regulation over traditional supplies.
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