I don’t think SMPS are noisy, today. In the past, we had poorly-designed ones (in high-end audio) and I’m sure of that.
Most co. still use LPS, at least with line-level components. They use cutting-edge regulators (like Hynes) and are a success.
So, if all PS’s are quieter today, where is all the noise (that is audibly reduced with conditioners, etc) coming from ? According to Shunyata Co., most of the noise was coming from our components, not the grid. Are they right ?
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Would LOVE to know what percent of noise is coming from::
Our playback gear
DC motors, dimmers, WiFi in our house
The grid - neighborhood noise, radio stations, etc.
THEN to know how much total noise (in db) there is... |
Here is something very interesting. We DON'T KNOW if noise is worse in recent decades, at least with RF.
I can’t seem to add the URL, so type:
"electronic noise is drowning out the internet of things ieee.org"
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RF is not very high-frequency -megahertz and gigahertz ranges are. And that’s where consumer-stuff is going, to a much quieter region of energy.
Then, there’s no evidence to support the "worsening effects" of RF (as the link explained). True, if you put a fan or radio near your stereo equip. you’ll have a problem. But audiophiles have long since figured that one out.
It seems the problem is much deeper. As kijanki said above, radio station and cell-towers putting noise on the line. Then, power surges making the line-noise worse (how many people have whole-house surge protection ?).
DC motors in the house scrambling the shape of the waveform, while adding ’spikes’ at the same time. Audiophile power supplies (we were told) "rejected" noise were 1)not doing that 2)added huge amounts of noise via the rectifier and regulator.
The latest power supplies are better. But I still cringe when I think how poor the sound of audiophile systems were in the past 50 years due to poor noise-management. |
You didn’t read the whole article. "The bottom line is no-one really knows whether outdoor noise has increased or decreased in recent years. And the same goes for measurements made indoors."
Later says "the needed data is almost totally missing".
Yes, it says power tools and electric-toothbrushes are noisy but this obviously doesn’t affect the audiophile. Then, in a graph, it shows how "noise drops as frequency rises". And that’s just where consumer electronics is going today - ever-higher frequencies... |
Thanks for sharing this. I believe power cords should be shielded. Co. that make (expensive) after-market ones say this.
No power supply is quiet, unless you can prove the rectifier & regulator produce zero noise. Most rectifiers were putting huge amounts of noise on the line.
There’s lots of RF in a component -besides the rectifier, digital clocks, capacitor discharge -all radiate. Then all that metal in the component to conduct it (in phono cartridges, DAC-chips, leads on PCBs). And while we can’t hear RF, it gets ’sucked’ into the signal path and THAT gets amplified.
House wiring is probably the wrong gauge and along with a stock power cord, we were choking the ability of the noise to ’escape’ via ground-loops. Any noise in the component STAYED in the component.
Who knows what else. There’s always been a lack of studies explaining our problems. But in recent years, Shunyata Co. has brought forth some new measurements (for current delivery and noise dissipation). |
Microphony is different issue. RF can be "overcome" IF you use a very-advanced technique like the Nordost QPoint (just demo’ed at RMAF ’19).
But it’s still best to SHIELD parts from RF, rather than "overpower" it in the air... |
You were hearing something else. The science says we cannot hear RF directly. But as I described above, it could be getting into the circuits and getting amplified. |
Well, your 10 paragraph response probably threw me off. All I’m saying is we cannot hear RF (directly), as it shoots through the air, in audio circuits.
BUT I admit, it’s still a problem as it gets conducted by all that metal (in a component). Hence my call for proper shielding of parts. Most high-end brands simply weren’t doing that... |
Geoff -I thought the wave carried the signal. Then, as far as RF damage -does it delay or ’erase’ the wave (or signal) ? Some links/studies would help.
And thanks snapsc, love those measurements. Esp how modern SS amps still heat up !! |
So the signal magically appears at the speaker terminals, passing right over our electronics. That means delta-sigma DACs don’t affect the signal (sound different than R2Rs) etc. Thanks for the laugh. |
I never said the signal is part of a "waveform". I don’t know why you went off on this...
Then, read any text on the subject, going back to the 1800s and you’ll see that "the wave carries the signal". Are you disputing this ? |
