Simplest Linear PSU?

New generation switched mode power supplies are much better now, but personally I still prefer a linear power supply - ease of repair and if properly designed more headroom.

I suspect that is the general consensus here.

Charles

@lewm 

Gotcha!👍

Charles

@clustrocasual

I appreciate your comments posted here. My Pro-Ject RS2T Box CD transport comes with a wall wart SMPS. To be candid, it sounds terrific and bettered my long term P.S. Audio PWT (On board LPS) which is very good sounding. So, Pro-Ject does achieve excellent sound quality with their standard SMPS wall wart. They do offer an upgrade LPS.

I chose a Fidelizer Nickola II Signature LPS and it did take what is very good, even further upward. So I’m convinced excellent sound is possible with either type of power supply. Design, part quality and execution the determining factors affecting final sonic results. All of my other audio components came with on board LPS.

Charles

@jjss49 

Thank you for the additional input.

Charles

@lewm I think the reason many people report audible benefits from LPSs vs SMPSs is that they have upgraded from a wall wart quality (i.e., low quality) SMPS to a high quality LPS designed for audio

Yes, exactly my point and personal experience. I don’t question the existence of high quality and good sounding SMPS. It is however most listener’s experience has been with the wall wart SMPS variety. People have naturally discovered they can do much better. Lewm, I’ll ask you the same question. What are the commercially available SMPS one could purchase?

Charles

@itsjustme

You make some insightful points regarding SMPS capability. Antipodes latest flagship music server is the Olandra and they decided on SMPS rather than LPS. They intend to compete with Taiko Extreme and Pink Faun which both have LPS developed to the nth degree.

So it appears that high quality well implemented SMPS are very viable choices. Most people switching from stock SMP with their components to LPS do legitimately experience an upgrade in performance. Listeners teport what they hear with direct comparisons. For my CD transport, I replaced the standard SMPS (Actually pretty good) with a LPS and there was a noticeable improvement in sound quality.

Those SMPS do not represent the best efforts and generally are provided due to cost consideration. Are there any SMPS upgrade options that can be purchased as alternatives that compete with good quality aftermarket LPS choices?

Charles

Here’s a review of multiple LPSs.

@clustrocasual

Do you have a particular price range? I use the Fidelizer Nikola II LPS with my Pro-Ject RS2T CD Transport and it’s a wonderful pairing. There are folks who are happy with the LTA (Linear Tube Audio) LPS. Plixir and Farad are well regarded op.

Charles