Simplest Linear PSU?

@clustrocasual

Obviously buy what you like, and what makes you comfortable.  But the purpose of these sites is to share info, and I'm trying to counter what i see as knee-jerk reactions to modern technology.  Some SMD IS bad.  But some can be very good. I want as many as i can impact ot understand that.

I found your reply hard to follow -- full of vague analogies (some off base) and such. I design with both and have listened extensively and find pretty much the opposite. The short, tidy connections i can achieve with SMD, combined with more up to date components, are (and its a tiny difference) superior. Some packages demand THT - for size, weight or simply historical reasons. So my boards are most often actually hybrid.

In an LPS, in particular, some components simply require size and mass (thermal mostly). But i doubt any serious design tries to use SMD for high power levels. So i’m not sure if you have some deep secret knowledge, or are just defending your position... if its the former please share, if its the latter, you might benefit from being mroe open minded and looking into the details of each design and what is appropriate. I had reservations (in some instances still do) but have worked through to find what better (most) and what’s not (long random list). discrete R2R dacs for example would be impractical on many counts without SMD. resistor tolerances, size, complexity of assembly, bad noise immunity (exposed surface area/difficulty in shielding) to name 4.

-G

Where are your data that show “most audiophiles prefer simple circuits”? Most have no clue regarding circuit design. In certain applications, SMD have some advantages, such as reducing stray inductance and capacitance that can arise because of longer lead length and layout of through hole parts. Also, are you looking for tube rectified PSs? Because SS rectifiers can be construed to be semiconductors. Finally most commercially available LPSs are going to use semiconductors for regulating the V output, unless you want unregulated.

If I wanted simple I wouldn't have researched and picked out my Audio Research SP8 ver5 preamp with it's multiple regulated power supplys. Talk about complex, but it all part of what makes that preamp so good.

Want a great power supply on the cheap? Ebay is full of high quality used laboratory power supply's such as Power Designs, Lamda, etc. Fully adjustable, and some have voltage stability down into the microvolt range.

BillWojo

@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

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. David Berning has been implementing SMPS power supplies in his state of the art amplifiers and preamplifiers for years, if not decades, and no one seems to notice. If it’s done well and well built, an SMPS can certainly hang with an LPS. And the benefit is you won’t get a hernia from lifting an SMPS-powered piece of gear.