Turn Table Power Supplies

[Zoidburg]

I was just wondering if upgrading the power supply to a turntable always results in an improvement in sound / performance?

I see that the SL1210 seems to benefit from external power supplies from various different suppliers and Project offer their "speed box" which I think (I might be wrong) is their upgraded power supply.

I currently have an SRM Athena TT with "wallwart" power supply and have been advised to try their own High Current Power Supply which is claimed will offer me "most bang for my buck" as my next (minor and hopefully cost effective) upgrade.

So what can I expect from an upgraded power supply do you think, should I expect a huge improvement or is it likely to be fairly subtle? I have a weeks trial of it before I have to buy so at least i can "try before I buy".

Anyone got any thoughts on this?

[Ammonite Audio]

I was just wondering if upgrading the power supply to a turntable always results in an improvement in sound / performance?

Yes.

[Zoidburg]

Any why is that then?

[prestonchipfryer]

You get a more stable and cleaner supply to the motor.

[sq225917]

It depends what you mean by upgrade. If the device in question genuinely provides more stable voltage or current to the motor then it should provide an audible improvement.

There might be some cases where a measured improvement in speed stability is actually thought not to sound better- weird huh. I describe the sound of one of turntable PSU's as having more swagger than the better measuring power supply. But it's nothing more than a favourable interaction between the repeating frequency of a specific speed aberration on the deck and a drum beat of the music being played.

It makes 'I Can't Quit You' sound great, Rachmaninov's 3rd not so great.

re the SRM, high current, low current, it makes no difference, what you need for the motor type they use is the most accurately regulated AC frequency, that is what determines the motor speed, not the current. Is it a 24v or a 110v motor?