Linear Power Supply for Squuezebox Touch

[aBe]

Just a quick one on this.

I think I've just transformed my SBT from a mere 'convenience' music streamer into a serious High End audio stuff.

Thanks to the newly acquired Linear DC Power Supply.

YMMV but it made that oft use night and day difference to my setup.
Better 3D, increased realism and spatial details, bass and other what hifi style expletives.

In a word - It just makes my system less hifi sounding.

Would highly recommend all SBT owners to go the Linear way...I guess it's a sin if you don't. :D

[The Grand Wazoo]

Hi 'abe' can you ammend your user details please,to show your real first name? I think it's David isn't it?

[aBe]

Chris,
Abe is the name.
(Similar to the late Japanese Moto GP rider, Norrick Abe)

Done. Profile was updated/amended.

[StanleyB]

Hi 'abe' can you ammend your user details please,to show your real first name? I think it's David isn't it?
His real name is indeed Abe. A loyal customer of mine for many years who I introduced to AoS.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Ah, OK thanks for that then Abe. And Stan.
Apologies for the mix up.

[StanleyB]

Thanks to the newly acquired Linear DC Power Supply.

I have tried the Touch with a number of Linear power supplies and it does seem to sound better with one. But I have also been trying it with the standard PSU and a prototype power supply filter. The results are very encouraging so far.

[aBe]

No worries on the mix up.

Stan,

I don't think I can go back to using the standard PSU.
Probably by using the Linear supply, another dirty SMPS unit had effectively been removed from the mains supply chain and resulted in a cleaner power supply.

[StanleyB]

Wait till my DC Linearizer LNF is ready and I can send you one to try. The output from the DC Linearizer is nearly identical to the £200 Lurcher PSU. But the output from the Lurcher linear PSU with my DC Linearizer is nearly identical to a Li-ion 12V battery. So even if you are using a linear PSU it will be worth using it with the DC Linearizer.

[Ammonite Audio]

Wait till my DC Linearizer LNF is ready and I can send you one to try. The output from the DC Linearizer is nearly identical to the £200 Lurcher PSU. But the output from the Lurcher linear PSU with my DC Linearizer is nearly identical to a Li-ion 12V battery. So even if you are using a linear PSU it will be worth using it with the DC Linearizer.

What's the score nowadays with SMPSs injecting noise back into the mains, even if their output can be cleaned up nicely with circuits such as the one you're describing here? I'm sure that it's possible to produce SMPS that does not have a detrimental effect on other bits of equipment, but most of these things are produced cheaply, to say the least.

[StanleyB]

I don't want to get into whether things are produced cheaply or not. It hasn't stopped Apple charging a fortune for their cheaply produced phones. Cost of manufacturing does not guarantee you a good product at the end of it either. What counts is the performance of the design.

I can't speak for the design of SMPS in general, but the one I had designed for me for the Bushmaster produces around 50mV of noise. A similarly rated SMPS in terms of voltage and current would normally be expected to produce about 300mV of noise.
But when the noise is measured at the output of the DC Linearizer filter fitted inside the Bushmaster MKII the noise is about 1mV. This is even lower than many linear power supplies costing more than the whole Bushmaster MKII. I have posted pictures of the measurements in one of the threads.

[aBe]

Wait till my DC Linearizer LNF is ready and I can send you one to try. The output from the DC Linearizer is nearly identical to the £200 Lurcher PSU. But the output from the Lurcher linear PSU with my DC Linearizer is nearly identical to a Li-ion 12V battery. So even if you are using a linear PSU it will be worth using it with the DC Linearizer.

That would be cool, Stan. Can't wait to try those.
I am pretty much a staunch supporter on all efforts to improve power supplies section.
There's no two way about it, in hifi speak - getting the right juice to flow is the beginning of many great things to come ...

[potatoha]

Hi Abe,
Just wondering if you were using SBT as transport only for BM?
John

[Richard Kimber]

I have tried the Touch with a number of Linear power supplies and it does seem to sound better with one. But I have also been trying it with the standard PSU and a prototype power supply filter. The results are very encouraging so far.

Is there a general implication here that a power supply filter and a linear power supply are alternative, but equally good, ways to go?

- Richard.

[StanleyB]

Based on my experiments I would say YES.

[aBe]

Hi Abe,
Just wondering if you were using SBT as transport only for BM?
John

John,

Sorry, I don't quite get the question.

Currently the SBT is connected to the BM via coaxial SPDIF, so I guess that would mean it's working as a Transport for the BM.
I have a couple of chinese DACs and an old NuForce, but they are nowhere compared to the level of performance gotten from the BM.

[potatoha]

Currently the SBT is connected to the BM via coaxial SPDIF, so I guess that would mean it's working as a Transport for the BM.
I have a couple of chinese DACs and an old NuForce, but they are nowhere compared to the level of performance gotten from the BM.
I was wondering whether the linear power supply brought improvements in SBT's analogue output or the digital output. Which psu are you using with the SBT?

[aBe]

I only use Digital/spdif output.

The PSU for the BM is from Teletron, and Sola for the SBT.

[ppat2]

I upgraded some time ago to the MCRU linear power supply for the SB Touch. I have tried taking it out of the system and put the stock power supply back in, and cannot handle it. Sounds nasty with the stock power supply.

The MCRU LPS for the SB Touch is so good I purchased the LPS for the Audiolab MDAC and again fantastic result. Both hands down beat the stock power supplies.. In fact not even close.

[MartinT]

I used to run the Touch from a very good Paul Hynes linear power supply. I now run it from a battery and it sounds even better (I have re-used the PH PSU to charge the battery).

[Fi-Wi]

Martin, do you disconnect the PH when the battery is fully charged of do you leave it attached all the time?

[MartinT]

Martin, do you disconnect the PH when the battery is fully charged of do you leave it attached all the time?

I tried it both ways and cannot hear the difference. It's the battery that gives the massive step-up in performance.

[Fi-Wi]

Hmm, maybe a christmas present after all.