new PSU for my DAC

[sq225917]

I've been messing around with linear psu's for my Mytek Brooklyn ever since I bought it. I've tried a whole bunch, discrete regs unit, one of Les's TPR2's I had lying round, LT3080 based unit with a hacker board up front, LT3083, LT3083 as a pre-reg with a TPS7A4700 doing final duties.


They've all been much of a muchness, they do the job. Things sound a little more focussed but nothing earth shattering.


Until now. Now I've a PSU that was expensive, a total PITA to solder together, and still only sounds a little bit better than the internal switch mode PSU in the Brooklyn...


Anyway gratuitous PSU shots, just cos it's the first time I've soldered any MSOP-12.


The good looking side
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4757/39750208784_0da0bc749e_h.jpg


The business side
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4762/40416658702_9679babf8f_h.jpg


It's a 3 amp capable 6x LT3045, LDO reg based PSU, smart heatinks, should be easy to case up but more than anything appeals to my inner neat freak.

I assume the limit on extracting perfection from the Brooklyn is that it uses a bunch of switching regs inside the box on the main pcb, so no matter what you feed it, the power is still ultimately going through them. Without rework tools for SMT components I guess this is the end of the line for Brooklyn mods.

[Gazjam]

Nice one Si,
A mates got the Brooklyn and he loves it.
maybe digitals getting to the saturation point of incremental improvements power supply wise?

Nice soldering btw. :)

[sq225917]

Cheers, I might take the smps out of the Brooklyn to make space for replacement linear regs, but I'm worried about trying to remove smt parts with heatsinks under the chips.

[Blueflash]

I think you have done a superb job of building the power supply. I think it looks good from both sides.

[sq225917]

I've moved on from this and gone to a two stage psu with a 3 amp pre reg and then 4 paralleled lt3045, runs cooler, measures the same.

[Yomanze]

I've moved on from this and gone to a two stage psu with a 3 amp pre reg and then 4 paralleled lt3045, runs cooler, measures the same.

But does it sound the same?

[sq225917]

Doesn't sound any different but I'm happier with it as a thing.

[Firebottle]

Good soldering Simon, I have recently done some multi pin MSOP soldering.
Great fun(?) but only if you have a steady hand, I had to get a new bit for the small soldering iron as the old one looked like a dogs hind leg :mental:

[sq225917]

Yeh, I found solder paste to be a big help and .3mm solder

[Mr. C]

Simon

Have you tried a little bit of bypass on the main GPD series caps? which have a decent RCR and low ESR , but I have found them to benefit from a spot of quality by-pass, worth a try I feel. 1% films seem to work well

I agree with you on the Brooklyn, you need to remove those switching regulators to enable you to extract the untapped potential which lies within.

Easier if you have the hot-air de-soldering station with the correct tools makes life so much easier and neater, not impossible to remove with out, but you need to be quite careful with the single point heat application easy to over do it.

[sq225917]

Tony, I've migrated to a pair of these boards in parallel with an LT3083 pre-reg.
http://cdn3.volusion.com/pxwuc.sfkax/v/vspfiles/photos/LT3045-A-2T.jpg?1525231493
Removing the switching regs in the Brooklyn is beyond my tool set, at the minute. I don't even have a solder sucker, i blow vias clean with a straw. I found that a solder sucker and pump just needed too much heat on old pcb's to free parts, the straw method is much gentler and requires less heat. I'm fairly adept with it to be fair.

I'd like to do a bit more with the Brooklyn, but to be honest there's a couple of Weiss 202 for decent money on t'Bay, probably better just cashing it in for 1k and getting the Weiss. I still have a firewire PC as music server.

[Mr. C]

Keep up the nice clean work Simon nice to see people taking care in their creations