New Paul Hynes SR5 Power Supply

[Mark Grant]

You know me, my ears are the only arbiter that matters in the final analysis!
Marco.

What it sounds like is all that matters

[Marco]

Hi Mark,

There should be no noise at all on the DC output of a high quality PSU such as Pauls.

Indeed - perhaps then the DC cable linking the PSU to the T/T is acting like an aerial and thus picking up some RFI and transferring it to the internal circuitry of the turntable?

Whatever it is, I can definitely hear the noise floor with music significantly reduced when a woven cable, like the Kimber, is used instead of the 'el cheapo' black & white DC cable supplied with the likes of the Timestep PSU

My thought on a DC lead would be to use something screened.

Rather than trying to cancel out any noise the cable picks up from the atmosphere with a braid, stop anything getting in to the cable with a screen. The high quality PSU should be a clean DC output anyway.

If Anyone is interested in experimenting, the cable used in my DSP 1.0 power cable should be ideal.

I like that idea! We'll need to try it next time you come down

Marco.

[MartinT]

Don't these woven wires introduce inductance and/or capacitance into the circuit?

The weave cancels inductance and introduces capacitance, which is fine for a DC application as it will help to reduce RFI.

[Marco]

Indeed, and that's precisely what I'm hearing

There's definitely mileage in future PH SR3/5s and Timestep PSUs being supplied with high quality DC cables at whatever extra cost.

Marco.

[Ammonite Audio]

Marco

Is the Kimber cable that you have a 3-way braid, or a twisted pair? I had notably better results when powering the KD-770D from the SR5, using Kimber twisted pair, than with some shielded Belden stuff. Paul Hynes did supply the Belden stuff against his own recommendation, which I should have heeded!

[Marco]

Hi Hugo,

The Kimber cable I have is a twisted set of three thin cables: red, black and blue.

In use, the black and blue cables are simply twisted together and connected to the earth point on the main PCB, as Leo and you showed earlier on your pictures, and the red wire to its usual place on the PCB.

I don't know about the merits of shielded vs. twisted pairs, as I haven't compared the two yet, but I can say for certain that employing the RFI-cancelling effect of the woven Kimber DC cable is a sonic no-brainer

I had simply not realised until now how badly the cheapo black & white DC cable was holding back the performance of my T/T!!

Marco.

[Clive]

Hi Marco,

Are you using the DC plug as in the pic you posted? I know that for his other power supplies Paul would place such plugs right at the bottom of his list, contact resistance is somewhat hit and miss.

[Marco]

Hi Clive,

No, I'm using it with an XLR plug instead.

I've got no idea whether that made a difference or not, sonically, but the nice 'clunk' as the XLR plug slots into the back of the SR5 is rather more reassuring than the somewhat 'floppy' and less precise contact obtained when using the DC plug!

However, I'm sure that addressing contact resistance is a viable consideration. Regardless if one can hear a sonic improvement or not, using XLRs is quite simply a neater and more professional solution.

Marco.

[Clive]

Hi Clive,

No, I'm using it with an XLR plug instead.

I've got no idea whether that made a difference or not, but the nice 'clunk' as the XLR plug slots into the back of the SR5 is rather more reassuring than the somewhat 'floppy' and less precise contact obtained when using the DC plug!

Marco.

Perfect. Probably I would have realised that if I'd paid more attention!

[MartinT]

For everyone's information, the Kimber Link cable is actually Kimber PBJ signal cable with a sleeve over it, and is £14.40 for 1m off the reel. You can see it here:

http://www.russandrews.com/product.a...WPPOUWVBGLUMCR

I have used this cable in the past for interconnect applications and it's excellent, I hadn't realised that it lends itself to DC applications too. I am ordering a length now.