Going Linear with the Caiman

[StanleyB]

I don't like the Maplin one. I tried it, but took it back. It's switched mode and worse sounding than the Caiman PSU.

I have a spere lab specced linear one up for sale if anyone is interested in trying one with Caiman and can pick it up. Weights 5Kg. I should put it in the classified I reckon.

[Ikemen]

Stan, you have PM.

[Ikemen]

Just tried linear with this set-up.
Caiman+Muratas+gator
Large, costly, made with my blood, sweat, and tears, speakers.
CD player and a movie.

Tonight changed the 15V SMPS for a linear supply (at 16V as Stan suggested). Swapping between supplies takes seconds so comparisons were easy.

First CD; No difference on the two tracks tried, but then I never liked this CD.

Second CD; Changing between supplies was surprising for me. Going back to the SMPS was immediately unpleasant in comparison. I thought my DIY speakers were the problem, but everything is realistic (or "smooth") now. For example, the strings were getting lost under the layers of performers, but now each layer is present and easy to follow. I had to brace myself on some dynamic parts before, but now the sound is so realistic, i.e. free of distortion, that I can relax fully. This was most obvious in an action movie I use for testing.

Other CDs; Same positive experience.

More detail, more realism, more pleasant. I'm happy, and surprised at the difference to be honest.

[StanleyB]

I recommended the use of a laboratory power supply before, and I am pleased that you can hear the reasons why .

[Gazjam]

Just tried linear with this set-up.
Caiman+Muratas+gator
Large, costly, made with my blood, sweat, and tears, speakers.
CD player and a movie.

Tonight changed the 15V SMPS for a linear supply (at 16V as Stan suggested). Swapping between supplies takes seconds so comparisons were easy.

First CD; No difference on the two tracks tried, but then I never liked this CD.

Second CD; Changing between supplies was surprising for me. Going back to the SMPS was immediately unpleasant in comparison. I thought my DIY speakers were the problem, but everything is realistic (or "smooth") now. For example, the strings were getting lost under the layers of performers, but now each layer is present and easy to follow. I had to brace myself on some dynamic parts before, but now the sound is so realistic, i.e. free of distortion, that I can relax fully. This was most obvious in an action movie I use for testing.

Other CDs; Same positive experience.

More detail, more realism, more pleasant. I'm happy, and surprised at the difference to be honest.

Which linear supply was it?
I run the Maplins CBRadio one Stan recommended and found similar.
Thats only at 15V though...

[Ikemen]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bench-Power-Su...#ht_3457wt_907

http://www.circuitspecialists.eu/fix...3x5-p-163.html

Apparently, the Muarta regs only get their preferred 15V from at least a 15.6V supply, due to 0.6 diode in the Caiman blocking that bit of current.

[zanash]

read this with interest as I've built several psu's for the sb3 ..... so my two penny worth ....

mod the linears by swapping out the noisy rectifier diodes and replace with schottkies ..say 30 dq10's for a 3amp psu ....

caps ..no one has twigged that 10 parallel 100uf will make 1000uf ...and once you cosider that many smaller caps will sound superior to one large cap ....to do with the esr [?] of larg and small caps think ..

my linear for the sb3 started with 5000uf ....but no has in excess of 20000uf of pannasonic fc's [ 20 x 1000uf ]

this combined with a 100va torroidal ....

you don't get more bass or treble ...its actually in the delicacy and fine points of the music that are brought to life . This is over the stock linear ..... the smps just seem to inject noise into the unt ..so I'm assuming the same happens with the caiman and the 7510 ?

[Reid Malenfant]

Good point about the schottky diodes Pete

I certainly wouldn't go so far as to say that lots of caps will be superior to one big one just because of lower ESR, you need to take into account the circuit inductance & resistance due to all the extra tracks/connections which would be needed to connect 20 capacitors (in your case) in parallel. Done right it can improve things though under certain circumstances

Throwing capacitance at it will reduce the ripple voltage on the capacitors & because any regulator only has a certain amount of ripple rejection it will result in lower ripple on the output which is a good thing

Nothing like an OTT transformer either

[Gazjam]

read this with interest as I've built several psu's for the sb3 ..... so my two penny worth ....

mod the linears by swapping out the noisy rectifier diodes and replace with schottkies ..say 30 dq10's for a 3amp psu ....

caps ..no one has twigged that 10 parallel 100uf will make 1000uf ...and once you cosider that many smaller caps will sound superior to one large cap ....to do with the esr [?] of larg and small caps think ..

my linear for the sb3 started with 5000uf ....but no has in excess of 20000uf of pannasonic fc's [ 20 x 1000uf ]

this combined with a 100va torroidal ....

you don't get more bass or treble ...its actually in the delicacy and fine points of the music that are brought to life . This is over the stock linear ..... the smps just seem to inject noise into the unt ..so I'm assuming the same happens with the caiman and the 7510 ?

Hey Pete, good to see you on AOS.

Bringing this thread full circle somewhat, I've Stans recommended Maplin linear CB Radio PSU and found it was a nice step up over the stock switched unit.
Of course it can be upgraded..and many of the guys on here would be interested in doing that I'd imagine?

Any thoughts Pete what could be done specifically with this supply? Start of with teh general advice given above or....?

maybe an Idoit's guide (for me at least!)..we all like to get most bang for our buck round these parts...

thanks.

[zanash]

Good point about the schottky diodes Pete

I certainly wouldn't go so far as to say that lots of caps will be superior to one big one just because of lower ESR, you need to take into account the circuit inductance & resistance due to all the extra tracks/connections which would be needed to connect 20 capacitors (in your case) in parallel. Done right it can improve things though under certain circumstances

Throwing capacitance at it will reduce the ripple voltage on the capacitors & because any regulator only has a certain amount of ripple rejection it will result in lower ripple on the output which is a good thing

Nothing like an OTT transformer either

the multiple cap thing was from research carried out in the 80's documented i the short lived mag called common ground ....and I believe was published under grahmn nalty's name ...but Ill check ...

jon a more practical side I've used this technique endlessly ....as it works , its clearly audible .... one of the reasons is its easier to keep a small cap charged ..they are faster to react to any demand placed upon the charge ...so it should be evident that sharper leading edges on the musical notes is one of the more obvious benefits ...

I'll look up the article and provide a precis at some stage ...unless anyone else has the document .