Just thinking if they run cool might be a fun amp to have in those hot summer nights. Class A space heaters are not a problem in the midst of winter.
1 Like
The ones i have seen all were pretty tiny/small models making me assume they probably run cool…
i’m seeing a fun project popping onto your radar 
I’ve been looking a little more at DC power supplies, what’s the consensus regarding Sbooster BOTW power supplies? Good / bad? Maybe a little outdated?
The more I look and read, the Plixir DC power supplies seem to be pretty compelling, does anyone have experience with these? Is it worth ~double the money for their “statement” line vs the “elite” line?
Also, any recommendations in general for DC power supplies? I’m looking at loads <2A, mostly for source gear (DDCs, streamers). Currently I’m using a mix of Uptone LPS1.2, Allo Shanti, and SGC linear power supplies. I’m feeling the itch to try out something better…
Thanks for any recommendations!
This is a good place to start. The World's Best Audiophile Linear Power Supplies - Audio Bacon
Unfortunately the world of high end used power supplies is rather barren. They don’t come up often and the higher tie ones tend to not last long and if they stick around long it’s because they’re a funky voltage no one wants. Buying new is going to hurt the wallet.
I would try the ifi power elite if they’re available in the voltage you need but unfortunately they don’t come in that 6,7,9 V range that a lot of the reclockers and streamers want.
How many components and what exact V/A?
Not meant to make it more complicated, but DC cables matter too…
sigh, true.
Thanks everyone, appreciate the comments!
I have several of these around the office: HiFi network switch, Roon rock, and rpi4. I want to go a little further up the DC supply food chain for my next move.
9V <1A
7V <2A
5V <2A
I don’t doubt this for one moment! Happy to take cable recommendations as well.
I have an 18/19v sbooster on one of my streamers, a project stream box S2 ultra. I bought it for a 19v Roon NUC but when I added an SSD it couldn’t get through its startup sequence anymore, not enough current. So I thought I’d try it on my 18v stream box and that’s where it still is right now.
On the Roon NUC it was a good combo, although subtle I had the impression there was a general improvement, more blackground, better tonality, richer, smoother edges. Mostly because of the reduction in noise I assume.
On the ultra stream I had a bit of mixed feelings. There was some extra density, tonal weight added but it lost some air, everything felt slightly more compact, less open, less transparent. I had this feeding a V280 - BF2 chain and I wanted actually a cleaner source with more air and more open presentation iso more dense and weighty. To keep my OCD in check I left the sbooster in thinking LPS its still better than some random SMPS but maybe I should have put the SMPS back on it. I’m keeping my eye open for a decent power supply but they don’t show up often, especially not in the right voltages.
After a while I picked up a Qutest to replace the BF2 and added a ifi Power Elite to that. I didn’t spend much time on it when I swapped but I can’t say I heard much improvement from that. It was more like, it doesn’t seem to hurt anything so I guess it can stay in, again, mainly to satisfy my OCD.
The audiobacon link and alpha-audio.net are what I use for guidance, there is not much out there on what a particular power supply brings for music. Based on reading, Plixir is also one that seems to check of a lot of boxes for me with their product line. No personal experience though.
1 Like
Grab one of these when they are available, move fast as they sell out quick
This is best if the components are located close to each other, the cables included are upgrades from previous iterations with oyaide dc barrel connectors and neutrik XLR.
4 Likes
Whoa! Great find, can’t believe it’s that affordable for a 4-rail, although if he needs 3 different voltages…
1 Like
It could work, two of the outputs are variable and two fixed. A bit of math and ensure the voltage is not over the device limit and could work.
1 Like
I wonder if a used small Powerplant can be modified for this. After all, it’s a regenerator – I’m not sure if the amplifier has adequate capacity inside, but if it can be modified such that each outlet has DC with a different voltage and current…
Which PSU should I get?
Ferrum Hypsos $1200 vs Nikola classic $450 vs Nikola 2 $900 vs Ifi Ipower Elite $300
- Nikola Fidelizer Classic LPS
- Nikola Fidelizer 2 LPS
- Ferrum Hypsos SMPS/LPS
- Ifi Ipower Elite SMPS
0
voters
(Small green computer doesnt make 15v PSU)
Context
-Its for an Audio Technica bha100, a $1000 tube preamp (also amp but I use as preamp 95%)
-I want to upgrade it as much as possible without going overkill, I LOVE THIS PREAMP its been confirmed it scales well with a better PSU
-The PSU is 15v meaning I could only share it with an auralic aries which I dont ever plan to get
-Stock SMPS is 15volt 2.5ampere
Upgrade PSU features
Ferrum: It can switch from switching to linear for better synergy, can use with other devices which is awesome
Ifi Elite: Good ol’ reliable, cheapest and not bad
Nikola classic: My fav so far, seems like its the best 450 LPS out there
Nikola 2: its a classic on steroids, regulator, upgraded capacitors, dual cap input design, higher output, upgraded internal wiring. Costs as much as the amp, im crazy so who knows
.
EDIT: I plan to get a nikola classic sooner for the bha100, I love the idea and reputation of the hypsos and I want to get one down the line for higher level gear
Have anyone have any experience with Euphony player or Euphony Endpoint? I was talking to Ben from Mojo Audio on his new server/network streamer and he encourage it to be used with this Euphony software. Looks really interesting so I will probably do more googling. Thought I would post here just in case someone play with this software before.
Edit: Looks like someone did look into here in this forum before. It looks kind of dope at what I looked at so far. I am probably going to think about it more though…
I’m thinking about doing something dangerous…
Does anyone have any experience with Baltic 3 and WA22? Is there synergy? I understand that the Lampi is a higher tier than my Woo, but it’d certainly be an upgrade over my Gumby MB! One has come up used and I’m seriously considering it…
1 Like
I have had zero issues integrating my Lampizator B3 w/ any particular amplifier combination.
I personally have a slight preference for its USB implementation over AES or BNC/SPIDIF but I find this irrelevant in the overall scheme of things. All inputs work well and what I prefer has little to do w/ your particular set up.
Plenty of tubes to roll till you find your personal preferences and again I think folks way overthink this but feel free to spend as much $$$$ as you want on exotic tubes for it, I did but don’t much mess with them any more, I’ve settled down.
I don’t see any issues with the DAC, curious what your streamer / front end into it will be, that may play a slightly bigger role than the amplifier IMO.
1 Like
Hey guys, i am trying to understand the correlation between a DAC’s output power and its respective amplifier’s output power.
My research so far led me to believe that, increasing the input power into an amplifier does not contribute at all to the amplifier’s output power, i can’t understand how the amplifier will sound louder with a more powerful input though.
I started looking into this because i have a few inefficient planars such as the Tungsten and the 1266 which sound nice in my Quicksilver tube amp, and my OOR as a pre-amp into the Quicksilver gives me a lot more volume with the OOR on high gain, and i am unable to notice any clipping while doing that.
So, theoretically, adding a pre-amp will not at all help a not so powerful amp drive an inefficient planar, correct? I would be better off running the amplifier at almost full volume pot rather than having a pre-amp and running the amp at 12 o’clock in the volume pot? In that case, what about headroom?
Sorry if i am being a bit repetitive in this subject, some of you have been super helpful in previous posts but i am still trying to wrap my head around all of this. That is why i am trying to formulate questions a bit differently so maybe looking from a different angle will help me understand…
1 Like
An amplifier is designed with a specific gain set for an input voltage rms.
So while an amplifier has a specific output power (max), that’s also a function of its input signal.
An input signal from a DAC that is 2Vrms is going to not be as loud after the amplifier as one that is 3Vrms (assuming both SE).
However, this is just in theory; there’s a lot of transient dynamics and such going on, and often a preamplifier would help w/ impedance matching and also provide much greater headroom due to its more significant power reserve (compared to a dac’s output stage). Extremely good DAC outputs, like Orr’s Poseidon, are designed to act pretty much like a preamplifier.
Agree w/ running the amplifier wide open and using a preamp as attenuation.
3 Likes
Do you mean maxing the volume pot on the amplifier and controlling the volume in the pre-amp?
If that is the case does that mean we don’t need any extra room in the amp’s volume pot for headroom? And the headroom comes from somewhere else?
1 Like
Think of it this way volume is voltage, all an amp does is multiply the input by a fixed gain to produce an output.
So if the amp had infinite Current and Voltage available (it doesn’t) then the louder the input the louder the output.
However Amps will have a maximum output voltage, and if the input multiplied by the gain exceeds that then it clips, the input voltage that results in a maximum output voltage is referred to as the input sensitivity, this is often much less than line level for pre amps and integrated amps.
The volume pot just makes the input voltage smaller, it doesn’t require any headroom to do that because it’s a passive device.
Because volume pots are not linear even relatively large differences input voltage, have at best moderate impact on the volume pots position.
In the end all you care about is does your source put out more voltage than the input sensitivity of the amplifier, if it does, a louder source will not let you get louder, it will just clip sooner on the volume pot.
If the load exceeds the current the amp can provide then the amp will also clip, but at a much lower voltage. This is unaffected by input level.
FWIW I see this entirely misunderstood all over the place.
As to what a preamp does a DAC output stage doesn’t.
Generally dedicated pre’s have very hot outputs, compared to DAC’s. This might matter if the power amp has a very high input sensitivity.
It likely has a lower output impedance and potentially the ability to deliver more current.
Not that the latter should really matter, slew rates might also differ.
5 Likes