Paul Hynes Designs new Squeezebox power supply

[richidoo]

Paul Hynes has a new website up. I think I miss the red/black look, but the new has more info and pictures. Paul is an extremely talented power supply designer. The specs on his regulators are mind blowing. He is helpful with free design advice for putting together a supply for any project. His parts are not cheap, but if you want fast and silent, he is the man.

He has also introduced 2 new finished power supplies, one for SB (5V) and another for (of all things) Altmann DAC! (12V) Based on the specs, I would have to guess that these are the fastest and quietest power supplies available. 160 quid ($325) each. I am tempted to try it instead of the battery. Ken, you might consider this for your SB. Would be interesting to compare Hynes SR1-5 specs to Bolder Ultimate PS, and Dusty's new SB PS too...
Rich

[jrebman]

Rich,

Looks interesting.  I wonder what one of those DIY modules configured for say 15 volts would do for the Bellari?

If I had not just bought a minimax phono, I'd certainly be thinking about it myself.

-- Jim

[Carlman]

If I had not just bought a minimax phono, I'd certainly be thinking about it myself.

Listening to vinyl through one of the best tube pre's available or playing around with digital toys with expensive DIY power supplies... hmmm... I wouldn't waste a second thinking about it.. 

[jrebman]

I've already got the Bolder Mk. IV and Summit DC cable, so other than possibly adding bybees to the PSU and adding a buffer after the SB, there isn't much more I can do on that front anyway.

In the vinyl bad news (sort of) arena, it looks like my beautiful walnut HW-19 is going to be just a bit too large to fit comfortably in my rack, so now I'm going to have to sell it -- the good news is that I'm looking at an Audio Note TT-2, which is a table I've heard on several occasions, albeit for a short time each time, but really liked a lot, and with my EPA-100 arm should be an awesome combination.  Now I just need Grover to make me a set of phono cables with a right angle DIN connector, find a decent power cord for the minimax, and life will be good.  Just ordered the 200 gram re-release of "Aqualung" today, which I've heard is awesome.

-- Jim

[richidoo]

Looks interesting.  I wonder what one of those DIY modules configured for say 15 volts would do for the Bellari?

The Bellari has 12VAC input from wallwart. I haven't opened it up, but maybe there is a step up inside, hence the AC input? I can't imagine 12AX7's B+ at 17VDC?? So I think the Bellari would require high voltage regulation, for which Hynes makes awesome shunt regulator and current source, but now we're talking $1000 territory when all is said and done, separate box, cables, caps, etc. The Bellari sounds very good, especially with Carl's Telefunken tube in there, but it is not worth that kind of upgrade when minimax phono is right there. But now that you bring it up, the 60Hz hum in the Bellari is clearly audible. Maybe just better filter caps would fix it? Whattayathink?

[jrebman]

Rich,

My understanding is that the Bellari can take from 12 to 18 vdc input, and if that's the case, almost anything would be an improvement over a wall wart switcher -- which is what I believe the Bellari comes with.

BTW, the tube B+ in the Bellari comes from a series of voltage doublers that bring the voltage up to, I think, about 250 volts.

The question is whether a $300+ power supply is worthwhile for a $250 phono stage.  Sometimes, as with the squeezebox, it is, sometimes it isn't.  I haven't heard the Bellari myself, but it sounds like ti may be worth it.

-- Jim