Bricks List: 36V & 48V Power Supplies (for Fosi, Aiyima etc.)

[Mr_RGB]

I bought a couple of these Meanwell HLG-320H-48 48v 6.7A DC Power Supply - IP67 Rated Fanless power supplies off of a well known auction site for around $44 each (including shipping). I'm using these with Aiyima A07s and they seem to work great. I like the idea of a name brand heavy duty power supply with many certifications that people keep talking about. Any downside to using these?

 

[doug s.]

I bought a couple of these Meanwell HLG-320H-48 48v 6.7A DC Power Supply - IP67 Rated Fanless power supplies off of a well known auction site for around $44 each (including shipping). I'm using these with Aiyima A07s and they seem to work great. I like the idea of a name brand heavy duty power supply with many certifications that people keep talking about. Any downside to using these?
View attachment 398486

i considered meanwell power supplies, (the ones i was considering had fans; this model might be better because it's fanless). i think they're excellent, at least from what i heard about them. but for my use, i think they're overkill, as i'm using very efficient speakers. so, i think the 5a/48v supplies that came w/the amps i bought from an alibaba vendor were sufficient. it cost me $166.50 delivered for a pair of a07 max amps w/the 5a/48v bricks... if my speakers were more demanding, i might have splurged for the extra ~$20/amp for the meanwells.

doug s.

 

[yo!]

I'm building an multi channel amp with the SDR 960 48 MeanWell. Bought second hand for around 90,- in pretty good condition.
Efficient, excellent build and parts, passive cooling, 47-54 V adjustable and much cleaner output than the data sheet suggests.

 

[EJ3]

but does GaN run cooler or better in any way???

my quick 5 sec googling says the standard 48v 5a non GaN is a $60 affair while the GaN model is about $95

is it worth 50% more?

i would also like if people could attach a price to each unit for comparisons sake?

One of those comparisons should be long term reliability. If they go dead more often, that totally off sets the efficiency.

 

[Roland68]

i considered meanwell power supplies, (the ones i was considering had fans; this model might be better because it's fanless). i think they're excellent, at least from what i heard about them. but for my use, i think they're overkill, as i'm using very efficient speakers. so, i think the 5a/48v supplies that came w/the amps i bought from an alibaba vendor were sufficient. it cost me $166.50 delivered for a pair of a07 max amps w/the 5a/48v bricks... if my speakers were more demanding, i might have splurged for the extra ~$20/amp for the meanwells.

doug s.

Really ? Because of the fan?

It's really ridiculous how persistent these unjustified prejudices against fans are.
These fans don't run during operation. They only switch on when the power supply heats up so much that it is absolutely necessary, and only for as long as it is necessary.
If that happens, your music will be so loud that you won't even hear the fan if your ear is 10cm away from it.

I have been running several TPA3255/51 amplifiers with Mean Well power supplies for over three years and none of the power supplies have any dust deposits, so no fan operation either.

My tip, if you have the choice, always go for the power supply with the fan.

 

[yo!]

I don't see any big advantages of GAN transistors for 'simple' SMPS power supplies for amplifier usage.
Efficiency of a regular SMPS is way over 90 % and most time only a small fraction of the power is used anyway.
Go with the reliable stuff and avoid cheap GAN gimmicks in this case. Only if it looks nice next to your 250 $ discrete OpAmp Chip, then give it a go.

 

[somebodyelse]

It's really ridiculous how persistent these unjustified prejudices against fans are.
These fans don't run during operation. They only switch on when the power supply heats up so much that it is absolutely necessary, and only for as long as it is necessary.
If that happens, your music will be so loud that you won't even hear the fan if your ear is 10cm away from it.

That may be true of the MeanWell PSUs with fans, but doesn't apply across the board. Plenty have a permanently powered fixed speed fan that would be clearly audible in quiet passages, let alone between tracks. I have 2 for non-hifi uses, and neither are quiet. Temperature controlled fans may be better, but the temperature still doesn't drop as fast as the musical transitions. Having lived with and without fans (a quiet one in an HTPC) I consider my current preference justified by experience. The fan wasn't obviously audible when running, but the change in background noise when it powered on or off around scheduled recordings became more irritating the longer I lived with it.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Plenty have a permanently powered fixed speed fan that would be clearly audible in quiet passages, let alone between tracks.

I simply unplug the fan on such units -- one of them, rated 48v/10a, has been in service pretty much 24/7 for nearly four years with no issues powering two Aiyima A07s. In my experience, music simply doesn't impose the sort of constant high current demand that would actually require fan cooling an industrial SMPS like (e.g.) an LED lighting application would.

 

[doug s.]

Really ? Because of the fan?

It's really ridiculous how persistent these unjustified prejudices against fans are.
These fans don't run during operation. They only switch on when the power supply heats up so much that it is absolutely necessary, and only for as long as it is necessary.
If that happens, your music will be so loud that you won't even hear the fan if your ear is 10cm away from it.

I have been running several TPA3255/51 amplifiers with Mean Well power supplies for over three years and none of the power supplies have any dust deposits, so no fan operation either.

My tip, if you have the choice, always go for the power supply with the fan.

no; fan or fanless had absolutely nothing to do w/my decision. my decision was solely based on the fact that i think either p/s is total overkill for my speakers, which are ~100db-efficient. if i were wanting these better power supplies, and if i were using inefficient speakers, i'd certainly consider the p/s's w/fans. my crown xls2000 amps have fans; not sure if they've ever kicked on, driving my bass bins and subs. i've certainly never heard them.

doug s.

 

[somebodyelse]

I simply unplug the fan on such units -- one of them, rated 48v/10a, has been in service pretty much 24/7 for nearly four years with no issues powering two Aiyima A07s. In my experience, music simply doesn't impose the sort of constant high current demand that would actually require fan cooling an industrial SMPS like (e.g.) an LED lighting application would.

I might too, at least with a reputable supply that will trip out on over temperature, but wouldn't be comfortable recommending it to others. Someone will try it with one of the cheaper supplies that can't supply the current they claim, and catch fire if you try. I wouldn't trust one of those not to do the same at audio power draws without the fan. Something designed to be fanless, like the MeanWell UHP series, are a safer recommendation.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

I might too, at least with a reputable supply that will trip out on over temperature, but wouldn't be comfortable recommending it to others. Someone will try it with one of the cheaper supplies that can't supply the current they claim, and catch fire if you try. I wouldn't trust one of those not to do the same at audio power draws without the fan. Something designed to be fanless, like the MeanWell UHP series, are a safer recommendation.

I confess that my DIY-fanless SMPS units are cheap generics -- but I doubt if they ever come close to supplying their nominal current ratings. IOW, there's probably no chance that even half of their rated current sourcing will ever actually being drawn by the A07s, let alone a "catch fire" overheating situation actually happening. I understand and respect your caution, but given how cool these units run even at substantial system volume, I won't be going on red alert over this (IMO non-)issue.

 

[T&T]

In addition, everyone should think about the following in relation to these power supplies.
The thing that bothers me most about such power supplies is that there are no technical data and data sheets available for most power supplies.
Everyone should ask themselves why a reputable manufacturer is not able to make technical data and data sheets for its power supplies available for download on its website.
The answer is simple, then it is not a reputable manufacturer.
These data sheets from reputable manufacturers say a lot about a power supply, especially about areas of application, performance under various criteria, service life, short-term additional power, efficiency, etc., the list is long.
Of course, a dubious manufacturer would not want to give out such information because the information would then be comparable and verifiable.

As an example, I will take a tried and tested Mean Well Brick power supply with 48 volts and 4.6A, the GSM220B48-R7B.
In addition to all the necessary documents and data sheets, this power supply also has approval for the medical sector, including breath machines. Anyone who knows anything about it knows how complex and expensive this approval is.
The power supply is sold to end customers in Germany and the EU for around €75 including taxes. How much does a power supply like this from one of the Class D amplifier manufacturers cost?

The GSM220B48-R7B also has a 3-year manufacturer's guarantee that you can absolutely rely on.
- Short-term increase in performance of over 30%
- Average service life of over 8 years with continuous 24/7 operation
- Efficiency 94.5%
- Ripple noise 150mVp-p
Just a few key data, you can find the complete data sheet here GSM220B48-R7B
Please note that you need an adapter or a different plug for a Class D amplifier. Information about this can be found in the data sheet, or available adapters.

I was looking at the same power supply do try or compared to Fosi or Aiyima power supply?.
Nobody has tested the ripple on Fosi or Aiyima power supply yet.
I think you can cut the cable in the Meanwell and will be 2 wires instead of 4 pins output

 

[Roland68]

I was looking at the same power supply do try or compared to Fosi or Aiyima power supply?.
Nobody has tested the ripple on Fosi or Aiyima power supply yet.
I think you can cut the cable in the Meanwell and will be 2 wires instead of 4 pins output

You don't need to cut anything off the cable. There is both the appropriate adapter plug to 5.5 x 2.1 and 2.5mm, as well as the power supply directly with 5.5 x 2.1 and 2.5mm plug.
I only posted the power supply to show that there are high-quality power supplies available to buy.

I would always recommend the Mean Well HRP series, HRP N series or N3 series for single voltage amplifiers.

 

[ElJaimito]

One of the power supplies is Fosi Audi 48V 5A GaN:
It is US$30 more than the regular Fosi Audio 48V 5A which is shipped with the V3.

Would be great to hear feedback from users who compared the 48V GaN vs 48V standard!

Articles re of GaN technology in audio:
- Gallium Nitride Audio Amplifiers: The Latest Technology in Audio Power Amplification
- Consumer Electronics GaN Application: Class-D Audio.
- Future Audiophile: What The Hell Is a GaN (Gallium Nitride) Amp and Why Is It Changing the Way Audiophiles Now See Power Amps?
- Peachtree Audio: All GaN Amps Are Not The Same

- Infenion Semiconductors: Why GaN is the future for Class D (PDF)
- Technics uses GaN in their newer top of the line amplifiers SU-G700M2 / SU-R1000:

- Audioxpress: GaN Technology in Audio Power Amplification
- 2016 Thesis: A Comparison between GaN and Silicon Based Class D Audio Power Amplifiers with Pulse Density Modulation (PDF)

These links concern GaN in Class D output stages. That's not the same application as in a switch-mode power supply, as per the OP. However, in all cases, GaN devices in switching applications offer a lower RdS and faster switching times, which ideally translates into lower losses, higher efficency overall with faster switching speeds and potentially less switching noise amplitude to filter out. However, they also require significantly more sophisticated driver circuitry and without that the benefits are elusive. Quality manufacture resolves all that. Design of such is well outside my wheelhouse!

 

[ElJaimito]

I simply unplug the fan on such units -- one of them, rated 48v/10a, has been in service pretty much 24/7 for nearly four years with no issues powering two Aiyima A07s. In my experience, music simply doesn't impose the sort of constant high current demand that would actually require fan cooling an industrial SMPS like (e.g.) an LED lighting application would.

Don't do this!

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Don't do this!

Too late. There've been no issues whatsoever here in four years of near-24/7 usage. The fact that I could swap in an otherwise similar unit with a proper thermostatically controlled fan without that fan ever activating further proves my case. Moreover, if a 48v/10a fully sealed power brick doesn't need fan cooling when powering audio gear, a sensibly vented 48v/10a industrial SMPS certainly doesn't.

 

[ElJaimito]

Too late. There've been no issues whatsoever here in four years of near-24/7 usage. The fact that I could swap in an otherwise similar unit with a proper thermostatically controlled fan without that fan ever activating further proves my case. Moreover, if a 48v/10a fully sealed power brick doesn't need fan cooling when powering audio gear, a sensibly vented 48v/10a industrial SMPS certainly doesn't.

Your choice. But it will invalidate your house insurance if there is an issue. Manufacturers optimise costs to the penny. If they fit a fan it's because it is necessary to meet the PSU specifications. I fit a fan varispeed temperature-controlled module in similar circumstances, secure and quiet.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Your choice. But it will invalidate your house insurance if there is an issue. Manufacturers optimise costs to the penny. If they fit a fan it's because it is necessary to meet the PSU specifications. I fit a fan varispeed temperature-controlled module in similar circumstances, secure and quiet.

You're ignoring the use case, in which a PSU almost never gets near the specified maximum current draw other than for brief peaks -- so brief that they don't have a chance to heat things up. If I was testing amps with steady input from a signal generator, then I'd be concerned about cooling -- but for music, movies, or TV at most typical volume levels? Not so much. This little thing is barely even warm to the touch, let alone in the slightest peril of overheating.

 

[EJ3]

Too late. There've been no issues whatsoever here in four years of near-24/7 usage. The fact that I could swap in an otherwise similar unit with a proper thermostatically controlled fan without that fan ever activating further proves my case. Moreover, if a 48v/10a fully sealed power brick doesn't need fan cooling when powering audio gear, a sensibly vented 48v/10a industrial SMPS certainly doesn't.

What temperature do you keep your home under (or the room where your gear is)?

 

[Bruce Morgen]

What temperature do you keep your home under (or the room where your gear is)?

21-22 C