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?
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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.