Can someone comment on the build quality of this LPS - Thanks!!!!

[threni]

Now you could say (which you probably do)..."dont bother and see how it sounds" but again my professional mindset cant allow that.

This isn't the site for "see how it sounds" - it's science based so a more "measurements show that paying extra makes no difference in this case" mindset applies.

You've posted your location before on this site - bit strange that now it's relevant to your question you're keeping quiet about it!

 

[Sokel]

Not everything is snake oil,it's more like case depended.
While a cheap generic PS may be just fine there are cases who may demand other solutions.
Nothing is one-fits-all even if in the OP's case things seems simple enough.

(I hope it's not a Nuke,some of them are notoriously noisy)

RME ADI 2 DAC FS (ground?) hum- any ideas?

So- I made the mistake of spring cleaning and re-organising my AV rack yesterday. Today whilst using the RME with some sensitive IEMs I had a noticeable (assume 60hz or thereabouts) hum. So I started doing some testing. Observations: 1. Touching the join between the device and the IEM jack...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[elberoth]

Get this one instead. LHY Audio is a reputable chineese brand:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804636423034.html

 

[egellings]

Looking to power my low end PC with this (it pulls 22w max).. any general thoughts on quality?

Link to item with detailed photos is here:

Finished 50VA HIFI Ultra-low Noise 2 Ways Linear Power Supply DC12V@3A Home PSU | eBay

(Made of Swiss SCHURTER fuse, made of silver solder. Use all aluminum chassis. we also can provide 5.5 2.1mm or other size) NOTE: The AC input cable is not included by default.

www.ebay.com

Top view (taken from website) is as below:

View attachment 284577

Thanks,

Peter
:

Looks pretty decent to me. However, the only way to know if it's any good is to test it and see if it meets is published specs. Getting a UL or CE approval is very expensive, so there are decent low production volume products out there that don't have one or both of them.

 

[SuicideSquid]

Well I guess it comes down to my professional life spilling into other areas.

Everything is a system meaning that it consists of interconnected "modules" of some description.

In my work as a software engineer I deal with mission critical "things" where fast switching is important.

Taking any real world project I deal with, assume the stuff I write needs to do 100,000 things. And in doing these things, like any software, there are multiple hand offs between sub components. If I write crappy code that takes 1/2 a second more per thing than good code, doing those 100,000 things means it takes 14 hours longer to achieve a result.

But I dont have 14 hours EXTRA... I have maybe 4 to 8 hours maximum, in total.

Now for a typical customer, every additional hour I take means they lose anywhere from $US 500,000 to $US 1,000,000 per hour (sometimes more).

Imagine the simple case where there are three sub-modules doing something. I cant write crappy code for the first two steps and except that I am such a coding God that I can make up for the time lost in the third sub-module.

So how does this mindset apply to audio. My PC connects to a DAC which connects to an amp which connects to the speakers... i.e. a system.

Under your theory, nothing matters cause the downstream components will deal with it. But my mindset is what if they cant?

So I try (based on my professional mindset) to ensure (within reasonable cost limits) that my power delivery in the upstream components is as clean as possible in the off chance that some downstream components are affected (i.e. have poor power filtering, poor jitter rejection etc)

Now you could say (which you probably do)..."dont bother and see how it sounds" but again my professional mindset cant allow that.

Peter

P.S. I know nothing of audio engineering aside from some theory and have no ability to measure stuff... so all I can do is follow "best practice"

PPS While in general Amir has shown, for example, that most DAC's dont need a fancy power supply ...some do... thus I want to err on the side of caution

The issue with that approach is that you're not talking about things that actually affect the audio output at the end of the chain. This is a common error audiophiles make - assuming everything, from the power cable to the interconnects to even things like the stand on which the gear is located affect the output. In most cases the only things that actually affect the output are how well-recorded the source was and the file format / media type, the quality of turntable or DAC, the quality of your amplifier, the quality of your speakers, and your room. Interconnects don't matter, power filtering doesn't matter, power supplies don't matter, how you've stacked your gear doesn't matter, etc.

Thinking you're going to get cleaner audio out from your PC by using a linear power supply is equivalent to think your code is going to compile with fewer bugs if you're using a PC with a linear power supply. A bit of errant dirty power causing a few flipped bits is going to cause a far more catastrophic problem when compiling code compared to reading audio and sending it to a DAC, and yet I doubt you've ever heard of someone claiming you'll get better results as a software engineer by using a linear power supply.

 

[restorer-john]

The OP wants a reliable power supply for his small computer. He asked for advice on build quality of the linear supply pictured and most of you start dribbling on about cheap Chinese ( orig Taiwanese) (Meanwell) SMPS supplies.

The simple facts are low cost SMPS supplies are unreliable when compared to a supply such as the one pictured. If you'd seen as many dead SMPSs as I have, you wouldn't have one anywhere near your HiFi. The only weak point as I see it with the pictured PSU, is the relatively poorly mounted, soldered power switch. It is not up to the standard of the rest of the PSU. I'd also want to be checking idle transformer losses/temps, as some Chinese transformers are pretty ordinary in that respect.

But overall, I'd rather have that supply running a small single voltage input PC than any SMPS you'd like to name. At least it will still be working in 30 years.

 

[restorer-john]

They can deal with it. Easily. You will be wasting money with this approach.

The waste of money comes in a few years when the cheap SMPS has overheated, dried out its caps and spewed its guts all over the non-ventilated plastic case it was jammed into. And, likely taken out a downstream component that couldn't deal with the extreme ripple in the 'DC' it was supposed to be outputting...

 

[MaxwellsEq]

The waste of money comes in a few years when the cheap SMPS has overheated, dried out its caps and spewed its guts all over the non-ventilated plastic case it was jammed into. And, likely taken out a downstream component that couldn't deal with the extreme ripple in the 'DC' it was supposed to be outputting...

I've run large IT support departments with thousands of machines of all generations as well as data centres. This also involved negotiating long-term kit-support contracts (with real-time data about failures, spares, returns etc.). Based on this real-world experience, SMPS PSU failure across thousands of PCs is a non-problem. On average, the processor + OS + performance + storage etc. move to obsolescence years before the average PSU dies (especially amongst coders - i.e. the OP). Occasionally there are issues - e.g. where ONE generation of product or a batch of devices has much shorter life than expected (this can be more obvious in data centres where all of the "chassis" is always on and operating much closer to 100% load than a desktop PC).

I've also supported big studio facilities with lots of Linear Power Supplies. They fail. Possibly just as often as SMPS in computers.

One thing that does stand out from my experience - being a cheapskate is a big mistake. For my own personal use I would always spend several times more on a branded computer PSU than the cheapest no-name brands. I wouldn't spend less than 100 for a computer PSU because its performance is critical.

 

[fatoldgit]

I hear what you are all saying, that it doesnt matter but I cant let it go... so yes I am a schmuck, at least on this point.

I am of course aware that some no name LPS has doubtful quality (in terms of both build, longevity and performance), hence my post.

I am also aware that high priced LPS's are a rip off so was looking for the holy grail of good price/good performance.

So with some more digging, I found this puppy: https://www.fiio.com/pl50

Its from a well known company and is typically used to power their desktop products so its doubtful that would develop a power product that would be detrimental to their own products.

At 12v/3A its all I need, shipping was free (but will take 3+ weeks to arrive) and was on special so I got it for $US 100.

I have a contact that will measure its noise performance for me.

What kinda gets lost on this forum, at times, is maintaining perspective: You all get your tits in a tangle over some cheap purchase as you are sticking to your principles but as has been stated many times,audio is a hobby and tinkering with stuff is a reasonable part of the deal.

If I was proposing to spend $500, $1000,$4000 on an LPS then sure, try and talk me down, but a hundred here or there....

Peter

 

[fatoldgit]

The OP wants a reliable power supply for his small computer. He asked for advice on build quality of the linear supply pictured and most of you start dribbling on about cheap Chinese ( orig Taiwanese) (Meanwell) SMPS supplies.

The simple facts are low cost SMPS supplies are unreliable when compared to a supply such as the one pictured. If you'd seen as many dead SMPSs as I have, you wouldn't have one anywhere near your HiFi. The only weak point as I see it with the pictured PSU, is the relatively poorly mounted, soldered power switch. It is not up to the standard of the rest of the PSU. I'd also want to be checking idle transformer losses/temps, as some Chinese transformers are pretty ordinary in that respect.

But overall, I'd rather have that supply running a small single voltage input PC than any SMPS you'd like to name. At least it will still be working in 30 years.

Thanks for this RJ...

 

[Doodski]

I've run large IT support departments with thousands of machines of all generations as well as data centres. This also involved negotiating long-term kit-support contracts (with real-time data about failures, spares, returns etc.). Based on this real-world experience, SMPS PSU failure across thousands of PCs is a non-problem. On average, the processor + OS + performance + storage etc. move to obsolescence years before the average PSU dies (especially amongst coders - i.e. the OP). Occasionally there are issues - e.g. where ONE generation of product or a batch of devices has much shorter life than expected (this can be more obvious in data centres where all of the "chassis" is always on and operating much closer to 100% load than a desktop PC).

I've also supported big studio facilities with lots of Linear Power Supplies. They fail. Possibly just as often as SMPS in computers.

One thing that does stand out from my experience - being a cheapskate is a big mistake. For my own personal use I would always spend several times more on a branded computer PSU than the cheapest no-name brands. I wouldn't spend less than 100 for a computer PSU because its performance is critical.

I've been buying PC Power and Cooling, Thermaltake with the 10 year warranty and Seasonic with a 10 year warranty too. All cost $200+. I had issue with cheap power supplies in cheap PCs and now I buy the best that I can afford and no more issues.

 

[fatoldgit]

You've posted your location before on this site - bit strange that now it's relevant to your question you're keeping quiet about it!

Didnt see how my location of New Zealand was relative to my question.

There are many small countries that get screwed over by exchange rates, shipping and local taxes.. NZ isnt unique in this perspective.

Even my mates across the Ditch in OZ get shafted somewhat, relative to the US and Europe.

Peter

 

[Gruesome]

As already mentioned, PC power supplies typically supply more than just +12V, and have multiple output cables with connectors that match the PC motherboard (and sometimes graphic card) headers. I don't see how a single 12V supply is going to work.

 

[fatoldgit]

As already mentioned, PC power supplies typically supply more than just +12V, and have multiple output cables with connectors that match the PC motherboard (and sometimes graphic card) headers. I don't see how a single 12V supply is going to work.

So there are tons of PC, that use a 5.5mm/2.1mm or 5.5mm/2.5mm DC plug.

Look up SOC PC's

 

[fatoldgit]

The waste of money comes in a few years when the cheap SMPS has overheated, dried out its caps and spewed its guts all over the non-ventilated plastic case it was jammed into. And, likely taken out a downstream component that couldn't deal with the extreme ripple in the 'DC' it was supposed to be outputting...

To this point, I got an original HDPLEX 100w power supply for $US 160 about 10 years ago.

It has four outlets (5v, 9v, 12v and 19v). My original PC I used in my system used 19V hence the attraction (19v is relatively rare in an LPS).

I have used 3 of these outlets simultaneously for the last 10 years (sometimes four) to power, at a minimum, my PC, an HDMI extractor, an HDMI over ethernet receiver.

So thats one box powering 3-4 components and not 3-4 wall warts taking up plug space and spewing noise back.

I measure the outlets for compliance with their stated voltage every now and then and after 10 years its still spot on.

Whats prompted me to need a another LPS is I have purchased a device that needs 12v, the 12v outlet on my HDPLEX is already used and while I could piggy back off that it would place additonal load on the HDPLEX that would be close to its 100w rating.

Would rather leave the HDPLEX unstressed than have it fail after all this time


Peter

 

[restorer-john]

To this point, I got an original HDPLEX 100w power supply for $US 160 about 10 years ago.

The HDPLEX linear supplies are very reliable in my experience for relatively low powered compact PCs.

The 19V single input is a classic older laptop voltage rating, usually so the battery can be charged with minimal losses (often an 11-14.8V li-ion pack).

Sure, the mini PC will create whatever internal rails it needs, but a good separate linear supply is a great, reliable start, as long as there's a bit 'in reserve' in terms of current rating.

We aren't talking 750W+ gaming PCs here, needing multiple high current rails, where an SMPS is the only solution.

 

[Gruesome]

So there are tons of PC, that use a 5.5mm/2.1mm or 5.5mm/2.5mm DC plug.

Look up SOC PC's

I see, your PC is a single board computer. And (switching) 12V power bricks are more expensive in New Zealand than that linear power supply you have.
In that case you could hook that linear supply up and measure the AC ripple on the 12V line at the PC, under load, with a volt meter.

Like others here, I have been bitten by failing power supplies, so I no longer buy the cheapest I can get my hands on. Meanwell seems to have a good reputation.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

Lots of people, including myself, made the mistake of assuming you were describing a normal but low-end PC based on a normal PC motherboard with a normal PC processor etc. These all need a PC PSU that looks like this:

We should not have assumed this!

But you could have helped in post #1 by being clear you were not talking about a run of the mill PC. You could have been more helpful when @sarumbear asked in post #7 if you were running a laptop and in post #8 and you replied "Not a laptop a PC." by perhaps stating the type of structure/board, power demands etc. Whilst "PC" these days can mean a lot of things, most people who use computers in the office would think of something like this, with a built-in SMPS:

 

[fatoldgit]

Lots of people, including myself, made the mistake of assuming you were describing a normal but low-end PC based on a normal PC motherboard with a normal PC processor etc.

But my question wasnt about if the LPS was suitable for my PC... just whether the build quality of the LPS was up to snuff.

I didnt create the rabbit hole.

Peter

 

[voodooless]

But my question wasnt about if the LPS was suitable for my PC... just whether the build quality of the LPS was up to snuff.

I didnt create the rabbit hole.

Sometimes you get unsolicited advice. Quite frankly that's basically the best things these forums have to offer. Take it or leave it.