Douk Audio is going to design a linear power supply!--Leave your ideas please.

[Douk Audio]

Hello all audiophiles,

As we know, the power supply is crucial for audio systems as it ensures stable and clean energy delivery, directly impacting sound quality. A high-quality power supply minimizes noise and distortion, enhancing clarity and detail. It also protects components from voltage fluctuations, ensuring reliability and longevity. Almost all audiophiles need more than on

In fact, we designed and produced one linear power supply P50 before but not selling well due to some reasons. Hence, this time we are eager to know the real requirements from our users before production.

Here are some questions. Please leave your answer below and share any of your ideas. Thank you!
1. How many voltage outputs and what voltages do you want?
2. Besides adding a display screen to read the voltage, are there any other functions you need?
3. Do you have any ideas on its look? Such as the shape, the color, the switch etc.
4. What price do you think would be more appropriate?


Any other suggestions are welcome! Thank you all!

 

[Doodski]

1. How many voltage outputs and what voltages do you want?

Make the power supply of a high enough voltage (What wattage are you looking for this to supply?) to get good wattage but loose running enough to keep the price reasonable and good peak wattage output from the amp.

 

[Douk Audio]

Make the power supply of a high enough voltage (What wattage are you looking for this to supply?) to get good wattage but loose running enough to keep the price reasonable and good peak wattage output from the amp.

25W or 35W, not determined yet. Depends on the outputs needed...This linear power supply is designed mainly to power the DAC and preamp, not the power amplifier.

 

[Doodski]

25W or 35W, not determined yet. Depends on the outputs needed...This linear power supply is designed mainly to power the DAC and preamp, not the power amplifier.

Ahhh ic. Why are you going with a outboard linear power supply? Customer demand? The price should be ~$100 to $200? Meaning what price range of DAC and pre-amp are you intending this for?

 

[JSmith]

A high-quality power supply minimizes noise and distortion, enhancing clarity and detail.

A PS either does what it's meant to do, or is broken. An external linear PS is generally pointless... not sure why Douk is bothering with this TBH.

Enhancing clarity and detail... really?


JSmith

 

[MAB]

Hello all audiophiles,

As we know, the power supply is crucial for audio systems as it ensures stable and clean energy delivery, directly impacting sound quality. A high-quality power supply minimizes noise and distortion, enhancing clarity and detail. It also protects components from voltage fluctuations, ensuring reliability and longevity. Almost all audiophiles need more than on

In fact, we designed and produced one linear power supply P50 before but not selling well due to some reasons. Hence, this time we are eager to know the real requirements from our users before production.

Here are some questions. Please leave your answer below and share any of your ideas. Thank you!
1. How many voltage outputs and what voltages do you want?
2. Besides adding a display screen to read the voltage, are there any other functions you need?
3. Do you have any ideas on its look? Such as the shape, the color, the switch etc.
4. What price do you think would be more appropriate?


Any other suggestions are welcome! Thank you all!

Why didn't your last model sell very well?
These things tend to not have sonic benefits. Are you really thinking that there is some sort of audible benefit?

In any case, price should be cheap.

 

[Old_School_Brad]

Hello all audiophiles,

..we designed and produced one linear power supply P50 before but not selling well due to some reasons. Hence, this time we are eager to know the real requirements from our users before production.

There’s a clue for you, hidden in plain sight, in this sentence...

 

[JeremyFife]

Perhaps some value if one power unit can replace multiple separate ones (i.e. multiple outputs), just for tidiness? I'm not even convincing myself though.
No interest in a linear power supply unless you can demonstrate *audible* benefits ... and I don't think you can.

This is for the wrong kind of 'audiophile' audience, not an ASR one

 

[mhardy6647]

By all means, sprinkle a few tubes into it. And a meter, preferably quite large.


Ok, I am obviously being facetious. Why a linear P/S? Who is the competition that you wish to challenge, or what is the unmet need/market gap that beckons? (Obviously, those are rhetorical questions for Douk to ponder) What price point? What application(s)? Headphone amp, preamp, source, audiophile ethernet switch?

Is there really a reason to offer a linear P/S in 2025?

As my erstwhile boss, colleague, and (still) friend Hubie Scoble likes to say, "begin with the end in mind."

 

[somebodyelse]

not sure why Douk is bothering with this TBH.

Same reason the new amp is encouraging opamp rolling I expect.

 

[Cogito]

Well, I certainly like the robustness and reliabilty LPSs typically provide. A digital Voltage meter only makes sense if you are offering multiple voltage outputs. I would prefer something low profile, but large enough to stack the smallish components on. MUST be a metal enclosure.

 

[somebodyelse]

Assuming this isn't just pandering to the 'linear must be better, throw money at it' school of thought, you need to find an actual problem this PSU is intended to address. Given any of the well measuring DACs will have internal regulation sufficient to be transparent with their stock PSU, this isn't easy. About the only relatively common problem I can think of is ground-related noise (leakage currents, ground loops) with single ended outputs, but that's as much about the rest of the system as any one component. That seems to be one of the things RME addressed in their recent LNI-2 DC and DPS-2 supplies (after saying in their forums that alternate PSUs to the stock one won't inprove anything because of the good internal regulation), but the words on the web site for those products are rather more audiophile marketing speak than we're used to from them.

Whatever the claimed benefits, we'll be expecting measurents at the output of the DAC as proof.

 

[Rednaxela]

As we know, the power supply is crucial for audio systems as it ensures stable and clean energy delivery, directly impacting sound quality.

Who is 'we'?

 

[Berwhale]

I have a Topping P50 linear power supply to go with my Topping D50s DAC and A50s HP Amp. The only positive regarding the P50 is that it looks nice sitting in the stack. The negatives are that it gets warm, wastes power and limits the power output of the A50s (when compared to the switching PSU the A50s came with).

I don't use the P50 and wish I hadn't bought it.

 

[Saponetto]

Prefacing that in 2025 so many good switching PS exists and happily thrives on and below our desks, what is the aim for this LPS device?
Corrode the customer base of an Allo Shanti boasting comparable ripple & noise figures at an affordable price tag?

 

[DVDdoug]

I've built a few linear supplies for my hobby projects because they are easier to build than switching supplies. I'm not sure it makes sense these days for a manufacturer. A switching supply is probably more economical to manufacture and it's more electrically efficient. For my latest hobby project I bought open-frame switching supplies.

For audio, it can be an engineering-advantage to have switching frequency that's above the audible range and easier to filter than AC hum. And of course, switching supplies tend to be smaller and lighter. But of course a good supply can be made either way.

How many voltage outputs and what voltages do you want?

If it's to power YOUR products you know the requirements better than anyone else. 25W seems like a lot for a DAC, but maybe not for a "full preamp". Again, you should know that better than anyone ese.

2. Besides adding a display screen to read the voltage

I don't need a display. I assume the voltage is correct. None of my power supplies at home have a display.

I have a bench/lab supply at work with voltage & current displays but it's general-purpose and variable voltage.

3. Do you have any ideas on its look? Such as the shape, the color, the switch etc.
4. What price do you think would be more appropriate?

If it's designed with the same "look" as your DAC/preamp it might worth a premium price. Otherwise it should be competitive with whatever else the customer can use. Or if it's marketed to "audiophiles" a high price can make it MORE desirable!!!

...Personally, I tend to prefer products with built-in power supplies. I kinda' wish my laptop had a built-in power supply since I keep it plugged-in most of the time anyway.

 

[EERecordist]

Be sure it has a switch and some kind of indicator light. Many power supply bricks are hidden in back of things, are always on, and waste energy.

 

[somebodyelse]

Be sure it has a switch and some kind of indicator light. Many power supply bricks are hidden in back of things, are always on, and waste energy.

Some parts of the world have rules about how much energy they can waste when no power is being drawn from the output - EU, UK, California(?), maybe more.

 

[sergeauckland]

Some parts of the world have rules about how much energy they can waste when no power is being drawn from the output - EU, UK, California(?), maybe more.

Which makes me think why would anyone now want to design a linear supply unless it's to pander to audiophile idiots who can't or won't understand the reality that SMPSs are better in every important aspect except 'audiophile credibility'.

Don't pander to idiots.

S.

 

[JSmith]

'audiophile credibility'

You seem not to understand... only the purest form of electricity can take you to audio nirvana. Dirty electricity... ugh.


JSmith