Build a dedicated Audio PC

[jkeny]

Interesting indeed, Fran. You can't compare it to the Pico PSU as it isn't compatible with your m/board, right?

It makes me even more determined to operate the Intel NUC from a battery shunt supply.

[Fran]

No, no this was comparing linear vs smps feeding the picopsu in the zuma....

In other words, yes, you definitely need to build your battery shunt.


Fran

[nige2000]

I had Derek over tonight for a listen to the new zuma build. Not being one to miss an opportunity, I decided to use his ears and mine to do an experiment.

I rigged up a pc power supply (300w smps) to compare to the linear maplin supply.

We played using the linear supply first..... Quick shutdown and swap to the smps, and listen again. It didn't take 2 bars before we both knew the smps was way inferior.

This was not a small difference. The level of loss of detail, warmth, etc was stand out noticeable.

Best factor in a linear supply guys! Pearse, I can rig a lead if you want to try it out with your zuma.

Interesting findings.....


Fran

very interesting

is it possible to use a 12v car battery to power the picu?
ken thought it should be possible
ive very little experience in this area and i dont have a linear supply.
what linear supply are you using

[Fran]

It probably is possible, but the thing is that you'd want to regulate the voltage from the battery, as car batteries tend to be charged to ~13V. Not only that but it specifically says not to use them with the picoPSU.

The yoke I'm using is a 13.8V linear supply from Maplin (bought long ago to power a t-amp) and I opened it up and adjusted the voltage down to 12V. I'm using the 3A one and it gets a bit hot, so I'd buy the heavier duty 5A or even 7A one. I further modified mine to house a little wallwart inside it to run the fan on the motherboard cooler. I think that 7A one is ~€70 in Maplin in Jervis St.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/13.8v-regulated ... -units-231



I'm sure there are lots of other options - and IIRC, itemaudio also have some versions in stock too that he recommends. You could have a look on his website for the models etc but I don't think they were any cheaper than the one linked to above.


Fran

[Sligolad]

Will definitely go the Linear supply route Fran and more than likely the Teddy Pardo route as I already have 2 of his units both on the Touch and the Young DAC.
They are expensive but given the improvement of Linear Supply now also confirmed by your experiment I think I will push the button.
http://teddypardo.com/Products/Power%20 ... y12-4.html

[nige2000]

It probably is possible, but the thing is that you'd want to regulate the voltage from the battery, as car batteries tend to be charged to ~13V. Not only that but it specifically says not to use them with the picoPSU.

The yoke I'm using is a 13.8V linear supply from Maplin (bought long ago to power a t-amp) and I opened it up and adjusted the voltage down to 12V. I'm using the 3A one and it gets a bit hot, so I'd buy the heavier duty 5A or even 7A one. I further modified mine to house a little wallwart inside it to run the fan on the motherboard cooler. I think that 7A one is ~€70 in Maplin in Jervis St.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/13.8v-regulated ... -units-231



I'm sure there are lots of other options - and IIRC, itemaudio also have some versions in stock too that he recommends. You could have a look on his website for the models etc but I don't think they were any cheaper than the one linked to above.

Picked up the maplin 7 amp supply for comparison



Fran

[Fran]

Nige2000: when you open up the box, there's a board with 2 pots on it, adjusting one of those will bring down the voltage. I brought mine down and then put a 4 amp load on it to make sure it would cope and it held up fine.

Fran

[jkeny]

You can always get one of the blue or green coloured Pico PSUs - these take higher voltages than 12V, I believe? That way running it directly from a car battery would be no issue. It might be cheaper going this route than a Maplin supply that you need to mod?

[Fran]

The wide input picopsu is only a max of 120w I think, so might be a bit low for a zuma. Also a car battery is gonna cost 50 quid, plus a charger, so not worth it I think.

Things have settled a bit, in that the pcs are built and we've had a bit of time to tweak them. How would a meet up next week suit?

Fran

[tony]

Idiot question. The pico power supply is that then ditched and now its an ugly box from maplins that looks like a battery charger or else go John's small form way i.e cute cuinas box dirty big car battery jump leads and some other contraption.

For the non electrical beings can you set out the choices. I am wondering ok if I buy all the bits do I just go to maplins buy that yoke and connect all the bits-mobo/ssd etc to the maplin job and off I go. The car battery well I aint go there.

Is the teddy pardo a super version of the maplin? aka red wine audio stuff

Sorry for all the questions.