With surface mount components, size is minimal and with the lowish current draw of the devices used with these, heat sinking for the regulator may not be needed. The biggest expense for DIY supply would be the choice of battery capacity...LiFePO batteries aren't cheap but they are pretty much perfect for this usage.
Test WIIM pro+ with different power supplies
- Thread starter D1N0
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The very way a linear voltage regulator works (opposed to a DC/DC converter) will require some sort of heat sink and smoothing cap, no?
Yes...for the most part..a heat sink would be used if the current draw through the IC was great enough. And the smoothing cap requirements are minimal. This tiny 5v regulator from TI is only 6.5mm x 3.5mm...and can probably handle most cell phone needs without the use of heatsinking. Upper part of the data sheet tells the story...and it's less than $1. https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/ua78m.pdf?ts=1707737357177&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mouser.de%2F
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You always need a conversion from AC to DC before the regulator. One could have a 9 V SMPS 3A with DC output to feed a 5 V linear voltage regulator with a heatsink. This is how its done in many high end products. Every regulator has a certain voltage drop out , a linear needs a couple of volts.
My comment was regarding the use of power banks and if they might be using linear voltage regulators instead of DC/DC converters, not about how AC is rectified into DC.
Tough to say without tearing one apart...but I would say probably whichever one is cheaper. I was more focused on DIY a very simple totally linear approach. Maybe get around to try this later...after several other projects. Guess it's good to stay busy.My comment was regarding the use of power banks and if they might be using linear voltage regulators instead of DC/DC converters, not about how AC is rectified into DC.
Using linear regulators means wasting some battery capacity to produce heat.
Unless the producer of a portable power bank brags about clean output voltage / suitable for audio equipments / something similar, it should be using dc-dc converters.
Of course, if someone finds a model with linear regulators, please let us know.
Unless the producer of a portable power bank brags about clean output voltage / suitable for audio equipments / something similar, it should be using dc-dc converters.
Of course, if someone finds a model with linear regulators, please let us know.
it is an approach, battery, which historically in audio has always been very present for prephono or often pre-prephono....
;-)
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Thank you, an interesting product.
In my recent messages I was thinking about portable power banks only.
Nikita
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- Dec 6, 2023
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- 41
I’m really interested in upgrading the WiiM power supply. Would anyone be able to post some WiiM’s SNAD measurements w. different power supplies. I’ve been searching around so far what I saw at most were just measurements of the power supplies themselves. Thank you
Yep, I agree. I also know beyond a doubt mine sounded just a bit better, clearer, more detailed, with the iFi PS.....But.....
Once I do a serious test I might even prefer the stock PS, I am one to be pretty open minded about such things, different is not always better, different is what gets far to much mislabeled attention in the crazy world of high cost audio. I have been to big audio shows and asked one vendor to turn down the gain as it was distorting and sounded horrible and they acted offended. At the same show the very best sounding system by far to me was at least ten times less the cost of the one that everyone thought was the best there.....
I have not tested the other PS's I am going to, been busy on our remodel and building a new(from mostly used parts) computer that had three major issues to sort out, great fun that was....
I search for the middle ground and what I hope to believe the truth in all things, religion, government, social "norms", and stay away from the dogma of the far extremes most all things humans seem to fall into.
Once I do a serious test I might even prefer the stock PS, I am one to be pretty open minded about such things, different is not always better, different is what gets far to much mislabeled attention in the crazy world of high cost audio. I have been to big audio shows and asked one vendor to turn down the gain as it was distorting and sounded horrible and they acted offended. At the same show the very best sounding system by far to me was at least ten times less the cost of the one that everyone thought was the best there.....
I have not tested the other PS's I am going to, been busy on our remodel and building a new(from mostly used parts) computer that had three major issues to sort out, great fun that was....
I search for the middle ground and what I hope to believe the truth in all things, religion, government, social "norms", and stay away from the dogma of the far extremes most all things humans seem to fall into.
alex-mayer
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- Joined
- Dec 20, 2023
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- 16
I just would underline that the use of a decent linear power supply ensures that no HF-garbage is being emitted by a cheap and questionable switching power supply.
Even if the WIIM pro plus might "ignore" this HF-garbage - my analogue pre- and power amplifiers might not, as this HF-garbage ist not only emitted towards the WIIM pro plus but aswell back into the mains...
So I always do seek to keep the complete chain free from unnecessary "pollution".
The price of around 80,-- EUR for the LPS is -to my mind- modest enough.
Even if the WIIM pro plus might "ignore" this HF-garbage - my analogue pre- and power amplifiers might not, as this HF-garbage ist not only emitted towards the WIIM pro plus but aswell back into the mains...
So I always do seek to keep the complete chain free from unnecessary "pollution".
The price of around 80,-- EUR for the LPS is -to my mind- modest enough.
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