Inexpensive Alternatives to the Uptone LPS?

[ktm777]

@DancingSea If you are not DYI person, just put one of this between Gophert and RUR http://www.ldovr.com/product-p/dxp-1a5s.htm That’s the way better than simple SMPS from UpTone - which isn’t noiseless btw. It’s just internal ground-shunt, but the noise is probably about 10 mV, while  Ldovr’s regulators are 0,4 uV. 

[ktm777]

Of course DIY 🙂 and not 0,4 but 0,8 uV.

[Jud]

The Ldovr looks interesting.  Please note that when using any power supply or power reduction that since electricity runs in a circuit, any noise will not only go "forward" to whatever is being powered, but also possibly "backward" to the rest of the system.

[BrokeLinuxPhile]

A lot of those plugin boards are interesting.  Has anyone tried them?  What's the shipping like coming from U.A.E.?

 

Been looking for high quality boards like this to mate up with a nice pulled transformer that's been sitting on my bench for a few years now.

[AnotherSpin]

On 4/7/2019 at 12:38 AM, DancingSea said:

[...] So conditioned by expensive upgrades, its hard to imagine a $17 device providing something meaningful.  [...]

 

I ordered $17 device from UpTone and powered Regen with it instead of MeanWell PSU (mac mini > Supra USB > regen > Ghent USB > Schiit Gungnir). The difference is very noticeable. Honestly, I didn't expect anything of such scale. I only used MeanWell before, never tried LPSU to power regen. But, I've been using Paul Hynes LPSU to power mac mini. I believe the change in sound with UpTone PSU instead of Mean Well would be compared with the change which happened when generic mac mini PSU was substituted with one from Hynes. In other word, I would suggest to try UpTone device. Just give it a day or more before it "opens".

[Doak]

On 4/20/2019 at 2:56 AM, AnotherSpin said:

 

I ordered $17 device from UpTone and powered Regen with it instead of MeanWell PSU (mac mini > Supra USB > regen > Ghent USB > Schiit Gungnir). The difference is very noticeable. Honestly, I didn't expect anything of such scale. I only used MeanWell before, never tried LPSU to power regen. But, I've been using Paul Hynes LPSU to power mac mini. I believe the change in sound with UpTone PSU instead of Mean Well would be compared with the change which happened when generic mac mini PSU was substituted with one from Hynes. In other word, I would suggest to try UpTone device. Just give it a day or more before it "opens".

What is the "$17 device from Uptone" that replaces the Meanwell? 

 

[AnotherSpin]

24 minutes ago, Doak said:

What is the "$17 device from Uptone" that replaces the Meanwell? 

 

 

You may want to read couple of messages up.

[Doak]

46 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

You may want to read couple of messages up.

Oh, I have one of those. 😋 

Thought it was a Meamwell with grounding strap. Not? 

Didn't even see that they’d branded (rebranded?) it.

[motberg]

Check out the Joyo JMP-01... best sounding battery ps I have used, but watch polarity.

[smodtactical]

I want to get a psu better than sbooster. The uptone JS-2 looks great but wonder if there is a cheaper option that is as good.

 

What about this teradak ? https://www.teradak.com/products/116.html

[smodtactical]

Or this? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Teradak-DC-100W-high-performance-linear-power-supply-12V-6-25A/264144817086?hash=item3d80420bbe:g:3t8AAOSwEHhcQIWV

[Forehaven]

What about a used LPS-1?  Not sure your budget

[smodtactical]

38 minutes ago, Forehaven said:

What about a used LPS-1?  Not sure your budget

 

Well I am trying to get to JS-2 level performance for less cash if thats possible?

[Kirbyt]

Acopian makes really good linear power supplies. I saw them mentioned in the forums and thought I’d give them a try, found a 12v and 5v lps on eBay ( I believe for less than $100 each) and am currently using them. I’ve had the r core supplies from China, uptone lps1 and 2 and a js2 needless to say these have all been sold. 

[CrushingIt]

Cuinas Audio has been offering battery supplies for quite awhile. Now you have the option of LifePO4 batteries or supercaps just like the Uptone. They look a little more handmade because of the off the shelf casework. 

I used his usb to spdif (battery powered) for years and have noting but good things to say. 

[vortecjr]

On 4/4/2019 at 10:06 PM, DancingSea said:

Wondering if anyone has found a good inexpensive battery based alternative?

 

Want something to power my Matrix Audio X SPDIF 2, 9 volts. 

 

I found this on Amazon and wondering if things like this are worth the effort? 

 

https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-11000mAh-14500mAh-26400mAh/dp/B016BJCRUO/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=Dc+battery&qid=1554411883&s=gateway&sr=8-7

There are two types of batteries...one that has failed and one that will fail. 

[barrows]

Batteries basically suck.  I have experimented with many battery based solutions, both post regulated/filtered and not, and all the battery based systems I have tried have not ever equalled a really good linear power supply (or even a really good SMPS with post filtering/regulation).

Batteries are also a PIA, bad for the environment int he long term, and they change their performance (noise, output impedance and voltage) with the level of charge present.  While it is possible to make batteries work well, to do so requires so much extra circuitry, that one might as well have just made a really good linear power supply instead.

[CrushingIt]

17 hours ago, barrows said:

Batteries basically suck.  I have experimented with many battery based solutions, both post regulated/filtered and not, and all the battery based systems I have tried have not ever equalled a really good linear power supply (or even a really good SMPS with post filtering/regulation).

Batteries are also a PIA, bad for the environment int he long term, and they change their performance (noise, output impedance and voltage) with the level of charge present.  While it is possible to make batteries work well, to do so requires so much extra circuitry, that one might as well have just made a really good linear power supply instead.

I'm not going to get into a discussion on sound quality, but almost all forms of electricity are bad for the environment. Solar would be nice, but then you are dependent on batteries for storage. 

[barrows]

18 minutes ago, CrushingIt said:

I'm not going to get into a discussion on sound quality, but almost all forms of electricity are bad for the environment. Solar would be nice, but then you are dependent on batteries for storage. 

Umm, I think you are not following me, perhaps I need to be more specific.  As to batteries impact not he environment, I was speaking more to the point that batteries require frequent replacement, as their ability to hold a charge degrades over charge/discharge cycles.  So one then needs to dispose of them.  

For electric cars, which can have such a positive impact not he environment (I think the evidence shooed eb pretty clear to most anyone living in a lockdown such as lately, where airborne pollution levels have radically decreased in such a plain way as t be obviously visible) I ma willing to accept that we need batteries.

But for powering home audio gear there is no such need.  As a good linear supply outperforms batteries anyway, and is more convenient to use.

[Matias]

On 4/20/2019 at 4:56 AM, AnotherSpin said:

 

I ordered $17 device from UpTone and powered Regen with it instead of MeanWell PSU (mac mini > Supra USB > regen > Ghent USB > Schiit Gungnir). The difference is very noticeable. Honestly, I didn't expect anything of such scale. I only used MeanWell before, never tried LPSU to power regen. But, I've been using Paul Hynes LPSU to power mac mini. I believe the change in sound with UpTone PSU instead of Mean Well would be compared with the change which happened when generic mac mini PSU was substituted with one from Hynes. In other word, I would suggest to try UpTone device. Just give it a day or more before it "opens".

As far as I know, the Uptone switching power supply is a custom ordered MeanWell power supply with the output negative connected to the mains ground, aka "shunt". This can be done DIY as well with a simple cable. The result was measurably better too.

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