UPS on A10?

[FLA10]

Has anyone added a UPS to their A10 (or other models) to give you time to shutdown the Aurender during a power outrage? If is there any sonic difference?

[BCRich]

Hi,

I don’t own an A10, but Battery Backup UPS’s are typically noisy devices, no filters etc. There is a company called Furman, they make a higher end device but I typically use it for Network Equipment and Personal Computers not Audiophile Servers. Your typical APC or generic UPS may very well degrade the sound quality of your system.

Enjoy the Music!

Mike 

[Kal Rubinson]

Why does one care?  If the unit is not active when there is good AC available, it does not affect the sound.  If it makes noise when on battery back-up (which I doubt), who cares as long as it gives you time to shut down?  

[FLA10]

I would agree but that's what I dont know. When there is a good AC does or can the UPS still add noise to the power?

[Kal Rubinson]

1 hour ago, FLA10 said:

I would agree but that's what I dont know. When there is a good AC does or can the UPS still add noise to the power?

Simple UPS devices are passive distribution boxes as long as the AC voltage stays in a suitable range.   If the voltage is too high or too low, it should switch to battery.  

 

OK, so it is unlikely to have any effect with proper voltage.  OTOH, it may be even a quieter source when running off battery but even if it is worse, you should just power down the whole system as the battery power provides you the time to do so properly.

 

Full-time, voltage-regulating supplies are another matter since the UPS is always running the system.  There you need a good one. 

[rwwjr44]

When the Aurender's first appeared a sudden loss of power was troublesome in that it was difficult to reboot. It sometimes took three or four reboot attempts to power on. That seems to have been fixed. We lose power (in our area) once in awhile and powering on is relatively painless and easy. I would be more worried about surge protection.

[Miska]

For my devices I'm using so called line-interactive APC's UPS that has autoformer for under/over-voltage handling (transformer with switchable taps), surge protection (practically all UPS provide this) and line filtering. In addition it is documented to output proper sine wave when running off batteries.

https://www.apc.com/shop/fi/en/products/APC-Smart-UPS-1000VA-LCD-230V-with-SmartConnect/P-SMT1000IC

 

Cheapest ups are called offline, these just pass the power through in normal cases and switch to battery if the power goes out. So no effect on to power in normal cases. Usually they provide at least surge protection too.

 

Second are line-interactive ones that handle also voltage fluctuations. These can also provide transformer isolation. These typically don't have effect as such on the line voltage, at least not negative one.

 

Third and most expensive are so called online UPS, which are always regenerating the output voltage from batteries. Different models provide varying amount of output voltage purity depending on intended use cases.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

4 hours ago, Miska said:

Third and most expensive are so called online UPS, which are always regenerating the output voltage from batteries. Different models provide varying amount of output voltage purity depending on intended use cases.

This brings up the issue of how the UPS generates the sine-wave when on battery operation in all three of the types.  Most will output a digitally-synthesized sine wave of very poor resolution.   Only a very few can output a relatively pure sine.

 

However, that issue is of minor importance if the  only use is to let one execute an orderly shut-down.  For an online-UPS, though, it is very important.

[Miska]

52 minutes ago, Kal Rubinson said:

This brings up the issue of how the UPS generates the sine-wave when on battery operation in all three of the types.  Most will output a digitally-synthesized sine wave of very poor resolution.   Only a very few can output a relatively pure sine.

 

Yes, APC specifies such as "stepped approximate sine". This one specifies pure sine wave with less than 5% distortion as a specific feature:

Quote

Pure sine wave output on battery

Simulates utility power to provide the highest degree of compatibility for active PFC (power factor corrected) servers and sensitive electronics.

 

 

52 minutes ago, Kal Rubinson said:

However, that issue is of minor importance if the  only use is to let one execute an orderly shut-down.  For an online-UPS, though, it is very important.

 

Yes, exactly...

 

For me the additional use is voltage stabilization, surge protection and noise filtering. Electricity coming from the wall can be also noisy and distorted, for example when there are fluorescent lights and electric motors such as washing machines and fridges.

 

[TubeLover]

I had this problem with my Aurender, as we have a power blip or other short disruption at least once a week here. And yes, there were all kinds of issues trying to reboot the Aurender after these circumstances. It was recommended by the dealer I purchased it from that I shut it down when I am not using it, which is what I have done ever since. It only takes a short time to boot up, and its protected by never being on during the power issues.

 

JC