Brand Options for Linear Power Supplies

EndersShadow

So I’m looking in the near future to add linear power supplies to a few items in my house and wanted to know what brands to be looking at. eBay is full of stuff and most look similar.

I’m specifically looking for supplies for:
- Raspberry Pi (5v 2.5-3A draw)
- Netgear ReadyNas (12v 5A draw)


I’m aware of these brands:
- TeraDak (Used by @DargueKnight and @vr3)
- Topping (don’t think they have anything that is powerful enough)
- Keces (very pricey from what I’ve seen)

I’ve also heard good things about going with the iFi iPower (which is a switching supply) for the Pi so that is an option for that but not the NAS (not enough power).

What other brands should I be looking at if I’m not trying to break the bank?

lightman1

Yup.....should do the trick

mhardy6647

lightman1 wrote: »

Yup.....should do the trick

I was gonna say Lambda -- but we're not so far outta sync, since you need one of those to feed a big Lambda.
What a wonderful old power supply! by Dr. Photon, on Flickr
Not mine -- I don't have a photo of mine handy.
My Lambda's only semi-big. I can lift it by myself.

Any good lab-grade DC linear supply (e.g., a Harrison/HP, like the one I have) will do great, and a serviced and calibrated used one is likely far cheaper (and better in any quantifiable way, and more impressive visually) than any modern "audio-grade" linear P/S.

DSC_4595 (2) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

Not bein' facetious here.
Well, 'cept about the Lambda. At least, the HV Lambdas.

VR3

I'm using Teradak for my modem and main router

For the wifi mesh hub at the stereo gear im using a S Booster, also use a S Booster on the lumin u1 mini

For my fans, ethernet switch and IR repeater in using a no name brand from China with a similar design to the s booster. Works great so far

VR3

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Finished-50W-HIFI-Ultra-Low-Noise-Linear-Power-Supply-DC5V-7V-9V-12V-18V-24V-/353532995691?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

Works as advertised

heiney9

I will be building a Pi Raspberry soon and I will use my Welbourne Labs Linear supply I used with the Squeezebox Touch. Maybe look for a used one of those.
H9

P.S. The Keces is expensive but based on the build quality and parts used of other products, it's probably worth it. Now that you mention it I may have to check into that for my Pi build.

EndersShadow

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Any good lab-grade DC linear supply (e.g., a Harrison/HP, like the one I have) will do great, and a serviced and calibrated used one is likely far cheaper (and better in any quantifiable way, and more impressive visually) than any modern "audio-grade" linear P/S.

Lol based on shipping costs due to their weight not sure they are much cheaper lol….

VR3 wrote: »

I'm using Teradak for my modem and main router

For the wifi mesh hub at the stereo gear im using a S Booster, also use a S Booster on the lumin u1 mini

For my fans, ethernet switch and IR repeater in using a no name brand from China with a similar design to the s booster. Works great so far
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Finished-50W-HIFI-Ultra-Low-Noise-Linear-Power-Supply-DC5V-7V-9V-12V-18V-24V-/353532995691?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

Works as advertised

Thanks Trey! That one kept coming up for me too.

I haven’t fully decided if I will be moving my NAS into the same room as my Pi or keeping it in the loft. If I move them together I might be able to power both from the same one.

Al’s doubt it’s worth it but in thinking about what else is on switching power supplies I’ve got some network switches and some component cooling fans which are connected to my APC H15.

heiney9 wrote: »

I will be building a Pi Raspberry soon and I will use my Welbourne Labs Linear supply I used with the Squeezebox Touch. Maybe look for a used one of those.
H9

P.S. The Keces is expensive but based on the build quality and parts used of other products, it's probably worth it. Now that you mention it I may have to check into that for my Pi build.

Yeah I’m not sure if those (wellborne) provide enough power, but I will add them to my list.

heiney9

They should for the Pi Raspberry alone, atleast according to my research, but definitely not for both.

Keep this thread updated as I am in the same boat as not wanting to use the supplied switching PS.
H9

EndersShadow

heiney9 wrote: »

They should for the Pi Raspberry alone, atleast according to my research, but definitely not for both.

Keep this thread updated as I am in the same boat as not wanting to use the supplied switching PS.
H9

Will do. So the Welborne is a 5v 2.5A output then?

Also I read a few things that indicated you may want a linear PSU that’s rated a bit more than the devices since some of the power turns into heat.

VR3

Maybe something like this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Finished-HiFi-DC-Adapter-Teradak-Linear-Power-Supply-DC5V-5A-For-Wadia-Di122-/353217313015?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

heiney9

EndersShadow wrote: »

heiney9 wrote: »

They should for the Pi Raspberry alone, atleast according to my research, but definitely not for both.

Keep this thread updated as I am in the same boat as not wanting to use the supplied switching PS.
H9

Will do. So the Welborne is a 5v 2.5A output then?

Also I read a few things that indicated you may want a linear PSU that’s rated a bit more than the devices since some of the power turns into heat.

Pretty sure it's 3A since the one I bought was for the SQB Touch which required a bit more than the standard SQB. Keces has dual output. Seems like this would be the ticket to power both. I paid $250 about 8 years ago for the Welbourne. I believe they are out of business now. So $429 for a dual output liner PS of the quality of Keces gear doesn't seem that bad.........w/free shipping.

https://power-holdings-inc.com/Keces-P3-6-Amp-Linear-Power-Supply-p137036162

H9

Dr_Wu

I use 2 Teradak LPS, with my streamer and DAC. Zero complaints, including heat. I would recommend an upgrade to the DC cable over that supplied. Developed a short at the USB connector. DarqueKnight tipped me off to Ghent Audio, who makes a more robust Canare DC cable with all kinds of connectors available.

EndersShadow

@heiney9 … gonna try the pi with the welborne. I snatched up Rich’s…..

https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/195713/welborne-labs-5v-power-supply#latest

Gardenstater

I wonder if one could Y a couple iPower together, as long as they were both the proper voltage?

Gardenstater

^^^I wouldn't be surprised if there is some reason why it is inadvisable, like a slight voltage imbalance causing back EMF or the like.

mhardy6647

Gardenstater wrote: »

^^^I wouldn't be surprised if there is some reason why it is inadvisable, like a slight voltage imbalance causing back EMF or the like.

@all212 may have a bit of somewhat relevant experience in this regard... if memory serves.
Or I could be high, yet again...

ALL212

I've opinions on power supplies and put switching power supplies in the same class as sandcast resistors - bottom drawer - to be avoided if possible.

I know that building the Bottlehead amps we put in better components and changed the CRCRC circuit a bit by replacing the first R with an inductor and using better diodes. There was overall acclimation that we done good trying that. DocB is all over keeping the return path just as clean of nasties as the signal path.

SCompRacer

Funny, I was not aware of this thread when I posted the Welborne. Truth is I've been wanting to sell it for months but could not find the Umbilical cable. I was attempting to clean up the shop area in the basement and found it on top of the signal generator above the work bench.

Before I shipped it, I could have loaded the PS until it cried for mercy via volt drop to find what it could take, or rather, give.

EndersShadow

SCompRacer wrote: »

Funny, I was not aware of this thread when I posted the Welborne. Truth is I've been wanting to sell it for months but could not find the Umbilical cable. I was attempting to clean up the shop area in the basement and found it on top of the signal generator above the work bench.

Before I shipped it, I could have loaded the PS until it cried for mercy via volt drop to find what it could take, or rather, give.

No worries brother. Just glad to have it!

SCompRacer

EndersShadow wrote: »

No worries brother. Just glad to have it!

Thursday, if covid doesn't have its way with delivery.

Lots of Twisted Pear DAC folks have ben pairing the Raspberry Pi with the DAC's. There is a thread on it at DIYaudio. Another is the BBB, BeagleBone Black.

EndersShadow

SCompRacer wrote: »

EndersShadow wrote: »

No worries brother. Just glad to have it!

Thursday, if covid doesn't have its way with delivery.

Lots of Twisted Pear DAC folks have ben pairing the Raspberry Pi with the DAC's. There is a thread on it at DIYaudio. Another is the BBB, BeagleBone Black.

I’m using the HiFiBerry Pro 2.

sucks2beme

Onboard pi dacs didn't cut it for me. I went back to audio-gd.
I tried a couple including a nanomesher and hifi berry.
The nano had a high noise floor, even when using a 5v USB
Battery pack, so no power supply was going to fix that.
They even sent me a replacement nano, better but still not
Good enough. I even tried another pi.
The audio-gd has hardware volume control, which means
I can run it with no preamp. So much better than software
Volume control.