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Johnny2Bad
Audioholic Chief
Did you look at the performance? Output noise of 4 micro-Volts. Broadband. Show me a linear PS with that low a level of ripple.
You won't find many linear PS's that meet those values, and those that do will entail a higher cost.
The people at Benchmark have a few words on the subject.
https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/inside-the-dac2-part-3-power-supplies
Plus, a linear PS is not trivial to design. Sure, we all know the block diagram, but are your snubbers the correct value? What are you going to do to mitigate ringing?
I don't see your "massive increase in points of failure". What, the resistors are unreliable? The presence of an Xtal bother you?
Quartz crystals are amongst the most reliable components in all of electronics. I have never, personally, heard of a single failure.
If SMPS's were as unreliable as you suggest, we'd all be replacing Wall Warts on a regular basis. I don't know about you, but I have Rubbermaid Tubs of the things, all in working order and all having outlasted whatever device they originally powered.
The original question was are SMPS's suitable for audio. Clearly they are, with careful design.
As for which approach is best with regard to a specific application, that, as always, depends on the application. But to summarily dismiss one or the other reveals a poor regimen of design.
You won't find many linear PS's that meet those values, and those that do will entail a higher cost.
The people at Benchmark have a few words on the subject.
https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/inside-the-dac2-part-3-power-supplies
Plus, a linear PS is not trivial to design. Sure, we all know the block diagram, but are your snubbers the correct value? What are you going to do to mitigate ringing?
I don't see your "massive increase in points of failure". What, the resistors are unreliable? The presence of an Xtal bother you?
Quartz crystals are amongst the most reliable components in all of electronics. I have never, personally, heard of a single failure.
If SMPS's were as unreliable as you suggest, we'd all be replacing Wall Warts on a regular basis. I don't know about you, but I have Rubbermaid Tubs of the things, all in working order and all having outlasted whatever device they originally powered.
The original question was are SMPS's suitable for audio. Clearly they are, with careful design.
As for which approach is best with regard to a specific application, that, as always, depends on the application. But to summarily dismiss one or the other reveals a poor regimen of design.
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