Switch-Mode vs Linear: The Truth About Power Supplies

10/28/20 • 100 min

Bill Johnson, the founder of Audio Research Corp. and a legend in our business, said that he wanted power supply components to be of such high quality that music could be enjoyed through each of the parts.

We know that all audio equipment uses power — usually DC in variety — to amplify or produce the music we love, and his point is clear: clean power is as essential to the eventual excellence of a product as any of the other parts therein.

We also know that the power supplied to our homes is AC, and must be converted to DC before these devices can do their magic work, so it makes sense that the more pure the DC power is, the better for the rest of the audio circuit.

But do you know how this is pulled off? If the terms “ripple” or “rectifier” aren’t part of your lexicon, this week’s podcast will change that as Darren and Duncan winnow down to the nuts and bolts of what makes power supplies tick — and how the good ones are made. And even if you are familiar, this podcast will undoubtedly offer something new for your perspective.

A treasure trove of power-specific information is laid out in a way that dips in and out of engineer land to reveal in plain terms how the alternating current from our walls is converted and made clean and pure before it makes its way through our beloved stereo components and eventually to our ears as music.

Generally, there is a distrust of switch mode supplies in our hobby, but the guys explain that the real truth isn’t that simple. A good power supply is good because excellent decisions are made in its design and arrangement, regardless of what it’s called.

Be sure to stick around to the end, where a truly stunning album pick of the week is revealed — one that will light up your audio system like the fireworks on the Fourth of July.

This podcast is powered by CommonGround Cables Whisper power cable. Read customer reviews and order your own at www.commongroundcables.com.

Find all of our album recommendations in one place, at www.thehifipodcast.net.

Be sure to stick around to the end, where a truly stunning album pick of the week is revealed — one that will light up your audio system like the fireworks on the Fourth of July.

This podcast is powered by CommonGround Cables Whisper power cable. Read customer reviews and order your own at www.commongroundcables.com.

Find all of our album recommendations in one place, at www.thehifipodcast.net.

Previous Episode

How To Talk To Your Non Audiophile Friends About Hifi

We’ve all been there. You sit a friend down in front of your system in the sweet spot, and try to blow their mind. Maybe they know a little about audio, and maybe they don’t. Maybe you’re trying to explain through music exactly why you’re so obsessed with wringing out the best musical playback you can from two speakers and a chain of expensive gear.

Whatever the case, talking to non-hifi people about hifi can be more challenging than it seems. Our lexicon of descriptive words and labyrinth of technical jargon can be overwhelming for most, and it can be difficult to find the right music to play or the right words to explain to them why what is going on in the room is remarkable to you and should be remarkable to them.

Many folks understand a piece of gear is special when they hear how much it costs. Some are delighted by the visual stimulus of a lit-up tube amplifier or a staggering set of tall speakers. But we as their friends want them to be enthralled by the floating images in space, the tonal contrast of a sound or the dynamic swings of an excellent recording.

Darren and Duncan have been there too, and in this episode the guys discuss this unique topic at length, using stories and example systems to map out ideas for initiating the uninitiated. The ultimate goal is to create more audiophiles through your friendly interactions, and by the end of the episode you may come away with some fresh motivation for it.

Be sure to stay til the end, where Duncan’s album pick of the week is revealed and thoroughly explained. This one is a must-listen.

This podcast is powered by CommonGround Cables Whisper power cable. Read customer reviews and order your own at www.commongroundcables.com.

Find all of our album recommendations in one place, at www.thehifipodcast.net.

Next Episode

5 Ways To Improve Your Listening Skills

"MMmmm, feels like it's a bit heavy around 6KHz... those cymbals are a little dark."

If you've ever found yourself saying something like this, chances are you've spent some time developing you listening skills and abilities, which is one of the most important elements of being an audiophile.

The idea of "Golden Ears" having to do with actual ears is wrong. Superior listening skills happen in between the ears, and are a product of focused efforts to get better at understanding and identifying what's happening to the music in your system. Practice makes perfect, and you have to actively work at getting better before you can pick apart the sound in front of you or recognize what makes the best sound reproduction so excellent.

From surrounding yourself with different audio systems to actually recording and manipulating audio, Darren and Duncan offer tips and steps to help you develop your listening abilities.

This week, the guys also take on reader questions, announce a couple of hifi audio news items, and at the end of the podcast, reveal an absolute sizzler of an album recommendation.

This podcast is powered by CommonGround Cables Whisper power cable. Read customer reviews and order your own at www.commongroundcables.com.

Find all of our album recommendations in one place, at www.thehifipodcast.net.