One of must have software when simulating power supply is PSU Designer II or PSUD II. This amazing freeware could simulate your power supply behavior, before you start to assembly your circuit. Off course, not all looked good means good for ears, but at least we can try 😉
Below is my current Aikido PreAmp power supply circuit. The rectifier actually should be RGN, but I can’t find it on the list. So let’s roll with similar one, the common 5U4-GB.
The chokes are various from Sowter, Electra-Print, and Lundahl. Plan to take another amorphous one from Tamura, but we’ll see. Capacitor also varies, with V-Cap, Jensen, ASC, and the last minute acquisition, Black Gate WKz.
Below is the simulated result. It seems that PSUD II doesn’t like if we use small capacitance on the end of the rail, which actually I prefer to do so to ‘speed up’ the slow electrolytic (well, you can’t say ‘slow’ to Black Gate WKz actually). As you can see, the simulated result somehow got pulses on the first 2 ms. The power supply also considered ‘very slow’ as it starts to stabilize after 5 ms. Well, after some experiments, I can make the power supply becomes faster, less than 2 ms settling time. But I don’t really like the combination and/or the sonic produced.
We’ll see how the circuit will perform in the real world and its contribution of the final sonic of this Aikido PreAmp.
Christian
September 12, 2011 06:42Schöner Schreibstil und tolles Design, Lob!
Jeffrey Medwin
October 12, 2011 21:12Why are you concerned with how the supply starts up on turn-on ?? What you need to look at in PSUD is how the supply reacts, recovers, during changing audio loads, as it sees in playing music.
Look at the supply dynamically. This means current step tests.
See the Tube DIY Audio postings by John Swenson and John Hasquin on this, or email me and I will send you a orderly compilation of their work, it uses PSUD advantageously. Cheers.
Jeff Medwin
Auw Jimmy
October 12, 2011 21:49Hi Jeff,
The faster the supply during turn-on until it’s settled will affect the sound. Ringing etc also affect the sound. I’m quite sure with your experience in some forums could understand this.
If I do want to ‘see’ the power supply behavior, I don’t think PSUD is a good option. My scope and some other stuff could do this better and clearer.
Listening test eventually proves that not all simulated good will sonically good to.
In a Preamp, I don’t think you will see many fluctuation during load, except if you have a very poor supply. My experiment and finding also proves that. Probably YMMV.
Thanks for the offering, but no need to waste your effort. Just keep them for you 🙂