When is digital going to get the soul of music?

Ivan, I would like to disagree with you on the subject of switching power supplies. Every power supply is "switching" if you think about it. Linear power supply takes energy from the mains in narrow current spikes. Width of these spikes is proportional to load (PWM) while "switching" frequency is 120Hz. Problem is that 120Hz noise is much more difficult to remove than high frequency noise. You most likely think of crude computer switchers that made bad rap for all of them. Modern switching supplies can be so quiet that some designers use them in preamps where efficiency is none of concern. Such switchers have many advantages over linear power supplies. To start with they are line and load regulated. They are also quieter switching at zero voltage/zero current (linear switches at max voltage). Remaining noise is much easier to filter out. They are also much smaller. Transformer switching at 100kHz can be 10x smaller than one switching at 120Hz for the same power not to mention huge capacitance necessary to remove 120Hz ripple and provide any load stability in linear supplies. Because of all that designers used them for class AB amps as well. Newest class AB Rowland Model 625 amp uses SMPTs switching at 1MHz. Why, then, there are still so many linear supplies? Perhaps because switcher is much more complex to design properly while market tends to believe (including you) that it has to be big and heavy. There is also catchy word "linear" that is very misleading. It is big, unregulated, noisy and it is also a switcher - a very crude one.

SMPS, a great case can be made for them on paper and in theory,the problem for many is what you hear once the listening begins.Many who have compared both(Linear and SMPS) simply find linear power supplies(with good implementation) to sound superior.Those who find SMPS equal or perhaps better, well by all means buy them.People will rely on their ear/brain processing as they should.People will ultimately buy/keep what sounds better. The entire point of home audio is enjoyment of one`s music collection and long term satisfaction.
Regards,

Kijanki, sorry for my delayed return, but I imagine that what Charles is referring to is reflected in the fact that most equipment modders (and I realize that not every single one of them out there is legit, but many are) usually start by swapping the SMPS for a linear (based on sound, again like what Charles is saying). I had always heard that the digital environment under the hood was possibly rather noisy (self noise), but have recently had my eyes opened in my own rig to just how much that may in fact be true. And additionally that these same digital circuits are also it seems much more sensitive to that noise (whatever frequencies of it may be involved) than analog their counterparts...and again I suspect SMPS's may simply create more noise and induce more jitter in their own right. I would like to find favor with SMPS's, they are smaller, cheaper and cooler running, but continue to find IME that linear usually sounds better, sometimes a lot better. But, I do agree, to each his own.

I depends on implementation. Good SMPS will be superior to linear power supply. It will be quieter plus line and load regulated. Yes they are smaller and more effective but it is not the reason Jeff Rowland uses them in Capri Preamp.

Linear power supply, as I said before, is also SMPS - a very primitive one (that switches at max voltage) and without regulation, at least in power amps.

Kijanki, hmmm. Thanks for your comments. Will see if I can keep a more open mind on the topic in the future...