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Battery Powered Preamps

I notice that the more expensive preamps get within a line, or in general, the more complexity and expense seems ot be applied to the power supply and regualtion; sometimes with the addition of a second box for the power supply.

I conclude power supply is important. If this is so, why not go the simpler route of battery power for pure DC? My Dodd Battery Pre works very well indeed (for context -I've owned CAT, Lamm, ARC, Joule, Placette Active, Atma-sphere (still own), Bent TAP). Am I missing something, or doesn't battery power just make the most sense for a preamp - off the grid and all that? Seem much simpler than most highend approaches, and much less expensive to implement.
pubul57
dgarretson
2,597 posts
 
Guido, I don't know if Reference Audio Mods is at the show, but if so, consider stopping by to hear an all battery-powered system that Kyle of RAM & Serge of Audio Consulting in Switzerland have been developing for some time. Like Rowland, they are also doing some impressive things with the latest generation of op amps and batteries.
pubul57 OP
3,712 posts
 
Dgarretson, are you thinking battery power frontend electronics, I'm concerned with preamps in particular, is where we are heading for best sound?
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Dgarretson, I just searched the official RMAF Excel spreadsheet, and I cant find RAM nor Audio Consulting. If you or any one else finds them lurking somewhere at the show, post here and I will definitely visit them.
jwpstayman
399 posts
 
For anyone attending the RMAF this weekend, be sure to have a listen to the Veloce Audio LS1 battery powered TUBE linestage. Those that have had the opportunity to do so already have been stunned by the performance of this completely new design. Also showing with the battery powered monoblock amplifiers and Kharma speakers, so it should be very, very good.
dgarretson
2,597 posts
 
Pubul57, in low-current source and LS components the new SS monolithic op amps and buffers are particularly good, and if powered correctly may even surpass tubes in terms of transparency & musicality. However, IME op amps don't get to this high level of performance without batteries, whereas tubes can sound great both on AC regulated power or on batteries. The gating factor is finding tube designs that operate within the limited current reserves of batteries.

Another advantage is that monolithic op amps *should* reduce complexity and costs-- though this does not appear to be true of the $18K Rowland pre.

Anyway, my gut is that op amps on batteries aspire to SOTA, whereas(as noted in the 6moons review of RWA Isabella) a tubed pre on batteries is more about high performance in the context of value.

BTW, what I've found is that though an unregulated SLA battery supply can surpass a more complex AC PS, the battery sounds better yet with gobs of capacitance and discrete DC voltage regulation circuits. These features are not inexpensive to implement.
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