2. amps-preamps
  3. 1259160177

battery-based SS amps

right or wrong (i do not know which as yet), i'm increasingly of the mind that part of the typical flaws assoc w/ SS amps (midrange glare, aggressive treble, discontinuousness) relative to tube gear is a function of their power supplies coupling noise from the incoming AC to the output devices. torroids remove a lot of noise, but they also couple it, and amplifiers amplify everything.

(i'm not sure if tube based power supplies act like torroids do in this regard, or if the tube gain stages have a natural roll-off for AC-related spuriae)

point being, i'm wondering if SS amps w/ battery based power at various stages (input, driver, output) can overcome typical SS weakness and give tube-like sound without the tube.

insofar as products i know of, rowland 8/9 TI, ASR emitter, but thats about it. anyone know of add'l products? and can anyone speak to experience on this matter?
128x128rhyno
danielk141
489 posts
 
I have a Rowland Model 2 amp. I also own the BPS-2, battery power supply for this amp.
My experience is identical to Cruz123.
This amp is so quiet in any system configuration I've used,
my BPS is sitting stored on a shelf & the batteries are long dead & sitting on my patio, under my workbench. The BPS for this amp is just not needed, in my house. I have a new transformer on my power pole, courtesy of my electric utility. My entire front end is on a balanced Platinum Power line conditioner.
One of my batteries did crack open & leak, the last time I had this BPS in service. It was a pain to clean up the electrolyte. I haven't used the BPS, since.
I remember when a Sterophile reviewer said the BPS was definitely worth the extra money. Not in my system...
woifi73
8 posts
 
i have the emitter 1 exclusive battery, driving sonus faber guarneri memento's augmented below 40 hz by a rel b3 subwoofer. the sound is unbelievable. voices natural, strings are sweet. when playing well recorded church and organ music, i am there. this is the best i ever heared anywhere. is it due to the battery supply? i have no desire to waste my time in experimentation. i just want to listen and enjoy.
paulfolbrecht
603 posts
 
Some of you guys are missing part of the point of battery power: it's not just to improve the signal/noise ratio, but to give overall better sonics by keeping the signal free of AC hash. No rectification/regulation scheme in the world is perfect. This has nothing to do with S/N and nothing to do with whether one's power is dirty or not either.

That said, I've also owned some battery-powered gear and found it not so revolutionary. But one cannot deny at least the theoretical advantage of pure DC power.

More food for thought: the one-box, tubed, AC-powered Shindo Monbrison preamp is as quiet as preamps come, period, at 122 dB S/N.
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