Features
| Brand | PLiXiR |
|---|
Product Description
PliXir Elite BDC power supply upgrade is an excellent power supply upgrade that can be matched to a range of equipment. There are versions available to suit most audio units that use an external PSU. Voltages include 5v, 12V and 24V configurations.
This model can provide up to 4 Amps of clean power, depending on the version chosen. BDC stands for Balanced Direct Current and uses two stages of regulation. It's designed to be a very low noise clean power source.
Why use a better power supply
Traditional DC power supplies are SMPS based. Switched Mode Power Supplies are cheap to produce and accept a wide range of input voltages. However, they can generate a lot of noise. This noise then gets passed into the mains supply. Better DC power supplies use linear regulation, but they also have problems. They too are not usually optimised to stop the diode bridge from injecting noise into the supply. The higher the current demand the more noise is applied to the system ground.
What is SMPS?
A switched-mode power supply will be considerably lighter than a linear power supply. Notably, They do not need heavy transformers to operate but use smaller transformers that have feedback windings. Switched-mode power supplies are also more efficient and generate less heat. However, they use high frequency switching, and can radiate all kinds of noise. In fact, they are usually mounted inside a shielded metal enclosure to mitigate this. Moreover, cheap DC power supply units are usually not shielded at all and are normally plugged into a socket where they inject lots of noise into the mains supply and air.
Linear power supply issues
Linear power supplies generate less noise but need heavy transformers, especially with current loads above a few Amps. They also have large output transistors that need to be mounted on substantial heatsinks. Linear power supplies can use various methods of regulation, using either discreet components or Op-Amps.
Large transformers also have their own problems with either mechanical or electrical noise being produced. They are however capable of providing a very low noise output along with a fast response to changing load conditions.
3-stage power supply
To mitigate the above effects, PliXiR’s range of DC power supply upgrade units feature two-stage voltage regulation. The first stage comprises a very low noise, open-loop design that uses a class A driver – it removes most of the noise from the supply as well as taking some of the load from the regulator section. This is a pre-regulator first stage. Next, the second stage is a closed-loop design that does the actual supply regulation.
Moreover, the two stages prevent any noise from either getting into the mains supply or disrupting the output supply. Without noise, the second stage will be able to deliver an optimal, slew rate and output impedance, under all load conditions. In other words, even under heavy load the supply remains clean.
Balanced design
Finally, the Elite Balanced DC power supplies have a balanced design. This is a noise reduction technique, similar to that used for XLR audio leads and connectors. It eliminates ground loop problems and reduces noise by half. This system requires a bigger mains transformer, however, the benefits override this issue. PliXiR also make the balanced leads that connect the PSU to your equipment. There are a range of voltages and connectors available to suit any unit that uses an external PSU.
The PliXiR units are carefully designed using only top quality components. The result is the best possible performance from a DC power supply.
