"Let's hear your expert opinion then... I'm sure you wouldn't express an opinion unless you have the ability to design power supplies yourself and know all about it now would you?"
I would use a linear PS - not a SMPS - for an analogue component (tube or ss). SMPSes go better with digital components.
Andy
Aha... about as I thought.. In other words you know about as much about electronics as I do about embroidery.... Thanks for your sage advice.
My 'sage advice', O snarky one, is based on the experiments I have done ... and what I have observed across several people's systems.
A couple of years ago, I introduced a new, very sophistocated TT motor controller into my system. This needed a 48v DC supply - so was supplied with a Meanwell SMPS. My (biased) PoV then, was that SMPSes were bad and I should be able to deliver a better result with a linear PS. So I organised some listening tests with some friends - including the designer of the speed controller, Steve Tuckett ("Number9"). We listened to a couple of tracks using 5 different PS arrangements for the motor controller. The results were as follows - arranged in order of our evaluation of which one we thought delivered better sound (5 is best sound):
1. Meanwell SMPS
2. linear PS (designed by someone who designs amps for a living)
3. 48v SLA supply - 2 rows of 4x 12v SLAs, in parallel to provide a low Zout
4. linear PS with an isolating transformer plus hash filter between it and the wall socket
5. Meanwell SMPS with an isolating transformer plus hash filter between it and the wall socket.
We had assumed that the linear PS would deliver the best sound and were all surprised that the best sound (for this digital component) came from the Meanwell SMPS - but only after we had "cleaned it up" by putting an isotran plus hash filter between it and the wall socket. Steve explained this by saying the speed of a SMPS synergises better with a digital component than a (slow!) linear PS does.
For any analogue component, however, my view is that mfrs who use SMPSes do so for two reasons - neither of them because it sounds better!:
1. cost savings, and
2. virtue signalling (look at us ... we're green, saving energy by using an efficient SMPS!).
For analogue components, better sound will come from linear PSes, IMO. And it would seem other people think the same way - for instance the Hypex 800w plate amps on my subs use a conventional linear PS - not a SMPS.
Andy