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Advice on power supply upgrade for Turntables

Well..Linn, as an example, have spent a good deal of time developing ever new and 'better' power supplies for their simple belt drive deck.
Others have also done the same. Naim came along with an upgrade power supply for a Linn - it was 'just' a massive transformer in a nice box and sold for a massive price to make you feel good about buying it, probably (- full disclosure, I have never 'heard' it)
 
Well..Linn, as an example, have spent a good deal of time developing ever new and 'better' power supplies for their simple belt drive deck.
Others have also done the same. Naim came along with an upgrade power supply for a Linn - it was 'just' a massive transformer in a nice box and sold for a massive price to make you feel good about buying it, probably (- full disclosure, I have never 'heard' it)
I can’t think of a single current Hifi manufacturer that doesn’t offer betters power supplies, from the daft bling end of the market, down to Project at the low end. They often make very big differences, although I’d second the comment about blingy boxes etc. But then that’s true for all components; expensive cases cost and have little to do with sound.
 
On my LP12 I went from original 1977 Basik PSU (cap/resistor type PCB) to Valhalla (was never truly convinced it was an upgrade, but never swapped back) to DIY Geddon which was a definite improvement to these old ears.

i also played with PSU of a Pioneer PL 50 direct drive with some benefit. But have never tried an upgraded linear PSU for a basic DC driven motor.

so…I think it depends :)
 
I'm assuming that, apart from ensuring the record spins at the correct speed, no one can ascribe any other SQ improvements to the power supply for belt drive turntable motor?
Several reasons if you have a synchronous motor and I am fairly objectivist:
Getting the the phase shift right (not always exactly 90 degrees)
Correct voltage on both phases
Minimizing vibration, some motors work smoothest with pure sine, others need a certan level of 3rd harmonic to get the lowest vibration
 
Several reasons if you have a synchronous motor and I am fairly objectivist:
Getting the the phase shift right (not always exactly 90 degrees)
Correct voltage on both phases
Minimizing vibration, some motors work smoothest with pure sine, others need a certan level of 3rd harmonic to get the lowest vibration

If I bought an expensive turntable with a motor that vibrated to the extent that my pickup could detect it, it would be straight back to the retailer. What cowboy outfits are making and selling this rubbish?
 
I believe the OP has a DC motor deck!

AC synchronous motors can be effected by the PSU yes as in this case obviously the PSU is a mini "mains regenerator" to give a much purer sine wave than the direct mains supply.
 
Just to reiterate, the OP appeared to have been asking about the 12V wall-wart that came supplied with his Clearaudio deck. As such, it appeared that he wasn't 100% clear that that is but one part of his DC motor control electrics. No matter what he plugs into the internal control circuit he will not observe a speed accuracy and/or consistency improvement.

Motor noise is a separate issue and it is debatable as to whether a posh linear transformer will amount to any improvement with DC motors. If we are going to have that debate, then I am going to say no it doesn't, at least not to anything like the same extent as with AC motors.

A simple and cheap experiment that the OP could try here is to substitute an inexpensive generic 12V linear supply for the switched mode one that came with (i.e. what @monya had wondered about out loud yesterday).

P.S. I'm no über-expert here, but I've repaired more DC Japanese record decks than I've had steak dinners.
 
Turntables are incredibly sensitive to vibration. I use my turntable to rip my LP collection to a nearby PC. My previous STD suspended turntable could accidentally record the PC fan vibration. My current P2 seems usefully better isolated.
A groove modulation is tiny, about 200nm at -40 dB
 
Turntables are incredibly sensitive to vibration. I use my turntable to rip my LP collection to a nearby PC. My previous STD suspended turntable could accidentally record the PC fan vibration. My current P2 seems usefully better isolated.
A groove modulation is tiny, about 200nm at -40 dB
You're not as OT as some here might think, David. :)

Your STD experience (sorry!) can be said to prove the point that environmental isolation is of much higher importance than what amounts to minute motor noise differences (at least by comparison to structural/airborne vibrations).

STD is also relevant here, as they did both 16-pole synchronous models (305M, 305S), as well as 9V DC ones (305D). Do you recall the model suffix of yours?

We should all keep in mind that DC motors are so inherently quiet that they have become the default choice for suspended sub-chassis mounting.

Personally, I prefer lower speed AC synchronous for their larger pulley size giving superior grip and control. IME, DC is to AC, as BD is to ID, when it comes to 'drive'.
 
You're not as OT as some here might think, David. :)

Your STD experience (sorry!) can be said to prove the point that environmental isolation is of much higher importance than what amounts to minute motor noise differences (at least by comparison to structural/airborne vibrations).

STD is also relevant here, as they did both 16-pole synchronous models (305M, 305S), as well as 9V DC ones (305D). Do you recall the model suffix of yours?

We should all keep in mind that DC motors are so inherently quiet that they have become the default choice for suspended sub-chassis mounting.

Personally, I prefer lower speed AC synchronous for their larger pulley size giving superior grip and control. IME, DC is to AC, as BD is to ID, when it comes to 'drive'.

Had STD305M and was not impressed. Motor noise was an issue but it was airborne. It just wasn't that good overall anyway... little better than a Planar 3.

AC synchronous motor every time for me.... and belt drive. No such thing as "drive". Does CD have "drive"? Does R2R have "drive"? All bollox. It just needs to run at the correct speed without wow and flutter or rumble.
 
Jez,

I do realize that you are allergic to subjective response. For clarity, I relate the word 'drive' to a sense that the sound is dead on speed without a hint of wow, flutter, or indeed warble; as in, 'The music simply drives along unhindered by the machinations of man. Neither the slings and arrows of outrageous modulus of elasticity misfortune, nor the worst that the electrical authority can bestow, do hinder my enjoyment'.

Is that better?
 
Was he asking about wall warts I though he was thinking about their better psus, where better regulation and feedback models do make a difference.
 
Jez,

I do realize that you are allergic to subjective response. For clarity, I relate the word 'drive' to a sense that the sound is dead on speed without a hint of wow, flutter, or indeed warble; as in, 'The music simply drives along unhindered by the machinations of man. Neither the slings and arrows of outrageous modulus of elasticity misfortune, nor the worst that the electrical authority can bestow, do hinder my enjoyment'.

Is that better?

Nope. I don't recognise it as a valid concept. Digital must have the best drive of all time as it has zero wow and flutter and quartz accurate speed etc then!

Oh and I very much "do" subjective! Only where it is possible for a difference though.
 
Was he asking about wall warts I though he was thinking about their better psus, where better regulation and feedback models do make a difference.
I am using the power supply that came with the TT, which is a wal wart powering a dc motor. The rpm is bang on 33.3, so my enquiry is, what advantage would a power supply upgrade offer, given the excellent performance of the wal wart?
 


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