Audio Alchemy power supplies.

Interesting to know there are enterprising electronic whizzes out there building from carefully chosen components for better sound! What about replacing components within, say, the DAC itself (dodgey?!) like 'audio-grade' capacitors with a slower/smoother discharge for more refined sound? Sorry if this is old hat. If it is what do you chaps suggest as beneficial changes? Of course there are companies who offer to replace the clocks in CD players but I would prefer to ruin my cheapo Midiman Flying Calf ($125 new from Soundchaser) than my lovely old Philips CD850 (bless its little geriatric socks). Talking of the Flying Calf (it's good you know) can the blasted 1/4" jack sockets be changed to RCA with any kit?

Thanks again to Redkiwi for supplying the details on the power supply. I'm going to build one this weekend.

It is going back a few years so it is hard to be specific. Not being a wizz with electronics I stuck to a standard design and decent materials. Good as the DLC is, I don't think it warrants anything more than the following. The transformer was 150 VA potted toroidal I think, but may have been bigger. However I used one that was lying around and otherwise would have been happy to buy a 80VA one for this application. I cannot recall what rectifier diodes I used, they were supplied by a local chap who said they would be best for the application...? The first filter caps were Nichicon Muse - I think about 5,000uF a side (but high is good). I used an LM317 and an LM337 for rectification, dropping the voltage about 10VDC (to about 16VDC is it - I cannot recall). Final filter caps were Black Gates, I think about 1,000uF a side (too high a value here can degrade things from my experience). I find there is no improvement in bypassing Black Gates with small polyprops and so did not in this case.

Thanks very much to carl_eber and redkiwi. I will be on the lookout for a PS3. May I ask redkiwi a few questions concerning his custom power supply? What voltage and amperage transformer did you use? What voltage regulator and capacitor values were appropriate? Thanks in advance for any information you can supply.

I built my own power supply for the DLC and the improvement was very significant. The power station 1 is way below what is required for any competent preamp. By the way the same applies to the MSB DAC.

If you read Wes Phillip's original review of the DLC, I believe he noted only that there was an improvement going from the one to the three. I own the DLC, and wasn't aware of the #2 and #4 power supplies. I enjoy the #3 with mine, and feel it offers significant improvement over the #1 in every way. Good luck, and your welcome in advance...heh heh.