[DaveC113]

tanchiro, i'll be very interested to hear your thoughts on the SLA vs. Optima shootout.

Yup, I'd also guess that capacitors would minimize any differences between the batteries. I wouldn't expect to hear much difference, but who knows? One plus for the gel cells is that they will last much longer than a SLA. They are also better suited to being discharged deeper than a SLA. With any battery you are trading discharge percentage vs. operating life though... for example Toyota Prius batteries never discharge more than %30.   

Dave

[anubisgrau]

Lonewolfny42,

The Altmann Attraction DAC is modified by an Audiogoner. He replaced the Wima 3.3uF which were located near the RCA outputs with two huge ASC 100uF/375V oil caps and took out the two small silver caps (nearby the DAC chip) and the relay (white).

hahaha you sniped it off audiogone. i saw that ad.

who the hell on earth wants to modify altmann DAC

[tanchiro58]

who the hell on earth wants to modify altmann DAC

Well someone did to mine. I like its sound a lot. 

[Russell Dawkins]

Does anyone here know anything about the high frequency noise that is purported to ride on what is presumed by most, myself included, to be the pure DC output from batteries?

I first read of this 20 years ago and it was referring to nicads, but I don't see the question addressed at all - for NiCads or any other type.

When I first found this out, I bypassed the nicads running my mic preamp with some very small value caps, but never took the trouble to compare with and without.

If it's true, then caps across the output of these batteries would serve two functions - short term energy storage and noise shorting, and would suggest a couple of values in parallel.

[goldlizsts]

My main experience with battery power has been my ASR phono stage and
it really sounds a lot cleaner with battery power than the line.......

Hi,

Did you experiment with different batteries (true battery D.C. or AC converted)?  If you did, did you notice the personality as a result of a certain battery being different?   Sound-wise, I mean.  

Thanks.

[nicksgem10s]

Hi Tanchiro,

I am glad you got the one from Audiogon.  I like my stock unit so much that I actually almost pulled the trigger on the modded one to see how much difference there was but I decided I love the stock sound so much I would let someone else get some serious digital enjoyment 

I have tried many different sources but none have sounded like the Altmann Attraction.  It is a really special piece.  When you take the price into consideration it ranks up their as possibly the best audio value available today.  It is without a doubt the best digital value available currently.  I love controlling everything from my MacBook Pro in my listening spot.  I use the laptop usb out to Trends USB to the Altmann.  It is fantastic. 

I have to thank Pardales to pointing me in the direction of the Trends.  I also have to thank Texendo for bringing his Altmann over a little while back and letting me hear with my own two ears what it can do.  It is the real deal.  It is so incredible sounding it has me seriously questioning the trouble and effort required for vinyl playback 

Have fun listening.  If you are ever going to be in Michigan let me know, maybe you could bring the modded one to listen to next to the my stock unit.

I am using the Optima yellow top but when funds allow really plan on having Paul Hynes build me a custom power supply for the Altmann Attraction dac. 

- Nick

[pardales]

Hey Nick,

Glad to hear the Attraction DAC and Trends UD-10 are working out well for you.   

[*Scotty*]

Russel, you should be able to see any noise from the battery with an oscilloscope.
Scotty

[tanchiro58]

I am using the Optima yellow top but when funds allow really plan on having Paul Hynes build me a custom power supply for the Altmann Attraction dac.

Nick,

I am also using the Optima Yellow Top deep cycle but I have ordered the RWA SLA/SMART module battery charger from Vinnie Rossi. I do not know how good is the Paul Hynes PS but I believe battery powered is the only way to create an excellent sound especially in an Altmann Attraction DAC. Listen to your radio in your car and how clean is the sound. I did not believe in battery powered before but since I listened to the Altmann DAC I have to admit this is a perfect gear for me.

[lonewolfny42]

I am using the Optima yellow top but when funds allow really plan on having Paul Hynes build me a custom power supply for the Altmann Attraction dac.

Nick,

I am also using the Optima Yellow Top deep cycle but I have ordered the RWA SLA/SMART module battery charger from Vinnie Rossi. I do not know how good is the Paul Hynes PS but I believe battery powered is the only way to create an excellent sound especially in an Altmann Attraction DAC. Listen to your radio in your car and how clean is the sound. I did not believe in battery powered before but since I listened to the Altmann DAC I have to admit this is a perfect gear for me.

But no one really knows till they are compared.....and if their close, I could see people using the Paul Hynes PS....some are not happy to have a Red Top or Yellow Top in their audio room....and the WAF as well.

[Russell Dawkins]

Russel, you should be able to see any noise from the battery with an oscilloscope.
Scotty

I guess I would be able to if I had a scope - which I don't.

Could someone with a scope check this out, please?

[jules]

Steve,

I notice you've gone off the grid and it appears you're using a generator to supply power as required [for battery charging etc]. If you can possibly manage it, solar power is brilliant and far more convenient. A basic system using a couple of 80W panels, a regulator and a small battery bank would probably suit all your needs at the present and reduce the need to have the noise of that generator shattering the peace of your environment. If you're using 12V batteries for your audio a regulator can be permanently connected and still allow you to use your gear at the same time.

One of the other great things about solar systems is that it's easy to expand their size simply by adding a few panels as needed. The battery bank can be expensive but in most parts of the world battery banks are used as back-up power supplies for critical business applications and are replaced at fixed intervals with many years of life still in them. For example, I'm using a bank of 12, 2V, 560 Amp hour ex Telstra batteries. These things weigh nearly a ton all up and are 20 years old. I've had them for the last five years and from their performance, I reckon they'll do another 5 years.

Anyway, this is all somewhat OT but if you're interested please feel free to contact me ... or maybe it's time for another solar power thread?

jules