Paul Hynes PS

denjo · « **on:** 25 May 2007, 08:14 am »

A few months back I ordered two separate shunt regulated linear power supplies to feed my SB3 and Altmann Attraction DAC. The units have finally arrived and are burning-in right now.

For those interested, I hope to post my impressions once the power supplies have reached the 100-hour mark, at least.

anubisgrau · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 May 2007, 08:53 am »

great news!

as a new attraction DAC owner (on the way to me, yyiiiippiiiiiii

), i would be curious to hear about more conservation PSU solution than a car battery.

once it is settled would you mind comparing the dedicated PSU to what mr altmann recommends?

cheers

tonyptony · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 May 2007, 08:07 pm »

Denjo, can you post a link for this supply?

JDUBS · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 May 2007, 08:18 pm »

Very curious to hear more about this supply!

-Jim

Gordy · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 May 2007, 10:21 pm »

Paul Hynes Designs have gotten very good reports on DIYAudio as well. He has even posted here on PS issues recently, though he wouldn't talk of his own products!

http://www.paulhynesdesign.com/

denjo · « **Reply #5 on:** 27 May 2007, 03:30 am »

Jim
Please feel free to email Paul at paulhynes@freezone.co.uk

Paul was always very prompt and comprehensive with his replies.

The PS is settling in very well. Listening to vocal tracks last night brought me right up to the centre front seats!

Bst regards
Dennis

Ps, I will try and post a pic in the next few days.

anubisgrau · « **Reply #6 on:** 29 May 2007, 10:56 pm »

so what are the impressions?

denjo · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 May 2007, 12:13 am »

Gordon
The patient shall inherit the earth!

Best Regards
Dennis

denjo · « **Reply #8 on:** 12 Jun 2007, 06:43 am »

As promised, here are some photos of the Paul Hynes PSU for the SB3 and Altmann Attraction DAC:

viggen · « **Reply #9 on:** 12 Jun 2007, 07:16 am »

Let me get this straight... you plug this thing into the ac outlet on one end, and it spits out 12v to the attraction, right? And, in the SB3's case, this thing takes the place of the wallwart? How much money?

denjo · « **Reply #10 on:** 12 Jun 2007, 11:30 am »

Viggen

Well figured out! That is absolutely correct. The other PSU outputs 5v to feed the SB3.
Mine was a prototype! You might want to check prices with Paul Hynes at the link indicated above.

anubisgrau · « **Reply #11 on:** 12 Jun 2007, 11:58 am »

Quote from: denjo on 12 Jun 2007, 11:30 am

Viggen

Well figured out! That is absolutely correct. The other PSU outputs 5v to feed the SB3.
Mine was a prototype! You might want to check prices with Paul Hynes at the link indicated above.

my attraction is arriving this weekend but i need to get ready: when using it with a PSU, what kind of cable you need, ie what connector has to be used on the DAC side? thanks g

denjo · « **Reply #12 on:** 12 Jun 2007, 12:03 pm »

Hi Gordon
Congrats on your purchase of the Altmann Attraction DAC!
The Altmann comes with a plastic connector plug with a screw each to secure the + and - bare ends of the cable from the PSU. Are you planning to use a Red Top Optima with the Altmann DAC?

Best Regards
Dennis

viggen · « **Reply #13 on:** 12 Jun 2007, 06:20 pm »

Please keep us updated. I want to use the Attraction dac with SB3 as transport just as you have. I really like what I've read about the Attraction so far except I am too lazy to deal with batteries.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #14 on:** 12 Jun 2007, 08:03 pm »

Quote from: anubisgrau on 12 Jun 2007, 11:58 am

my attraction is arriving this weekend but i need to get ready.....

Please post your comments on how the Altmann works out in your system...thanks.

anubisgrau · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 Jun 2007, 12:17 am »

Quote from: denjo on 12 Jun 2007, 12:03 pm

Hi Gordon
Congrats on your purchase of the Altmann Attraction DAC!
The Altmann comes with a plastic connector plug with a screw each to secure the + and - bare ends of the cable from the PSU. Are you planning to use a Red Top Optima with the Altmann DAC?

Best Regards
Dennis

TBH i dunno. red top optima or blue exxide deep cycle cost 200 euros ($280) where i live. it seems really too much but if it's a must than i'll have it.

i was offered a decent car battery which is not a spiral cell type but it has a gel instead of usual acid filling so it is (i assume) a bit more safe for home use. it cost around $80.

last but not least i can buy a plain SLA battery, 12V, a few A, for say $25-30.

from what i heard from some users, red optima or blue exxide are a must if you use BYOB but not necessarily for the DAC.

i'd love to hear others thoughts on this.

last but not least i am thinking of having someone here to build me a state of the art PSU for, just as paul hynes is doing.

anubisgrau · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 Jun 2007, 12:33 am »

Quote from: denjo on 25 May 2007, 08:14 am

A few months back I ordered two separate shunt regulated linear power supplies to feed my SB3 and Altmann Attraction DAC. The units have finally arrived and are burning-in right now.

dennis, is your SB3 a modded one or a plain stock?

i'm actually wondering if there's any use of upgrades (and what kind of) in case of using it with a top DAC such as altmann's.

please let me know the thoughts. i know that a UK modder sells something called SB3+ for 1000 pounds that includes lots of upgrades such as power supply, DAC, different casing etc. but as i don't need a DAC part, i am wondering why investing so much money into it.

1000a · « **Reply #17 on:** 17 Jun 2007, 10:37 am »

OK guys where does all this stand now, Dennis are you out there

how are those PS working especially the one for the Altmann DAC?

If I can have the same quality of sound without the battery, I believe I'm down for the Altmann.

I am now starting to do this about the Altmann DAC

, and Gordy sent me a PM strongly urging I study up on it. The only other one I am strongly considering other than it is the Promi DAC w tube Nick is doing but I am holding for him to do it with the C Core trannies. Not to mention there is no feed back on his DACs yet nobodies got 1.
Rollo should be reporting on it in about 2 weeks he litterally went to Malassia.

So if any one has a moment to get me caught up I'd be thrilled, Thanks in advance.

1-Are any of you guys using the DAC w the Promi TVC, comments (I know 1 person had no luck there)? I know Dennis loves it with the TAP TVC.

2-Is anybody using it with a Monarchy DIP or GW labs DSP?

3-Did you guys get the upgraded 48-192 k thing, do you like this? I use an SB so this I guess would have no use for a few more years? unless i feed it upsample.

4- Anybody got feed back on trying it with glass toslink?

5- Gordy told me there is some group buy thing going on?

6- Somebody had or still has the lessloss DAC, if you read this how did the Altmann stack up against it?

or if you guys could point me to the correct threads, sorry for so many questions-thanks

1000a

anubisgrau · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 Jun 2007, 10:25 am »

Quote from: 1000a on 17 Jun 2007, 10:37 am

I am now starting to do this about the Altmann DAC , and Gordy sent me a PM strongly urging I study up on it. The only other one I am strongly considering other than it is the Promi DAC w tube Nick is doing but I am holding for him to do it with the C Core trannies. Not to mention there is no feed back on his DACs yet nobodies got 1.
Rollo should be reporting on it in about 2 weeks he litterally went to Malassia.

beware of the trannies overkill. i had to share with all of you my personal findings on what kind of improvement C-core (actually double-C core) trannies mean in areas where the TVCs are sufferring the most (dynamics, PRaT) but don't expect that now we have to stuck our systems with trannies everywhere. in many studios transformers are used as a sort of filter that smooths up the rough edges in recordings, especially when vocals are being recorded, but if abused they bring colorations and compress the sound.

i believe that where a trully great DAC must excell FIRST is the digital domain, and then all the things related to analogue, buffers, PS etc.

Quote from: 1000a on 17 Jun 2007, 10:37 am

1-Are any of you guys using the DAC w the Promi TVC, comments (I know 1 person had no luck there)? I know Dennis loves it with the TAP TVC.

my attraction has just arrived to town and i am going to collect it this afternoon. the problem is i have no battery ready for it - i may try to skip buying an expensive red optima or similar blue exxide and buy just a small motorbike battery or SLA. i have no idea if this will ruin the sound.

so if you are patient enough i may be able to post you my findings soon - although promi is not my resident preamp at the moment i can test the DAC with it, no problem. right now i use EAR 864 as well as bent 102 TVC, as the main preamps in my system.

Quote from: 1000a on 17 Jun 2007, 10:37 am

3-Did you guys get the upgraded 48-192 k thing, do you like this? I use an SB so this I guess would have no use for a few more years? unless i feed it upsample.

no need for a full version unless you use DVD-A or similar hi rez formats. you can't play SACD anyway.

Quote from: 1000a on 17 Jun 2007, 10:37 am

4- Anybody got feed back on trying it with glass toslink?

the maker - charles altmann - uses it with the cheap plastic toshiba toslink (i think it costs 2.80 euros, that's under $4:). he said he never tried it with a glass toslink. as long as you are happy how it plays, i don't think it is mandatory to go for a more expensive digital link. apparently the JISCO circuit minimize a need for better digital cables.

Quote from: 1000a on 17 Jun 2007, 10:37 am

6- Somebody had or still has the lessloss DAC, if you read this how did the Altmann stack up against it?

there was a guy on audiogon recently who said that lessloss DAC used in a slave mode kills attraction big time on resolution while retaining most of its musicality. i would say this is completely expected considering a different approach to digital (lessloss is an upsampler if i may remember correctly - always resulting in improved resolution), however the price difference is approx 3-4 times more. resolutions freaks anyway never liked the altmann DAC, they are in the DAC-1 camp.

as soon as i make my attraction running i'll let you know how it sounds, esp. with the TVC.

actually now i remember i have at the moment 3 TVCs at my home so i can even post more impression what cores it likes the most. i have promi, bent 102 and DIY TVC killer with double-C core trannies, so i will let it run with all of them....

miklorsmith · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 Jun 2007, 02:08 pm »

I have the Attraction and slaved Lessloss in my house. I don't think "kills it" is accurate, though the Lessloss solution is excellent.

. . . back to regularly scheduled programming.