[Paul Hynes]

I keep getting enquiries for wall wart replacements for the Empirical Audio Overdrive DAC, Pace Car and Off Ramp products. The SR3 high performance linear power supplies can be used for all of these products. This includes the Overdrive, as the SR3 regulator section is floating with respect to ground, so the SR3-18, used for the –18v supply, will reference in the same way the wall wart supply does.

For the Pace Car or the Off Ramp use the SR3-12.

For the overdrive you will need one SR3-12 and two SR3-18 power supplies.

The current price for a single SR3 power supply is £270 and the matching 1 metre DC3C high performance DC lead is £35. I can offer a 10% discount of for an order of three or more power supplies. Insured carriage and packing will vary depending on quantity and destination and I will quote for this at the time of order discussion.

I will be pleased to answer any questions about using these power supplies.

Regards
Paul

[jimiles]

Starting with the Off-Ramp 4, Steve changed the DC connector from a 2.1mm to a 2.5mm center pin. So if you are upgrading from one of the older Empirical units and plan to keep using your existing Hynes supply, you'll need a new umbilical...or change the downstream plug on your existing umbilical if you are handy with a soldering iron!

Just thought I'd post that info here, to save someone from experiencing the same surprise I had.

Question: Does the chassis connector on the back of the SR3 mate with a Lumberg SV 40 plug? I'm thinking about rolling my own new umbilical and wasn't sure what to order up. 

Thanks!
Jake

[Paul Hynes]

Hi Jake,

The chassis connector on the back of the SR3 mates with a Lumberg SV 40 plug.

Regards
Paul

[liddown]

Answer found...

[JPS]

Hi Paul,
Are you still making SR3 PSU for Off Ramp 5?
Any customer feedbacks about sound improvements?
Regards,

JPS

[Paul Hynes]

I still make the SR3 for the Off Ramp 5 and every one who has one has been very pleased with their purchase. This has been normal for the SR3 since it was first produced over four years ago. It has been used with a wide variety of equipment, and absolutely no returns due to dissatisfaction under my customer satisfaction guarantee.

Regards
Paul

[wisnon]

What is the current rating for the SR3-12, and what is the cost?

[Paul Hynes]

The SR3-12 can supply 2.5 amps continuously and around 20 amps transient. It costs £270 and the matching OFC DC lead terminated with a typical DC Jack costs £35. Insured carriage and packing costs £12 in the UK, £22 to Europe and £33 to the rest of the world. Payment can be via Paypal but there is a 3.4% paypal fee to add. Alternatively you can pay via bank transfer. UK bank transfers are usually free nowadays but international bank transfers have a £6 handling fee at this end, which will have to be added to the cost.

[wisnon]

Thanks Paul,

What is the waiting time and is it a fixed or variable voltage. Finally, what size is the end connector piece, ie 2.1mm, 2.5mm, centre positive, etc, or is it interchangeable with many ends?

Is any of this on a website?

[Paul Hynes]

The approx waiting time at present for new SR3 power supply orders is in the region of 45 to 60 working days as I have a backlog of orders to clear due to time off work recently.

A new manufacturing facility is being set up this year to deal with order processing and lead times should reduce considerably when this comes on line. It will be a slow process to implement as there are now many products in my range and each product will require a technology transfer and monitoring to ensure there are no manufacturing issues. This takes time. The SR3 is going to be one of the first products to move to the new facility and this will probably be completed towards the end of spring.

The SR3 has an internal precision adjustment potentiometer to allow a small range of voltage adjustment. For instance the SR3-12 can be set to 9v if required. The relationship between the mains transformer windings and the capacitor voltage ratings, together with thermal management requirements place limits on the available adjustment range. For instance an SR3-18 is capable of 1.6 amps continuous. If the SR3-18 were to be set for 5v out the available output current should be de-rated to 0.5 amp so the increased voltage across the regulator output device does not cause overheating due to the thermal limitations of the case. If you want a wide range of output voltage and reasonable output current then the thermal engineering has to be improved and you should be looking at either the SR5 or the SR7 depending on the range required.

On the DC lead I usually fit a DC jack of specific size for specific equipment. The connector for the equipment end can be customised as long as any extra cost is covered.

I have been too busy with consultancy and building regulator modules and power supplies for a long time so the website has not been updated. Many products have been added to the range since the website was designed. These are usually noted on my AC circle as they often start with a custom request. As the new production facility comes into operation a new website will be set up. The preparation for this has already started. This will include product technical details, application notes and a shopping cart. It will be set up so either myself or the new manufacturing facility can make immediate updates as required. I should have more time to deal with this once manufacturing is no longer my responsibility.

 

[wisnon]

Brilliantly clear response Paul.
I appreciate the time and effort made to to clarify the current and future situation.

The end of Spring seems to be the magic date for "commercial scale" manufacturing.

One last point, the adjustment of the SR3-12 from 12v/2.5amps to 9v ~0.6amps...can this be done easily by say turning a knob, pushing some dip switches, or does it entail opening the case and turning a screw head? Any soldering or parts replacement involved?

[andrewd01]

Paul, Some questions:
Does the SR3 work with both 110V and 230V input (I may be moving to US in future).

I also have a 2011 Mac Mini modded by item audio to run on external 12V linear power supply.  Am I better off going for your multi-rail power supply to run the Mac Mini and also the offramp.  will this give better or worse performance than two separate power supplies for the mac and the offramp?

Can you post a link to some photos of the SR3?

Many thanks,
Andrew

[Briz Vegas]

Hi Andrew, fellow punter here.

I have ordered the  SR7 dual rail for my 2009 MacBook Pro and Weiss INT 202.   I asked a similar question to you although my gear is different.  I had the added complication of having a single high end Nordost power cord so one power supply was my preferred configuration to make maximum use of the power cord.

The above power supply was the recommend solution in my case.  The 7 is a better power supply than the 3, but you pay more of course.  I'm guessing it will be a few months before he gets to mine but that's fine.  Well worth the wait from the SR7 that I heard.

[boblloyd]

To save Paul some building time, perhaps I could respond to most of this, Andrewd.

 For pics, Google 'Paul Hynes SR3' under Images, and you will find plenty, most of which are wrong, so use this
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=85627.0
to calibrate.

My SR3 was fine in the US- you need to get inside it, move a slider, and change the 1a fuse to a 2a (because the primary is now drawing 2x the current from the mains). It was also fine, and still is, when I brought it back and reversed all this.

Can't say anything about the off-ramp, but if your mini is running on the cheapo 12v linear supply from Item, which I bought to get started (see my thread on the SR3) you will get a very large improvement from replacing with one of Paul's supplies. Looks to me like you need the multi-rail, subject of course to Paul's agreement. Anyway you wouldn't want to lug the Item supply across the pond, would you? It's heavy...

Get your order in before you need to travel!

Cheers

Bob

[andrewd01]

Thanks Bob, very useful. Sounds like the multi rail is probably the way to go.  I like the idea of one box instead of two.

cheers,
Andrew

[boblloyd]

Hi Andrew,

You're welcome, as they say over there!

Just one point to add to my SR3 thread- I ran an extended video streaming session on high definition (Medici.tv), and just to be sure, I put back my Item supply and checked the current demand. This was averaging about 2.0-2.1a, higher than I have seen previously, and just over the limit for my SR3-15 (the mini is an early 2009). It may be that upgrading to ML has changed something.

Anyway, if you want video, I think it would be safer to go for the SR5 equivalent on your multi-rail, rather than the SR3, for the mini supply, unless you have measurements on your  2011 mini, which may be more efficient than mine.

Cheers

Bob

[andrewd01]

I dont have the equipment or desire to measure the current draw, but I am guessing its quite efficient. Item audio removed the fan, wifi and bluetooth antennae, and installed an SSD.

However I am guessing theres no harm in some overkill when ordering the power supply?  I think I will go for the SR7 multi-rail (when funds allow). 

cheers

[JPS]

Hi Paul/Vero,

I ordered my SR3-12 in February.
Any idea when it will be ready?

Best regards,

Jean-Pierre