[dmccombs]

Roger, the cost to convert a Mach2 Music Server for Battery use will be $199 (plus return shipping/insurance).  The price convert a regular MacMini will be $249 (plus return shipping/insurance).

We aren't scheduling this quite yet.  We need to get our stout Disclaimer written.  As this will void the warantee, we will need everyone to acknowledge/accept this in writing BEFORE paying and scheduling the conversion.

I hope to have this done and be ready to start scheduling folks this weekend.

Darrell
www.mach2music.com

[tasar]

"So tonight we got to hear the Production version.  Everything we heard with the prototypes was there, but the upper midrange area was even cleaner.  We also were also able to put the external hard drive on the battery buss.  This had a big impact as well.  The soundstage got huge, and everything across the board cleaned up.  The scary part is this thing isn't even broken in yet. "

Darrel.....you're using a solid state external drive based on past comments. My impression is these drives are dead quite so is the music "cleaner" or the "staging" more distinctive as in separation and lower level dynamics ?

[dBe]

"So tonight we got to hear the Production version.  Everything we heard with the prototypes was there, but the upper midrange area was even cleaner.  We also were also able to put the external hard drive on the battery buss.  This had a big impact as well.  The soundstage got huge, and everything across the board cleaned up.  The scary part is this thing isn't even broken in yet. "

Darrel.....you're using a solid state external drive based on past comments. My impression is these drives are dead quite so is the music "cleaner" or the "staging" more distinctive as in separation and lower level dynamics ?

I can tell you this:  Kevin Burke said:  "You didn't tell me that the music would get TALLER!"  I thought that was a funny, but really appropriate comment.  The soundstage is again: BWD with precise placement and music out of nowhere in the noise floor department.  Getting the HDD on 5VRDC was.... uhm, stunning!  I'm a 63 year old man with tinnitis in my left ear from years of open window driving when I was a kid.  Even I can tell you how much that eliminating the wallwart did!

Dave

[dmccombs]

Darrell.....you're using a solid state external drive based on past comments. My impression is these drives are dead quite so is the music "cleaner" or the "staging" more distinctive as in separation and lower level dynamics ?

Yes, I use a SSD for my external hard drive, and putting it on the BatteryBuss instead of the walwart (plugged into a MajikBuss), made a noticeable improvement.

I currently have a prototype BatteryBuss which does not have a connection for the hard drive, and I can't wait to get my production version, partly because the external hard drive will sound better.  Is it here yet, is it here yet???   

[dmccombs]

OK, Mach2 Music is ready to start doing Battery Mods which will allow the 2010 Mach2 Server or 2010 Mac Mini, to run on battery power.

More info and ordering can be found here: http://www.mach2music.com/order/battery.html

Darrell
www.mach2music.com

[JDUBS]

Dave, any thought regarding offering your BatteryBUSS with a different voltage (say 24v)?

I'd love to experiment with battery power and my Metric Halo LIO-8 DAC but it needs between 14v and 28v.

Thanks,
Jim

[dBe]

Dave, any thought regarding offering your BatteryBUSS with a different voltage (say 24v)?

I'd love to experiment with battery power and my Metric Halo LIO-8 DAC but it needs between 14v and 28v.

Thanks,
Jim

Jim,

The BatteryBUSS will handle voltages up to 24V easily.  The internal eletrolytic caps are rated @ 35V @ 105degC.

The auxiliary regulated outputs could be 5VDC, 8VDC, 12VDC, 15VDC, 18VDC or whatever up to ~ 22VDC with the Linear Tech regulators that I prefer, too.

No worries.

Dave

[JDUBS]

Jim,

The BatteryBUSS will handle voltages up to 24V easily.  The internal eletrolytic caps are rated @ 35V @ 105degC.

The auxiliary regulated outputs could be 5VDC, 8VDC, 12VDC, 15VDC, 18VDC or whatever up to ~ 22VDC with the Linear Tech regulators that I prefer, too.

No worries.

Dave

Dave, how does the performance of the BatteryBUSS change as voltage increases?  I assume the load it can handle would decrease?  Can one still use a 12v battery and regulate "up" or would I need to source something > than the output voltage and regulate "down"?

Thanks,
Jim

[jtwrace]

Dave, how does the performance of the BatteryBUSS change as voltage increases?  I assume the load it can handle would decrease?  Can one still use a 12v battery and regulate "up" or would I need to source something > than the output voltage and regulate "down"?

Thanks,
Jim

Jim

You do realize that the BatteryBuss goes after the battery source.  Right?

[JDUBS]

Jim

You do realize that the BatteryBuss goes after the battery source.  Right?

Yes.

-Jim

[dBe]

Dave, how does the performance of the BatteryBUSS change as voltage increases?  I assume the load it can handle would decrease?  Can one still use a 12v battery and regulate "up" or would I need to source something > than the output voltage and regulate "down"?

Thanks,
Jim

Jim, it will handle about any load up to 20A at voltages up to 28m volts or so to give a decent safety factor for the internal electrolytic caps rated @ 35VDC.  It will be fine for audio use... just don't start a car with it 

Regulation is a lossy process.  Most regulators will consume a volt to a volt and a half doing their jobs.  Even LDO (low drop out voltage) regs are around a volt.  Since a 12V battery can run anywhere from 11.5V to 14V when fully charged, you can see a potential problem when the battery voltage drops below the regulation threshold (desired voltage + drop out voltage).  Regulators just decide they don't want to play and everything gets screwy.  Regulators cannot increase voltage. - that would require a DC to DC converter to step up the voltage which kind of negates the entire premise behind the BatteryBUSS.

 A good rule of thumb is to supply the regulator with the desired voltage + 2V.  Everybody is happy then.

Dave

[JDUBS]

Dave, as a theoretical, if I wanted ~22v of output DC, could I use a 24v LiPo battery pack like this?:

http://www.maxamps.com/Power-Supply-24V.htm

or possibly two 12v SLA batteries in series?  I want the best battery solution for fast current dumping - which I'm not sure it matters when using your BatteryBUSS.

Again, this is for a Metric Halo LIO-8 DAC that runs on 14v-28v and consumes 24w.

-Jim

Jim, it will handle about any load up to 20A at voltages up to 28m volts or so to give a decent safety factor for the internal electrolytic caps rated @ 35VDC.  It will be fine for audio use... just don't start a car with it 

Regulation is a lossy process.  Most regulators will consume a volt to a volt and a half doing their jobs.  Even LDO (low drop out voltage) regs are around a volt.  Since a 12V battery can run anywhere from 11.5V to 14V when fully charged, you can see a potential problem when the battery voltage drops below the regulation threshold (desired voltage + drop out voltage).  Regulators just decide they don't want to play and everything gets screwy.  Regulators cannot increase voltage. - that would require a DC to DC converter to step up the voltage which kind of negates the entire premise behind the BatteryBUSS.

 A good rule of thumb is to supply the regulator with the desired voltage + 2V.  Everybody is happy then.

Dave

[dBe]

Dave, as a theoretical, if I wanted ~22v of output DC, could I use a 24v LiPo battery pack like this?:

http://www.maxamps.com/Power-Supply-24V.htm

or possibly two 12v SLA batteries in series?  I want the best battery solution for fast current dumping - which I'm not sure it matters when using your BatteryBUSS.

Again, this is for a Metric Halo LIO-8 DAC that runs on 14v-28v and consumes 24w.

-Jim

Since the Halo will run on 14 -28VDC I see no problem using series connected 12V batteries.  Sucker should sing   

24 watts @ 24V is 1 amp.  Easy peasy   

Dave

[JDUBS]

Thanks Dave!  How about preferred battery technologies?  The LiFePO4 battery packs are intriguing given their small size and great rechargeability relative to a couple of series-conencted SLAs.  How about ability to instantaneously dump current?  I know that your BatteryBUSS helps in this department, I was just curious which battery type would complement the BUSS the most.

Thanks,
Jim

[dBe]

Thanks Dave!  How about preferred battery technologies?  The LiFePO4 battery packs are intriguing given their small size and great rechargeability relative to a couple of series-conencted SLAs.  How about ability to instantaneously dump current?  I know that your BatteryBUSS helps in this department, I was just curious which battery type would complement the BUSS the most.

Thanks,
Jim

As battery technology continues to evolve I think we will see a lot of great alternatives.  Rich Hollis (HAL) is very high on the LiFePO4 technology and I think that their size is a real plus.  Both types of batteries can dump huge amounts of current.  My take on this is as always: cost/size/performance.  The eternal compromise.  Go with your gut.

Rich - any comments?

Dave

[HAL]

The LiFePO4 batteries I am using have about the same current dumping capabilities as the small AGM's.  The issue is price per Ah capability.  It is still pretty high.  The good part is the cell life is supposed to be much longer, like somewhere between 5-15 years.  They both can be charged fast, but the LiFe cells like to be balanced charged to extend life and capability. 

I have seen some of the mfg's of electrical vehicals batteries now offering 10Ah to 400Ah LiFe cells for purchase.   I am still looking at those for building a 13.2VDC/40Ah pack.  About 15lbs, but about $250 and you need a dedicated balancing charger.  If they really lasts 10 years, then no big difference in price with AGM's.

[JDUBS]

Has anyone had Mach2 mod their Mini (for battery power), yet?  Just curious on impressions of their work and turnaround time.

Jim

OK, Mach2 Music is ready to start doing Battery Mods which will allow the 2010 Mach2 Server or 2010 Mac Mini, to run on battery power.

More info and ordering can be found here: http://www.mach2music.com/order/battery.html

Darrell
www.mach2music.com

[Danny Richie]

I have a Mach2 Mini running on the 12 volt battery and using Dave's BatteryBUSS. This combination is a game changer. I am really big on low noise floors and thought that I already had a really low noise floor. This took it to another level.

Imagining, layering, placement of everything all improved. Bass response is a little tighter too.

I am using a 100 amp hour AGM battery. I can get them at a good price from a local dealer. It's a Power Sonic brand. I think they are $210 each now. They were $180 each last year, but the price of lead has gone up.

I was running a CTek 3300 charger on it but it was running pretty warm trying to keep that battery topped off. So I ordered the new CTek 7002 charger. It keeps up fine, and doesn't run hot. So I leave it on all the time. It has a "supply" setting that keeps the battery topped off at 13.6 volts.

So I don't have to fool with turning it on or off and it is dead quiet too.

The battery and charger was still less than a good power cord.    And I am off the grid with it. 

This whole set up is the ONLY way to fly now.

[JDUBS]

Thanks for the comments, Danny.

I was thinking of something like this (12v LiFeMnPO4):

http://cgi.ebay.com/Valence-Lithium-Ion-12V-battery-/260742780889?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb57b17d9

REALLY low internal resistance (although, perhaps it doesn't matter with the BatteryBUSS).  "Only" 40amp hrs of capacity but better rechargeability than an SLA.

-Jim

[dBe]

Thanks for the comments, Danny.

I was thinking of something like this (12v LiFeMnPO4):

http://cgi.ebay.com/Valence-Lithium-Ion-12V-battery-/260742780889?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb57b17d9

REALLY low internal resistance (although, perhaps it doesn't matter with the BatteryBUSS).  "Only" 40amp hrs of capacity but better rechargeability than an SLA.

-Jim

The BB will take care of the output impedance issue.  Looks like a killer battery for your application.

Dave