[sdiy] Power Supplies... Whutchugot?...

[media.nai at rcn.com]

At 1:43 PM -0500 06/16/02, Studio 271 Productions wrote:
>
>Does anyone have any problem with using "excess" (as in "extra")
>computer power supplies in synths? I know they are generally +-12 and
>+5, but if that's all I need is there any real problems with using
>one? The ones I have are pretty high in amperage (>10A), so I know
>they'd be able to power a huge synth on a good day. I'm just worried
>that since they are designed for running intels at 100-300MHz, is it
>a plus or a minus in terms of noise, spikes, etc?

You shouldn't use a switching supply to power an analogue synth.  They are
too noisy.  Also, >10A is a massive amount of current for a synth, and
afaik, many switching supplies perform worse with an insufficient load.

What you want is a linear supply.  Imho, 723 designs are best, but I've
built plenty of things using three-terminal regulators that still work
fine.  Many people on this list save money by buying surplus linear power
supplies, but I'm wary of electrolytic caps that have been sitting in a
warehouse for 20 years -- a power supply that fails when you need it isn't
much of a bargain.

However, if your heart is set on salvage, you might try looking for junked
home stereo or pro audio equipment that uses linear supplies.