"Arny Krueger" = Compewter Geek Know All


People like Crown and QSC have been building 5+ KW audio power amps with
SMPS for years.

** But they are not regulated PSUs - but simple square wave inverter
supplies that have no voltage regulation and output 50/60 Hz ripple.

The availability of rugged IGBTs has made the difference in terms of
reliability.

The only exceptions to this in audio amplifiers are the tiny few examples
with " active PFC corrected " supplies that regulate and deliver pure DC.


I suspect that the traditional power supplies were cheaper than SMPS up
until the past year or two.


** Still cheaper in fact, real watt for real watt - long as the
manufacture is in China.


Now adays you can't even buy a router or a portable MP3 player without a
SMPS wall wart. Solid evidence that they are just plain cheaper.


** Arguing from one example to another is a classic blunder in thinking.

SMPS adaptors are only cheaper when a REGULATED DC supply of 10 watts or
more is needed.

When an unregulated DC supply or an AC ( low voltage) supply is needed -
iron transformer based types are still cheaper.



..... Phil