Can anyone please tell me if it's OK to use a power brick/supply that's sold as an LED power supply to power an amplifier? I need a 230VAC to 24VDC, 4A power supply to power an amplifier and the best value switching power supplies I've seen have been sold on LED lighting websites as LED driver power supplies. I should be OK as long as I select the correct output voltage and sufficient current output rating for my application, right? Thanks.
Switching/Digital power supply
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One has in real terms no idea as to what spikes will be OK with a LED but not with a amplifier. Likely it will be OK but unless one uses a oscilloscope to monitor output one is just guessing.
By "best value" do you mean "cheapest" ? Even the cheapest has no value if it doesn't do the job.
As Eric has said the output from a power source designed to supply LED lighting does not need to be smooth clean DC so most unlikely to power an amplifier and if it did then the background noise ( from the amplifier's speakers ) would be high.
As above. You need a pure, noiseless DC power supply for an amplifier (unless there are smoothing components inside the amp itself). A lighting transformer/driver is not going to give you the necessary output.
What does the amplifier instructions say that you need?
What does the amplifier instructions say that you need?
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Thanks for your replies.
The amp is a SMSL SA36A Pro - one of those cheap mini-amps sold on ebay. It came with a generic 12VDC, 3.5A power supply (brick type). On many of these type of mini-amps there is some on-board smoothing (some mini-amps I've seen even accept an AC input, allegedly) but I've no idea if there's any smoothing on the amp I have. Can't open it up as it would invalidate warranty.
Ideally, I'd like to use a 24VDC, 4A power supply to increase output. The information/spec I have on this amp is limited, and at least partially incorrect (usual sloppy and jumbled descriptions/specs) but the amp should (according to the amp's name and photos I've seen) be based on the Texas Instruments TPA3118 chip which is able to accept a 24V supply. Increasing the supply from 12V to 24V could increase amp power output by at least three times, according to the Texas data sheets. The power supply input socket on the amp I have is labelled as '12V to 24V DC'.
One thing makes me think twice about upping the power supply voltage: one photo of the amp's internals shows the TPA3118 without any heat-sinking so perhaps best not to push it?
The amp is a SMSL SA36A Pro - one of those cheap mini-amps sold on ebay. It came with a generic 12VDC, 3.5A power supply (brick type). On many of these type of mini-amps there is some on-board smoothing (some mini-amps I've seen even accept an AC input, allegedly) but I've no idea if there's any smoothing on the amp I have. Can't open it up as it would invalidate warranty.
Ideally, I'd like to use a 24VDC, 4A power supply to increase output. The information/spec I have on this amp is limited, and at least partially incorrect (usual sloppy and jumbled descriptions/specs) but the amp should (according to the amp's name and photos I've seen) be based on the Texas Instruments TPA3118 chip which is able to accept a 24V supply. Increasing the supply from 12V to 24V could increase amp power output by at least three times, according to the Texas data sheets. The power supply input socket on the amp I have is labelled as '12V to 24V DC'.
One thing makes me think twice about upping the power supply voltage: one photo of the amp's internals shows the TPA3118 without any heat-sinking so perhaps best not to push it?
If this cheap-on-eBay amp came from a Chinese seller, or someone nominally "UK based" but who in reality is a Chinese seller, then I would offer these three pieces of advice:
1) Do not expect the amp to be using a genuine TI chip.
2) Do not spend much money on a power supply, unless you know you'd be able to reuse it with another amp. But don't FGS, buy a cheap one on eBay from a Chinese seller.
3) Do not place the amp anywhere where something bad might happen if it bursts into flames.
1) Do not expect the amp to be using a genuine TI chip.
2) Do not spend much money on a power supply, unless you know you'd be able to reuse it with another amp. But don't FGS, buy a cheap one on eBay from a Chinese seller.
3) Do not place the amp anywhere where something bad might happen if it bursts into flames.
Hilarious description here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/SA-36A-TPA3118D2-Digital-Amplifier-Supply/dp/B00LVUS0YG
Indeed. I've purchased quite a few cheap electronic products either direct from China or via a UK 'agent' (such as this mini-amp). I think as long as one has realistic expectations, you can find some great value products. I take your point about fake chips though - I have a mini-amp module where the seller's description appears to have been 'stolen' from a reputable seller who was offering a higher quality product so it didn't match what I received but that's what I expected for the low price I paid (and the seller's photo's didn't even tie up with the description given).
With regard to your point#3, ban-all-sheds, my personal experience is of brick-type power supplies going up in smoke rather than the main product. And power supplies are often tucked away in inaccessible places so hard to get at in an emergency. My approach is to turn off all cheap electronics at the mains switch when the house is unoccupied and overnight thus cutting power to both the main product and, I think more importantly, to the power supply.
Due to the absence of a heat sink on the amp chip (probably), I've decided not to push the amp output with a 24V power supply. Might compromise with an 18 - 20V supply though.
The spec does say 12-24v though.
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