star882
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2005
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Has anyone tried to use active cooling devices (such as Peltiers and compressors) with audio hardware? As temperature is reduced, Johnson-Nyquist noise decreases significantly.
For a small device like a DAC or headphone amp, the cheapest option is a Peltier. You can buy one for just $20 at Fry's. Then add a heatsink and power supply. For relatively little money, you can really cool down the circuits.
For a larger device like a speaker amp, you can use a compressor cooler. It's a far bigger investment than Peltiers but not much as far as high end audio is concerned. Compressors are far more suited for relatively constant loads, so while it's tricky to use one with a class D amp (excess liquid refrigerant may enter the compressor during low load and cause thermal stress), it'll be perfect for a class A amp (relatively constant load).
With some spending hundreds or even thousands on just cables, has anyone considered something cheaper that would (in theory) make a greater change?
For a small device like a DAC or headphone amp, the cheapest option is a Peltier. You can buy one for just $20 at Fry's. Then add a heatsink and power supply. For relatively little money, you can really cool down the circuits.
For a larger device like a speaker amp, you can use a compressor cooler. It's a far bigger investment than Peltiers but not much as far as high end audio is concerned. Compressors are far more suited for relatively constant loads, so while it's tricky to use one with a class D amp (excess liquid refrigerant may enter the compressor during low load and cause thermal stress), it'll be perfect for a class A amp (relatively constant load).
With some spending hundreds or even thousands on just cables, has anyone considered something cheaper that would (in theory) make a greater change?