[rayq]

Hi, I have just got a D311 without the external battery pack (just the adaptor) and I am planning to make one myself. Does anyone know what is the proper voltage/# of battery to connect to D311? Is it just 2 AA (3V) as the external battery pack specified? But then, why is the original adaptor rated as 6V? Since my DIY external battery pack will be connected to the DC IN (which stated as "DC IN 6V") as the adaptor does, should I make it 6V as well? Thanks for any input!

Raymond

 

[Duncan]

Hiya...

Yes, the battery pack is 3v, and the mains adapter is 6v...

The mains voltage will not work on the battery pack (will overload it) whereas the battery voltage will not work on the mains adapter socket...

Stick to 3v for the mini connectors, or 6v for the mains adapter, and don't mix the two

 

[rayq]

Thanks, but if I make a DIY battery pack (6V) which will be connected to the mains adaptor socket, that should be OK, right?

Raymond

 

[Ozniot]

You really aren't missing much not have Sony BP-5 battery for your D-311. Mine doesn't even let me finish a 2nd CD before petering out. If you have $99 to spare and want to listen on the go 'round the clock, get "PowerRunner." PowerRunner is a large lithium-ion battery with variable voltage output and different size tips. One of the tips fits D-311 perfectly. It plugs into the DC input jack. I find D-311 overheats on PowerRunner at specified 6v. Better to dial in 5v and keep things cool. This solution requires toting around a bag, but a bag is less hassle than fooling with little batteries that need recharging every few hours. If your portable setup includes a headphone amp, you probably carry it in a bag anyway, so one more item doesn't matter. If you're really into the vintage PCDP's, "PowerRunner" is a good investment, because it works with almost all of them.

 

[insomniac]

How many hours of battery do you get with the Powerrunner + D311 combo?

 

[Ozniot]

To answer Insomniac, I just did an experiment. D-311 plays non-stop 23 hours on PowerRunner. I set the headphone volume between 2 and 4 and also the lineout running to an amp to simulate high-drain usage.

 

[Ozniot]

Just to satisfy curiousity, I repeated the above experiment, only using D-25s. Since D-25s requires higher voltage input than D-311 (9v versus 4.5v), I imagined that it might not play as long. PowerRunner actually ran D-25s nonstop for 22 hours. By way of comparison, OEM Sony BP-2EX or Empire BPI-215 aftermarket replacement, only run D-25s for around 3 hours. I'm surprised that more vintage PCDP fans on Head-Fi aren't familiar with this device.