Relay power on your battery powered amp!

[amphead]

Thought I would share this with whoever might need it. I put a latching relay, with contacts close to my 9v battery and the vcc pin on the opamp chip. This means that I can power on from the panel switch and still keep the local current source path short. I did a pre and post listening test. I noticed greater presence and detail using the relay, as opposed to running a longer current path to the panel switch, and then to the chips power pin. If you are using batteries make sure to use a latching relay, otherwise a non-latching will consume too much power in the coil.

 

[amphead]

Addendum: The higher current capabilities of the contacts in the relay, are also helping to improve signal strength/quality, because the chip is not starved when it demands current. Most panel switches just don't seem move the current IMHO.

 

[derevaun]

I'm convinced. Got any suggestions for specific relays? How big is the right kind of relay?

 

[amphead]

I am using the Aromat S2E-L2-5V, but that is a surplus item. Aromat was purchased by Panasonic.
Heres a link:
http://www.jrl.com/WebStore_Componen...=32-00000105-3

 

[Freq Band]

"I noticed greater presents and detail using the relay"

hmmmm,
It made that much of a difference?
How do you account for the improvement?
I'm not implying that it is a bad idea, but I suspect the degree of improvement is exaggerated by the "I just made a mod, therefore it must sound better" factor.
...as often happens in before-and-after comparisons.


=RR=

 

[amphead]

Well, I have to say that in my test there was an improvement to the point that I loved the sound. Before the relay, I was not really enjoying listening at all, which caused me to troubleshoot the problem, ending with this solution.