[Soymilk]

im planning on building a pimeta before school starts, and since i want to actually read up more and understand more of whats going on, i want to hold off on building a psu until later (probably winter break), which would also be nice since it'll be like another upgrade

so my question is, what's the straight up easiest way to power a pimeta? it'll just need to hold me over for a few months.

 

[Calroth]

From easiest to hardest:

• Use non-rechargeable batteries and replace them every so often
• Use a non-regulated wall wart
• Use a regulated wall wart
• Use a wall wart with a TREAD
• Build a STEPS
• Use rechargeable batteries and construct a charger in conjunction with 2, 3, 4 or 5

 

[MASantos]

You would say that a walwart and a thread is the best combo for a pimeta. I tried everything from a STEPS to batteries and the tread+walwart combo to be the best compromise between cost and performance. I can get a AC/DC walwart and keep the high voltages away from the PSU.

 

[tomb]

Buy a 24VDC, 500ma Linear, Regulated walwart from Jameco for $15.78:
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/sto...oductId=174861

The power drawn by even a Class A, double-stacked buffer PIMETA is not enough to make a noticeable difference between a TREAD and this walwart.

 

[Soymilk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calroth /img/forum/go_quote.gif From easiest to hardest: Use non-rechargeable batteries and replace them every so often Use a non-regulated wall wart Use a regulated wall wart Use a wall wart with a TREAD Build a STEPS Use rechargeable batteries and construct a charger in conjunction with 2, 3, 4 or 5

you can use a wall wart w/o a tread? i thought there needed to be a tread in between there!

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomb /img/forum/go_quote.gif Buy a 24VDC, 500ma Linear, Regulated walwart from Jameco for $15.78: http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/sto...oductId=174861 The power drawn by even a Class A, double-stacked buffer PIMETA is not enough to make a noticeable difference between a TREAD and this walwart.

if that's true, awesome, easy and good power

can anyone second this? masantos, did you feel there was a difference between just a wall wart and wall wart + tread?


edit - also, do you know of any b&m stores that carry this wall wart? or should i not bother and be cheaper directly from jameco anyways? dam, shipping is $6

 

[Calroth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soymilk /img/forum/go_quote.gif you can use a wall wart w/o a tread? i thought there needed to be a tread in between there!

Certainly you can - as long as it's a DC wall wart. One of the main things that the TREAD does is clean up the wall wart's output and reduce any noise. If you don't care about that (or your wall wart is clean and doesn't have much noise) then you can leave the TREAD out.

 

[tomb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soymilk /img/forum/go_quote.gif you can use a wall wart w/o a tread? i thought there needed to be a tread in between there! if that's true, awesome, easy and good power can anyone second this? masantos, did you feel there was a difference between just a wall wart and wall wart + tread? edit - also, do you know of any b&m stores that carry this wall wart? or should i not bother and be cheaper directly from jameco anyways? dam, shipping is $6

The TREAD is a linear regulator. A Walwart with a linear regulator = walwart + TREAD. Now obviously, Tangent's TREAD is of much better quality than most linear regulators included in a similarly equipped walwart. However, I have had two PIMETA's for a pretty good while and they do not really draw enough to make an audible difference between the two. Note that I also have several TREADs, some I've constructed in custom-made walwarts. My PIMETA's also have 2x9V NiMH with trickle chargers.

The NiMH batteries actually sound better than either walwart+TREAD or linear regulated walwart. However, IMHO, regular batteries are not a realistic option. The PIMETA is not like a CMoy that can run on a pair of alkalines for several weeks - depending on the build, it may only be several hours - a couple of days at most.

Just MHO - there are several people who disagree with me.

 

[vixr]

this works really good... its in my PIMETA right now...

 

[fortney]

I'll second the Jameco product.
I think the TREAD just acts to regulate, but the aforementioned Jameco product is regulated.
You can also use a switching supply and I have done so with a Samlex bought for other purposes without any noise generation in several DIY amps.
I bought the Jameco in 12V and 24V styles and will probably have them for life.

F

 

[Soymilk]

alright, i'll go with the jameco wall wart

thanks for all the help. last thing: does anyone know of anywhere to buy it other than direct from jameco's site that tomb linked? or is anywhere else that has it available more expensive? i tried looking it up w/ froogle but it gave no results

would frys have this? it didn't show up on their website, so i'm not sure. i work right next to a frys though, so i'll probably just go check it out after work sometime soon.

edit - fortney, what was the reason for buying the jameco in both 12v and 24v? for different amps?

 

[1nf1n1ty]

Did you Build this Pimeta yet?...Im going to build one this summer...but Im so noob I got overwhelmed by the parts List...I just need someone to tell me exactly what to buy...and then I can just build it...because I understand that...but not what capacitor is better...and what resistor is this and that and the next thing...and besides...I havent even been able to understand the checklist enough to get a price figure on it...only what another member on here said...he/she said it can be done for $60?...Im really not sure...

My budget is around $100...but want to have extra for a interconnet/LOD
which i budgeted around 20 for.

 

[Soymilk]

i haven't built it yet, but i've been reading up on it; pretty soon i'm going to start seriously researching all the parts etc, i'll probably make a build thread to ask if anybody can see any glaring issues / make some suggestions on the parts i choose before i order. gonna build in hopefully a week or two.

for a maxed out pimeta (which i plan to build), you're probably gonna go over $60. the only difference i really know so far though between maxed and base is the double buffers though (not including things like using more expensive or cheaper caps, pot etc). also, this $60 figure most likely doesn't include a power source, either, so that would add another $20 at least (depending if you want to do wallwart + tread, regulated wallwart like the one recommended in this thread, or steps). as someone else suggested to me, if you're getting overwhelmed by the parts list you probably dont want to build a tread or steps since they deal with dangerous voltages. the jameco regulated wall wart looks like a good solution, and it's pretty cheap too (~$20). that's the route i'm taking.

edit - there's also the crossfeed circuit. could someone shed some light on that or point to a page that describes what it does? the page on tangent's site is mostly info on putting it together.

 

[1nf1n1ty]

Ya...that would be a good idea too...If someone really wants...to fill in the checklist for me...That would be really nice...but if not...Ill make a really bad one that has 20 mistakes that I will post and you guys can fix later on...which ever one comes first...Im guessing I can get most of the stuff locally...except for say the board, and the buffers and opamps...because i remember trying to find those locally to build a cmoy...and i gave up because I didnt want to order...>.<

So again...if anyone wants to give a full parts list...for a pimeta that costs around 60...that has a thingy for a regulated walwart...then that would be great...if not...Im going to make a really crappy list of parts that has alot of mistakes and post it to get edited

 

[Calroth]

Have you seen http://tangentsoft.net/audio/pimeta/plists.html? That's pretty much all you'll need, just plug in those codes into the online shop of your choice, and you'll have 90% of what you need for a decent build.

 

[fortney]

The 24 V wall transformer unit is for my tube MOSFET hybrid the Sijosae MHHA V 2.

I would suppose you could get these items in many places if you know the specs you want.

Switcher supplies tend to be cheaper (don't go too cheap) and are regulated, etc...

Note that sometimes an amp will have hum and the diagnosis is that the power supply transformer is too close or needs to be rotated 90 degrees, etc, but the power supplies we are are discussing have connector cable several feet long. I have had no hum in any of my amps using these supplies.

Some amps need high amperage and that is another story.

F