A day or two ago, we were discussing power supplies, and I mentioned switched-mode devices. The high-end community has traditionally eschewed these, but over time, like digital audio, they have become really amazing technologies.
At their core, SMPS operate by rapidly switching transistors on and off right on the AC line, converting input voltage to the desired output with high efficiency (because of their high speed). Done well, they can provide remarkable performance in a small package.
The advantage of SMPS is efficiency and compactness. They waste less energy as heat and can deliver large amounts of power from a smaller footprint. That’s why they dominate in computing, networking, and portable electronics. The challenge in audio is noise and technique. The high-frequency switching can leak into the signal path, raising the noise floor or adding harshness if not properly filtered.
Modern designs employ advanced filtering, shielding, and layout to minimize these issues. In fact, some of the quietest supplies available today are switching designs, proving that topology alone isn’t destiny. But achieving that level of refinement requires careful engineering and attention to detail.
Our friends over at Hypex have really got this down to an art.
For the listener, the question isn’t whether a supply is switching or linear, but whether it enables the system to deliver music without strain, noise, or coloration. A well-executed SMPS can do that beautifully.
Like all things audio, the stigma remains, but as always in audio, execution matters far more than labels.
