Power supply suggestions

Celestion44

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Current situation;
Raspberry Pi4 with Allo Boss v1.2 DAC HAT
Rega Brio amp
Castle Severn 2 speakers

I have the “older“ RPI 4 which is, supposedly super choosy about PSU and why the official (switching) one is recommended . Revisions to the RPI 4 have apparently corrected this, but I simply couldn’t source one!

Both the PI 4 and Boss DAC have usb-c power inputs. The Pi 4 apparently needing 5v 3 amp and the Boss DAC 5v, but no specifics for power draw. I reckon min 600ma.

This setup gives 3 power options;
a power everything from the Pi
b power everything from the Boss DAC
c power them separately

I have watched numerous videos from the usual well known sources and the consensus seems to be to power them separately or “at worst“ power both from the DAC HAT.

You then end up down the rabbit hole of linear v switching PSU with powerbanks then thrown in for good measure.

As I only have the official RPi 4 PSU, I am limited in what I can do. I don’t mind spending money sensibly but I don’t want to buy something to find it makes no appreciable difference.

I have so far powered both devices from the Boss DAC HAT and that works without issue. But, also just for a laugh (not expecting anything to work), I connected an existing RAVPOWER power bank (with a modest 6000 mah battery) to the Boss DAC and then powered the Pi 4 directly from the official PSU.

Altnough getting this combination to work is a little tricky (I have to turn on battery power 3-5 seconds before firing up the Pi 4), I am convinced that I am hearing better overall SQ When using the power bank to the DAC. the impression is of a slightly richer, more detailed sound. My problem is that I don’t know if this is real or whether it’s partially the placebo effect and whether it’s my imagination. In some ways I suppose it doesn’t matter because if I think the SQ has improved then that’s all that matters to me.

However, I do want to move on from the current unsatisfactory situation of a low capacity power bank and I can see three options;
1) buy a higher capacity power bank but still have the fiddling around with powering up in sequence
2) buy a high quality SMPS (something like the IFI psu) and use it for the Boss DAC, with the official Pi psu powering the Pi 4
3) consider a linear PSU

Sorry for the long winded (rambling?) post but any help/pointers/thoughts will be much appreciated. I’m sure with the popularity of the Pi as a streamer, there must be a fair few AVF members experiencing the same sort of issues as me.

PS - by the way, delighted so far with the ALLO Boss DAC hat.
 
....or a small 12V car battery with 12V-5V voltage dropper - will last for ages before needing charging.

The problem with 'higher quality' power supplies, both SMPS or linear, is that they are terrible value for money for what you get. A 12V car battery will match (or even better) them at a fraction of the cost. You can use an old one from a car because you are never going to expose it to high loads. Another option would be a 12V 7AH alarm battery like this
 
....or a small 12V car battery with 12V-5V voltage dropper - will last for ages before needing charging.

The problem with 'higher quality' power supplies, both SMPS or linear, is that they are terrible value for money for what you get. A 12V car battery will match (or even better) them at a fraction of the cost. You can use an old one from a car because you are never going to expose it to high loads. Another option would be a 12V 7AH alarm battery like this
Thank you for taking the time to reply.
Although I cannot disagree that this would be an excellent option in terms of VFM, it probably isn’t what I’m looking for to put in the hi-if cabinet.
Thanks anyway.
 
would welcome any more thoughts.
Have also now discovered that the power bank method isn’t working as I thought it was! I now realise that the Ravpower PB only worked because it was in “router mode” (it’s a battery powered travel router which also serves as an emergency PB). When acting solely as a battery charger, it doesn’t sense anything connected needs charging and so doesn’t work! Back to square one.
 
Thank you for taking the time to reply.
Although I cannot disagree that this would be an excellent option in terms of VFM, it probably isn’t what I’m looking for to put in the hi-if cabinet.
Thanks anyway.
I am very much with Larkone on this topic . It astonishes me that audiophile junkies will spend a fortune on mains conditioning , special cables etc and ignore the obvious value of car or truck batteries. Many decades ago I was part of an experiment where we needed to ensure that a mains glitch anywhere in the country would not trigger false data. Our solution was to run all the local centres from 2 truck batteries , isolated from the mains. ..The 24 volt battery gave us + - 24 v bipolar ,and would provide a full fortnight of data. Then a five minute swopover and we were good for another 2 weeks.
For the dedicated audiophile, a small trickle charger would keep batteries fully charged and bypassing the mains transformer etc , would provide a rock steady power supply capable of 600amps for the big crescendo.
For a DAC ,the smaller fully sealed motor bike or fire alarm lead acid battery would be good for a week, with no possibility of mains hum.
 
>.......>........
For a DAC ,the smaller fully sealed motor bike or fire alarm lead acid battery would be good for a week, with no possibility of mains hum.
Thanks for the follow up. I am familiar with an alarm backup battery, having one myself. So are we saying that the battery terminals would be wired (presumably via spade connectors) directly into a usb plug and then connected to the streamer? Would I then physically removed the battery from my hifi cabinet and then charge it using say my car battery charger?
 
One BIG problem i can see with this is you need 5 vols and NOT 6 or 12 volts.
The only one i know of that will take a voltage up to 8 volts is the Allo digione signature board (not the pi) as this has 2 power inputs.
I just don't want you popping your pi/dac.
 
One BIG problem i can see with this is you need 5 vols and NOT 6 or 12 volts.
The only one i know of that will take a voltage up to 8 volts is the Allo digione signature board (not the pi) as this has 2 power inputs.
I just don't want you popping your pi/dac.
Thanks for the heads up. I should have added that I’m aware that a 12v would need regulating down to 5v as per @larkone’s reply from 6 august. Consequently, connection would have to be battery>regulator>usb plug. Still not sure it’s really the way I want to go though, albeit most certainly the cheapest.
 
Thanks for the follow up. I am familiar with an alarm backup battery, having one myself. So are we saying that the battery terminals would be wired (presumably via spade connectors) directly into a usb plug and then connected to the streamer? Would I then physically removed the battery from my hifi cabinet and then charge it using say my car battery charger?
A bike battery is typically 6v, . Now this is a little more than the 5v of USB , but probably not serious. However a cheap diode ..a IN 4001 wired in series will drop the voltage by 0.7 V and give plenty of security.. .. so yes I would use the spade connector positive end of battery to a diode with the silver end ,pointing towards the USB " Live" ... The return or ground on the USB connecting to the negative spade connection on the battery. . You will need to look up the internet to see the pin outs for the usb ... But the cost of a usb lead from a pound shop is trivial
 
Sorry i did not see the 6 August reply i just spotted the battery being put forward to power the set up and did not want you to pop your pi/dac.

The best results for me was a battery bank with 5.1 volts 4 amp output and ifi power supply.
I stopped at this point as i can't justify spending more on a pi setup.
 
Sorry i did not see the 6 August reply i just spotted the battery being put forward to power the set up and did not want you to pop your pi/dac.

The best results for me was a battery bank with 5.1 volts 4 amp output and ifi power supply.
I stopped at this point as i can't justify spending more on a pi setup.
Thanks. I’ve tried powering my Allo Boss DAC from a power bank, with the Pi using the official switched supply. I’m having very little luck getting the power bank to stay “on” as I’m assuming that the clever electronics (In the PB) can’t see a power draw on the DAC and is therefore shutting down after about 30 seconds.
Would be grateful for any tips as you’ve obviously been able to get your setup to work. Are you able to let me have details of your battery bank - I’ve not seen anything kicking out 5v/4a (unless it was one you put together?)
Thanks
 
Thanks. I’ve tried powering my Allo Boss DAC from a power bank, with the Pi using the official switched supply. I’m having very little luck getting the power bank to stay “on” as I’m assuming that the clever electronics (In the PB) can’t see a power draw on the DAC and is therefore shutting down after about 30 seconds.
Would be grateful for any tips as you’ve obviously been able to get your setup to work. Are you able to let me have details of your battery bank - I’ve not seen anything kicking out 5v/4a (unless it was one you put together?)
Thanks
Just checked the battery bank and on the back it stats 4 Amp but looking at the spec on Amazon it's 3.4 if that helps and hear is the link Amazon product ASIN B07FL6X91T One thing i did note with this power bank was my wife's Samsung phone did not like it to much
power ?

As for powering the pi & the DAC this will work but just powering the DAC well i think it's pulling so little power the battery bank is drooping out.

My old setup was the pi & Digione powered with ifi power supply & my project pre box s2 digital dac with the battery bank (i did note a difference with this over the power block that was supplied with the dac)
This was pulling just over 1 amp so the battery bank was working fine but the Allo boss will be lower i think something like 0.5/0.8 amp
Hope this is of some help
 
As for powering the pi & the DAC this will work but just powering the DAC well i think it's pulling so little power the battery bank is drooping out.
My old setup was the pi & Digione powered with ifi power supply & my project pre box s2 digital dac with the battery bank (i did note a difference with this over the power block that was supplied with the dac) This was pulling just over 1 amp so the battery bank was working fine but the Allo boss will be lower i think something like 0.5/0.8 amp
Hope this is of some help
The you once again for replying to one of my posts. Much appreciated.
Hope you don’t mind a follow up?
In one of your previous posts (I wasn’t the OP on this one!), I seem to recall you mentioning that you had a BOSS DAC at some point. If correct, do you ever remember trying to power the BOSS with just the battery, leaving the PI to be powered by the switched PS?
I fear that I am starting to waste far too much time fretting about power supplies and getting caught up in the whole debate as to whether it makes a difference. That said, I think it is just something I need to get clear in my own head, make a decision and then move on to more important things.
Incidentally, have you noticed significant differences between Boss DAC/Project S2 and your exposure DAC or are the improvements subtle?
Thanks again
 
Hi yes like you i went down the rabbit hole looking to see if things changed with the power going in to my pi/dac.

First thing is i have the 1st gen of the boss dac so i did not power this with separate units and this is my garage system now.
I noted the boss was somewhat smother than the Project not as revealing,all down to what you like in music.

Now for my main system i run my pi/digione with the ifi power unit feeding my Exposure DAC (this is way way better than the Project S2) nothing wrong with the project but the Exposure to me is just a big jump, still very revealing but with more control of the bass & sweeter highs, quit hard to put into words.
Another plus for the Exposure is it's a very good headphone amp (with a rather strange position of the headphone jack)
But you have to look at the cost of the Boss DAC to that of the Exposure DAC ( less than £100 to just under £1000) so i think the Boss is very good for price/sound.
All down to how far you want to go and the sound you like.
 
@raptor
Once again, many thanks.
Since resurrecting my interest in music (not just listening to mp3s in the car), I feel that I have been swept up in this merry-go-round of being generally happy with what I’ve got (kit wise), but without being able to rid myself of the feeling that just around the corner is that significant step up that is probably within reach, financially. The problem is then how to identify what that step up actually is.
And then, even if I take that step, to somehow rid myself of “upgrade-itis”, at least temporarily.

In the past I’ve found that the seemingly never ending quest for better kit is just as prevalent in my other hobby - photography. Thankfully though, there I appear to have “cured myself” -and have at last settled on a camera body and lenses which I have no intention of changing for quite some time.

Anyway, I’m rambling now. Once again, many thanks for your helpful comments on this and other threads. I will “close” this one down now.
 

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