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Battery powered preamp?

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Posted on January 11, 2023 at 08:26:31
fredtr
Audiophile

Posts: 1987
Location: Phoenix
Joined: January 4, 2005
 Anyone have any experience powering preamp with batteries? I have heard mixed reviews and am interested in hearing peoples experiences before I give it a try. Thank-you.

 

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Over rated IMHO...., posted on January 11, 2023 at 11:34:55
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46294
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since: February 2, 2002
 Batteries are usually a hassle at some point and probably why more manufacturers don't feature them in their products. Those who make battery powered products also make bold marketing claims about their superiority. Most decent audio manufacturers make outstanding power supplies for their products... fully sufficient and then some. No batteries necessary to add to the hype factor.

My Musical Surroundings Nova Phonomena phono preamp featured battery operation which they were so proud of. Only problem was the phono preamp itself didn't sound all that special. It was good with MM cartridges but veiled and dynamically challenged on MC. I ran that phono preamp in MM mode with an outboard SUT to make it sound decent with my MC cartridges. While they hyped its battery operation - which I obviously bought into - it was nothing special.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Graham Slee makes nice sounding phono preamps and a good power supply.
But I just HAD TO try the Graham Slee setup on batteries.

2009: Prepping batteries. Still had my Blackberry back then! Switched to iPhone a year later.

2 12v GelCells in series

Also tried a batch of AA's

Was it worth the hassle? No.


 

A manufacturer making bold claims about their product. I am shocked! (nt), posted on January 11, 2023 at 12:46:14
13th Duke of Wymbourne
Audiophile

Posts: 2800
Location: Orange Co., Ca
Joined: September 19, 2001
 :)

 

RE: Over rated IMHO...., posted on January 11, 2023 at 12:52:55
fredtr
Audiophile

Posts: 1987
Location: Phoenix
Joined: January 4, 2005
 Thank-you for sharing your experiences. My situation is that I have the batteries, from e-bikes etc. I have a friend whose audio expertise I respect. He had an experience with powering a headphone amplifier from a battery, then tried it with a linear PS and found the amplifier powered by the PS sounded better, more dynamic, than with the battery. The voltage level was the same.

I posted the request wondering if anyone had a similar experience.

 

RE: Yeah, I had Polyphemus in the house for couple of years, posted on January 11, 2023 at 17:35:39
B. Scarpia
 Finally stuck a burning tree stump in his big red eye just like the sailor did.



 

IME battery only shines when 100% digital, posted on January 11, 2023 at 17:56:27
Jon L
Audiophile

Posts: 6064
Joined: April 6, 2000
 A good example would be a USB-spdif converter, which has no analogue gain/buffer stages. Battery generally sounds great in these situations without downside (other than hassle). DAC's and preamps that have analogue stages tend to sound better with a good traditional PS than battery IMO.

 

a better option, posted on January 12, 2023 at 08:11:41
morricab
Distributor or Rep

Posts: 9180
Location: switzerland
Joined: April 1, 2005
 Is a super capacitor supply, which is lower noise than even the batteries and has much better instantaneous current delivery because of the much lower impedance.

That said, the NAT reference phonostage, which was battery powered, was pretty awesome. I think the highly regarded darTZeel preamp was battery powered as well and is not too shabby.

My guess is those dissatisfied just had products where the circuit was not that great and the batteries couldn't help it all that much.

 

RE: a better option, posted on January 12, 2023 at 08:54:23
Don Reid
Audiophile

Posts: 890
Location: Rural NW Georgia
Joined: February 2, 2001
Contributor
  Since: April 1, 2010
 It is not a preamp, of course, but I find that the battery power supply for my Clearaudio Performance DC Wood turntable makes it run a little more quietly than it does with the supplied chintzy little wall wart power supply which comes with the table.
I dream of an America where a chicken can cross the road without having it's motives questioned.

 

What is the problem?, posted on January 13, 2023 at 05:53:55
jedrider
Audiophile

Posts: 15167
Location: No. California
Joined: December 26, 2003
 Power quality or EMI? Perhaps, both. Having lithium-ion rechargeable batteries just as in a laptop computer could be a good thing, but I don't know.

 

RE: What is the problem?, posted on January 13, 2023 at 06:38:04
fredtr
Audiophile

Posts: 1987
Location: Phoenix
Joined: January 4, 2005
 I don't know. The batteries I have are 60C LIPO's.

 

in certain situations , posted on January 13, 2023 at 11:13:35
LtMandella
 battery power vs. AC power supply can help eliminate mains hum. But only in certain situations.

 

RE: a better option, posted on January 14, 2023 at 08:15:23
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46294
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since: February 2, 2002
 "My guess is those dissatisfied just had products where the circuit was not that great and the batteries couldn't help it all that much."

I tend to agree. But those manufacturers will hype the heck out of their battery setup with all kinds of incredible marketing behind it. If the basic product doesn't sound fantastic on it's own, a battery isn't going to solve the problem.

Besides, there are plenty of fantastic sounding products that don't use batteries at all - including preamps and phono preamps. Batteries are a hassle. You have to recharge them.... or the manufacturer has to create a charging circuit that won't over charge and know to recharge when somewhat depleted. And then the battery itself doesn't last very long relative to other components requiring a swap at some point.

A hassle. Why would a manufacturer choose this route when there are perfectly outstanding regular ole power supplies ? For the hype factor of course !


 

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