audiophile linear power supply
MSX micro power supply
Dimensions
100mm Wide x 80mm High with feet x 230mm deep
Matching 821 Preamp and 821A Preamp available shortly.
Someone once said: “For power amps, a simple transformer, rectifier, capacitor supply will do most of what we seek to achieve, but for pre-amps the shunt supply is essential.”
What exactly is a shunt supply?
Well, to return to the industry status quo, a conventional supply works by using a system of regulators surrounded by a feedback system. The voltage at the output of the system is designed to be stable and constant during all levels of current draw.
Unfortunately, the feedback system cannot be pre-emptive and is always lagging the levels needed to ensure stable and smooth supply rails. This leads to a loss of information, blurred transient details with humps and bumps all over the audio spectrum according to how well the circuit is implemented. Several techniques are used with simple regulators in an attempt to linearise the output of the supply but these introduce problems of their own when it comes to being able to track the requirements of a complex musical passage.
Where the shunt supply scores heavily is in the ability to provide stable current at most if not all levels by virtue of the fact that the current is already being drawn by the shunt element of the circuit. It’s almost like driving a motor car with the accelerator fully down to the metal and speed being controlled by using the brakes. Although a trifle wasteful on current and producing a small amount of heat, the level of current drawn by this configuration is of little consequence when compared to say, a power amplifier.
Shunt supplies have mainly been abandoned in recent times for reasons of heat and noise. The amount of heat produced by a supply for a pre-amplifier is, as mentioned above, very small indeed needing few, simple precautions to connect the regulator to a source of free flowing air – the case usually suffices.
Noise is one problem which had to be addressed in the MSX system and the conundrum was solved at a very early stage in development. The final strategy was to provide the shunt system with a stable source of power and this is achieved by introducing a sophisticated pass transistor regulator configured as a primary circuit. The resulting supply is stable enough to be used as a pre-amplifier supply on its own account but hey, why stop there? Drawing some 250mA from this reservoir of calm stable current comes the shunt system proper, more than enough to provide an instant response for any number of pre-amplifier circuits.
Sonic Results
Smooth but vibrant delivery of even the most complex audio passages without artifice.
A shimmering treble with attack, sustain and decay true to the original performance.
Bass notes with inner detail showing clearly the texture of the instruments and without any trace of bloom discernible.
Applications
The MSX can be used to power preamplifiers, CD players and electronic cross overs and such.
It is a very compact power supply, some 30% shorter than the TPX1, with dimensions convenient for every installation - whatever the size and scale - without compromising performance, or your wallet.
Competitively priced at £397, many will find the performance/price ratio completely irresistible.
 | MSX Entry Level | TPX1 Mid Level | TPX2 Premium Level | MultiCAP2 Mid Level Multiple Output |
| Price (£) | 397 | 597 | 947 | 1,247 |