seanadams said the following on 01/24/2006 04:47 AM: > joncourage Wrote: > >>How do you know if a PSU (fully built, not diy, wall-wart type, for us >>non-electronics-hobbyists) is linear (if it doesn't say so in the item >>description)? > > > Size - a linear supply rated for 110VAC -> 5V 2A will be at least the > size of your fist. The transformer and heatsink need to be large. The > heatsink is larger because linear supplies are maybe 70% efficient > whereas a switcher is 95+% efficient. The transformer is also larger > becuase linear supplies operate internally on a lower voltage and > higher current, so it needs a larger step-down transformer from the > input voltage.
Also, switching supplies tend to take a wide input voltage range (110-250V) whereas linear supplies are usually fixed input voltage (110V *or* 230V) R. _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
