Hi George, I'm thinking of an DIY LDR attenuator to replace the stock 10K Alps dual pot in a Sennheiser HEV70 energizer for HE60 electrostatic headphones. I need to step down from 25Vdc to 5V for this application. The chassis is cramped and there is little room inside for a heat sink on the down regulator. An LM2596 looks like an easy fit in terms of low heat dissipation and compactness. Do you think this would compromise sonic performance relative to a LM7805 linear regulator? My concern about the LM7805 is overheating from the 20V step down.
Thanks,
Dave