Why not batteries instead of power supplies?

Technical discussions are always fun, but it is important to keep an open ear and buy what you like to listen to.


Best,

E

defiantboomerang
 Why not batteries instead of power supplies?

Easy to do for preamps, phono stages, ect using single rail power supplies.

But to do for poweramps with positive CT negative rails is harder, back in the 80/90’s (as you can tell by the ad) Nelson Pass was said to be the designer of one for a company called N.E.W. A20.1
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649334581-new-p3-new-201/images/1459271/

Two Nelson Pass designed tow box models for memory N.E.W. DCA-66 and DCA-33 had a bank of those black rechargeable brick shaped alarm system type batteries arranged in series/parallel to give +24v 0 -24v this way you get a 0 centre tap to ground.
https://tangentsoft.net/elec/bitmaps/vgrounds/ctap-battery1.png
When working properly it did sound very good to me.
The only problem I believe with it was if there was more current draw on one side more than the other or the battery lost more charge on one side than the other, the battery rails became unbalanced with age, which then results in higher distortion and can lead to dc offset problems.

Cheers George

To add to the list, there are the folks at Definitive Audio/Living Voice in the UK that starting making full system battery supplies some years ago--covered in 6Moons, among other places. I'm sure improvements in battery technology have only helped them. Not sure if it is on their website, but they used to be set up in an Edwardian factory outside London. Long on my list for a visit. (Same folks who make those million dollar horns for your ship). They also sell stuff to lesser mortals, and seem to have a keen sense for interesting products. 

The late Gary Dodd produced some very fine electronics powered by batteries. Check out posts on the Dodd Audio and GR Research AudioCircle Forums for discussions about them.

I'm surprised nobody has brought up or suggested supercaps. Those things have insane capacity, very low internal resistance, huge voltage capacities, and charge very rapidly. A lot of you folks probably have supercaps in your digital gear already since they're replacing mounted batteries left and right. You could feed a bank of those the lumpiest, ugliest power imaginable, output those to a conventional RC filter supply, and you'd have a very clean, albeit massive power supply.