Cascode linear Voltage regulator Advantages

Each of the power supply components including the AC Mains line filter, Power
transformer, rectifiers and certainly the Reservoir capacitors. Voltage Regulators also
play a role in the sound of the power supply and this sound is impressed upon the sonic
signature of the Amplifier, This happens because the amplifier looks back into the power
supply All the way to the AC mains socket, it is easy to grasp the advantages of battery
operated equipment when one adds up all the Unknowns found in AC powered Audio
Amplifiers. Consider the qualities the amplifier would like to see in it’s power supply,
like a pure DC voltage source with zero ohms of Impedance at any frequency within the
bandwidth of the Amplifier. The sad reality in most power supplies is that rather than
present the amplifier with low and constant impedance over the audio bandwidth most
power supplies including regulated types present the amplifier with an impedance curve
that varies substantially across the 20-20,000Hz frequency range. The degree that it
deviates from flat in many audio circuits is frightening. The impedance variation with
frequency from the power supply provides differing damping factors from the Amplifier
at different frequencies and if the magnitude of this impedance is a significant portion of
the Load’s impedance at that frequency the output voltage from the Amplifier at that
frequency will be reduced from its nominal value by the voltage divider effect of the load
impedance interacting with the amplifier’s output Impedance. Since the power supply’s
output impedance is changing with frequency so will the damping factor, This shows
itself as minute changes in the Transducer/Amplifier interface and sonically is heard as
subtle colorations similar to a Transducer with an uneven frequency response.

Regulators are nothing more than Amplifiers that output DC rather than AC and as such
all the qualities that go into good Amplifier design also must be applied to Voltage
regulator design if the ultimate in sonic purity is desired. Just like Modern day Amplifier
circuits voltage Regulator circuits combine a DC amplifier with lots of negative
feedback! This feedback compares the output voltage and to a reference voltage, Should
the DC amplifier detect any change at the output via its feedback path, it is designed to
restore the desired voltage to its nominal value as quickly as possible. Just like in Audio
Amplifiers the application of negative feedback if improperly executed will result in
ringing and possible oscillation.

The foregoing concerns illustrate the need to design the Voltage regulator carefully and
in addition to low noise and stable DC operating voltages and current, the frequency
domain performance of the Voltage regulator is of paramount importance if the full
potential of a High performance Amplifier powered by it is to be fully realized.