Can I build ONE power supply for several Tube Pres/Compressors?

I'm considering building a few rack spaces of tube gear. If I size the power transformer big enough to power several tube heaters and have enough current for the B+ can I use just ONE power supply for several pieces of gear?


I'm also considering the same for the Solid State stuff. I'd like to have a +-15VDC; 24VDC; 48VDC supply. With the low voltage Solid State supply I've read that each channel should have it's own Voltage Regulator. Is there any problem with using a single Low Voltage Solid State and a single High Voltage supply for many units?

Yes, that´s possible. Seperate PSUs have the advantage of having no crosstalk while you have to seriously take care of crosstalk issues in a combined PSU

I don't like the idea of having many pieces of gear on the same PSU... if that PSU fails you'll be in a world of pain. I like having seperate PSUs so if one goes down, I only lose one piece of gear.

Hi,

  I have a common supply for quite a few things. I get Greg's point about failure, but this has never happened so far. I have a large transformer in a box, and distribute 18-0-18Vac( IIRC). All my preamps G-SSL's etc have rectifiers on board. Firstly, this makes it a lot cheaper than separate supplies for each project. Secondly, it makes it a hell of a lot safer, since there is NO 240Vac ANYWHERE except in one very sturdy box that will probably never need to be opened again. I can tinker with something without worrying so much. I do realise that as little as 12V can kill, apparently, - but not anything like as easily as 240V!
  I also have a number of pre's eq's and compressors that run on 24Vdc. I have a Coutant ex-Neve 24v psu that you could probably weld with, and these are daisy-chained off this. Works for me.

  I haven't yet built enough tube gear to contemplate doing something similar, and anyway, the safety advantage is not extant with HT! I was thinking of building a modular rack for tube stuff, but I guess I'll never get around to so much metalwork - not my forte at all.

  I  think that safety should be your no. 1 priority if you do build a common supply for tube circuits . . . . cables can easily get damaged if you are not careful.


    Safety First, Kids!


    AndyP

777funk said:

I'm considering building a few rack spaces of tube gear. If I size the power transformer big enough to power several tube heaters and have enough current for the B+ can I use just ONE power supply for several pieces of gear?

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It can be done, but you have to be aware of the fact that the behaviour of a large unreg PSU (I'm talking about the B+ supply) is different than the behaviour of several smaller supplies. There may be some changes in sound. You will have to have separate heater windings, because some units have a hum balance trimmer. If all the heaters are in parallels, the hum balance will be impaired. Definitely, no daisy-chaining of heaters...

1930's procedure with many US broadcast manufacturers involved external B+ and filament transformers, with rectification done in the program and power amps.  Many times program amps then fed B+ to preamps.  All had individual filament transformers.  Recommendations usually for all external power transformers to be at least 3 feet away from amplifiers.    Prior to 1932 it was common to use batteries for everything, and even have a battery room which distributed DC to all equipment.