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Since the THX ONE has a 30vdc power supply, does it have greater dynamic range or power output than the earlier THX AAA 789 that has a 24vdc supply? Moreover, does the THX ONE offer audible improvements over the THX AAA789? Also, can the THX AAA 789 be operated at 30vdc and will doing so advance its dynamic overhead ?

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Dr.B4
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Nov 2, 2021
My offered concerns at the initial announcement of the DROP THX ONE Headphone Amplifier: about its employing a 30vdc power supply instead of the 24vdc supply of the THX AAA789 have yet to be addressed. In question is whether the 33% increased voltage would yield a performance advantage and whether the THX AAA789 could benefit from a 30v supply? To date, no answer has come forth. By profession, I am a retired electronics prototype engineer, among whose assignments was to realize significantly greater reliability, while realizing an order of magnitude greater performance and accuracy than wanted by the designers of both medical and consumer electronics.  Concerning the THX-AAA789, a high current-no noise linear supply permits more nuances to be experienced.  Those supplies are pricey.  Still, for current THX789 owners, who don’t want the expense of a noiseless linear PS, merely shunting two 12vdc 7A/h batteries in series elevates the performance of the THX.  Some modest wiring is required whereby the wallwart‘s output cable is spliced onto the series 24vdc battery network with a Nichicon KZ Muse 1000mfd & a 4.7mfd PPF shunt, while retaining the wall-wart’s insert connector to the THX.  Doing so won’t violate the warranty.  However, please do not solder to the battery posts and instead use secure clamps for battery connections.   For the more adventuresome, within the THX789, the addition of low ESR 20 Farads caps (in series 2x16vdc) shunted by low ESR PPF caps in key places, permits greater inter-transient silences with increased timber recognition.  I have not the explored voltage tolerances of the components of the THX-AAA nor its local transfer functions.  Without a schematic, doing so is far too time consuming, and I am unwilling to purchase the 30vdc version to merely see if its 30vdc requirement advances any audible parameter provided by the THX -AAA 798 or whether the internal components for powering the 30vdc circuitry are merely cheaper to have manufactured than the 24vdc version. Regardless, said modifications yield a significantly more transparent transfer of musical information -as well as the junk in poor recordings and mixes.  George Duke's "After Hours" CD & Lynn Shelby's "Just a Little Lovin" CD are excellent CD sources for evaluating your gear. It is also wonderful music. If insecure about inserting capacitance into the required areas within the chassis for ensuring required dynamic current & the lowest linear impedance for preventing on-demand energy dips & power supply modulations and crosstalk, consider shipping to Talking Dog’s Stephen Sank in Phoenix Arizona wer supply modulations and crosstalk, consider shipping to Talking Dog’s Stephen Sank in Phoenix Arizona: Varacoustic@yahoo.combk11@thuntek.net; (520)409-4189. Amazon.com currently carries the mentioned capacitors at a reasonable price. Said modifications will void your warranty, but the audible performance gains are worthy of the warranty loss & Stephen is obsessive about his efforts being as perfectly done as technology permits. Still, from Drop, I would greatly appreciate an informed answer to my initially posed concerns: why 30vdc instead of 24vdc and is there an audible performance improvement by increasing the voltage by 33%.  Moreover, will the THX798 be harmed by use of a 30vdc supply?   Cheers, Dr. B4: 
(Edited)
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