So far, no one has it working with any PSU besides the original transformer.
I've looked at pictures of the transformer and it looks like your typical, average transformer. Has anyone actually measured the voltage it outputs?
I mean... there's no magic in electronics, it's just math. Once you've discovered the voltage range at which the components work, you feed it and you're good to go.
@wasspat, replying to your points:
- The improvements can derive from a very simple fact, which is that there are not two amplifiers which are exactly the same, not even from the same brand and model due to tolerances (although the higher you go into hi-fi and hi-end scale, the better the tolerances). Of course, Q-sound amps were made for just one job and they surely, 100% have better coupling with a CPS2 motherboard (output/input resistance matching, etc.), so it's not surprising you hear differences and, eventually, improvements.
- Agreed 100%. Just get what makes you feel good is, at the end of the day, what really matters.*
- Q-sound became a marketing gimmick and god only knows what they actually did with that. There were several projects under the same name and they even made some custom DSPs to create a more three-dimensional sound. We're talking about an age where format and technology wars were your everyday business and confusion reigned among the customers about what to do and buy with their cash.
All I can tell from watching some pictures of the Q-Sound amp, is that there are no DSPs, no custom ICs, just plain simple op-amp + power amp circuit you'd find in any amplifier.
* Speaking of which, I've tried as long as I could to stand my Astro City original speakers until I couldn't bear them anymore and upgraded them. I'm one to keep those kind of things as stock as possible, but enough is enough, I wasn't enjoying my games anymore so I decided to swap the speakers for better ones.