Linear power sources are often thought of as an older technology than switching models, but there are actually several applications where these are a superior option. Any given linear power source will process the current provided at an input terminal directly. That means all of the conversion components operate in their direct regions. Electrical engineering diagrams for these devices are normally much simpler than those for switching supplies, because of the fact that they only ever have to run in a single direction.
Since a linear power source doesn’t switch currents back and forth, some of the power applied to it is going to naturally get lost as waste heat. Switching supplies got phased in because of the fact that they don’t waste anywhere near as much current, but the fact that they necessarily have to send electricity in two different directions means they generate much more electrical noise than conventional units would.
Shielding can only solve this problem to a certain extent, so designers of circuits that make heavy use of shortwave electromagnetic forces turn to linear power sources as a way to keep their circuits quiet. Audio engineering and other applications where it’s important to keep down the amount of wave fluctuation are also places where linear sources are found. Due to advances in electrical shielding, some of these are also featuring specialized switching supplies that are covered in some form of conductive plating in order to reduce the amount of electromagnetic smog that they emit into the ether.
