[Radio Wrangler]

The three terminal reg needs some overhead voltage input to output on it in order to work. Then there is the base-emitter voltage of the power transistors.

Running a separate rectifier and smoother for the reg input will run a bit higher voltage than the main smoother because the lower current will not have the voltage drops the main path has due to the main path's current. Thus the overall reg can drive the output a bit higher than if the same rectifier fed the three terminal reg as well as the main current path through the power transistors.

David