How to upgrade your streamer/DAC

Can you upgrade your streamer/DAC? Do you necessary have to buy a more expensive streamer/DAC to get better sound? What about power supply upgrades? Are the worthwhile or snake oil? I investigate these questions in this video.
0:00 - Start
03:57 - Standard switch mode power supply
07:00 - iFi iPower switch mode power supply
08:40 - MCRU/LDA linear power supply
12:00 - Sound quality
14:49 - Conclusion
Link to iFi website
ifi-audio.com/products/ipower/
Link to MCRU website
www.mcru.co.uk/product-catego...

Пікірлер: 868

  • @mikeconnell698
    @mikeconnell6982 жыл бұрын

    To be clear, linear power supplies have large current pulses and switching going on too. In a linear power supply, as current is drawn, the full wave or bridge rectifiers switch on and off. Their job is in to charge the following capacitive input filter that provides the DC output voltage to the equipment. These current spikes that go thru the rectifiers can be quite high and produce harmonics which radiate into the equipment. In a switch mode power supply that is well designed, the shielding requirements can be quite a bit lower compared to a linear supply. It all depends on how well the designer has taken these factors into consideration for both types of supplies.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Mike 😊👍

  • @tomspanyol5532
    @tomspanyol55323 жыл бұрын

    Great video, I have had the MCRU linear power supplies for my turntable and Chord 2qute for a while - best value upgrades to my system. Now I understand a lot more about why this is from watching your very informative video - thanks!

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Tom 😊👍

  • @Anand.Asrani
    @Anand.Asrani4 жыл бұрын

    Hey Tarun ! Something new I have learnt , interestingly lots of your viewers have shared their personal experience confirming that a good power option makes things much better 👌👍

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Anand 😉👍

  • @RJ_Chicago
    @RJ_Chicago3 жыл бұрын

    Tarun, I watched this video again. I very much agree with you regarding the sonic benefits of providing optimal power to our audio components. Well done.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Richard 😊👍

  • @jurgenschleicher8724
    @jurgenschleicher87243 жыл бұрын

    Had the same expiriences since using the ifi's for a RPi 3B+ - based streamer running volumio and an MusicalFidelity V-DAC Gen.1! More bass, more room, sound is clearer! Perfect job done!

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Jürgen. Much appreciated 😊👍

  • @andrelevesque9758
    @andrelevesque97584 жыл бұрын

    You are absolutely right sir. I bought the Innuos LPSU to go with my Zen Mini mk.III. Whew, what an awesome improvement! The difference is far from subtle.The music is now from "one cloth", more realistic than ever.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing your experiences André 😉👍

  • @Kbaum752
    @Kbaum7522 жыл бұрын

    Great discussion on power supplies. I added the IFI plug to my allo digione/pi that feeds my well loved dacmagic. It was like upgrading my DAC, every observation you made was spot on.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Alan 😊👍

  • @IronHorsey3
    @IronHorsey32 жыл бұрын

    Very good job here. Was generally not receptive to this idea but then tried a battery powered device into a RME ADI-2 FS and well, wanted not to think it mattered but it really does. It amplified everything you said but the difference in my big tube monoblocks was not small. Combined with the ADI-2, the benefits are stunning and not to the small degree you described with your streamer. I think it took the RME to a whole other level. YMMV. Nice work sharing your findings. Thanks.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Roman 😊👍

  • @richardcarmichael8915
    @richardcarmichael89153 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for the video. I would never have thought of upgrading my power supply until I watched this video. I actually see they make one specifically for my DAC (Furutech Stratos).

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Richard. If you upgrade the power supply. Please let me know how much difference it made 😊👍

  • @brandonburr4900
    @brandonburr49004 жыл бұрын

    Very professional video. I agree that power supplies do indeed make a difference with streamers, dacs, preamps etc. When making something to a price point power supplies seem to get overlooked. Like you said, the caveat is you need a resolving enough system to notice these differences. I have seen those British made power supplies on ebay for years and almost pulled the trigger a few times. I have a chance islands external power supply for my microrendu in the same price range. Their are some more pricey ones out there that will raise the performance more. Not shilling for Upton here in the states but they make some excellent supercapacitor power supplies for streamers as well. Supposed to be even better at rejecting ac noise back into the system. They offer flexibility with different voltages as well. Once you experience a good power supply you won't go back to the cheap ones again . Thanks!

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Hi Brandon, I totally agree with you. I think your experiences pretty much mirror my own. Thank you for watching and sharing 😉👍

  • @joshuaschneck
    @joshuaschneck2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Tarun for this great video. I went down the rabbit hole of power supplies and upgraded streamer and - to be honest - I was skeptical that an improved power supply would have any effect on a device like a streamer. However, you're 100% right! I ordered the same MCRU power supply you profiled, feeding an ifi Zen Stream (MCRU actually has a power supply for the Zen Stream on their website). With the LPS in, I notice a bit more clarity and weight to the sound, and a darker background. The power supply costs more than the streamer, but all in all, both seem reasonably priced. Thanks for the help.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Joshua 😊👍

  • @seymourclearly
    @seymourclearly4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you, that is information that I was looking for and delivered in a useful unbiased manner

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Trevor 😉👍

  • @lukerabin5079
    @lukerabin50793 жыл бұрын

    I applaud your care and consideration with maintaining standards, but it sounds to me that a better power supply might just improve the performance of a great many other mid range components. Thanks for the work, and as always, you adherence to standards is greatly appreciated.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Than, you Luke. I appreciate you watching and your support 😊👍

  • @justinsugay1149
    @justinsugay11493 жыл бұрын

    As a scientist, I really appreciate how methodical your presentation of your arguments were in a well articulated video with timely visuals and keeping any possible bias to a minimum. It lends you to come across with higher credibility for me and sound advice (no pun intended). Well done! This is much appreciated and I found it to be both educational and helpful. Thank you!

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Justin. You have pretty much summed up my approach. I appreciate you watching and your support 😊👍👍

  • @christophschuermann7920
    @christophschuermann79203 жыл бұрын

    Thank you, well done (and without any snake lubricants !) The correct terms for the performance of a Regulator are line-&load-regulation and most importend is the graph over frequency, that are shown by serious datasheets from the various manufacturers.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Christoph 😊👍

  • @gregorypatton360
    @gregorypatton3604 жыл бұрын

    Ive been thinking about what to upgrade next. Thanks Tarun.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    You are most welcome basement dweller 😉👍

  • @charlesclifton5896
    @charlesclifton58964 жыл бұрын

    Well done Tarun - another skillfully constructed video. Educational, interesting, and well presented.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Charles. I appreciate your support 😉👍

  • @lorindamikaela
    @lorindamikaela4 жыл бұрын

    Hi Tarun, well done sir on your explanation of your personal experience. You are a joy to listen to because of your demeanor and well thought out and careful presentation. I am a word man, meaning I listen to every word a person says in a conversation and can pick a lie or a lack of understanding of a topic. You Tarun know and research your topics well and have the unique ability to then explain in layman terms your findings in such a way that even I can understand and be convinced to then go and spend money. Personally I do not stream music but I use a DAP [Hiby R6] which uses a micro SD card loaded with your own music although it can be used as a streamer. Keep up the great content and thank you for all your hard work behind the scenes that we do not see in recording and re-recording and editing that would take a considerable amount of your personal time to put together. Kind Regards.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Mr Australia. I do try my best to try and get the balance right between technical content and keeping things simple and understandable. Thank you for your kind words of support 😉👍

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you buddy 😉👍

  • @BoredSilly666
    @BoredSilly6662 жыл бұрын

    I'm 1 week into using my 1st ever Linear Power Supply. I bought a Sbooster 5v to try with my Qutest. It has made a Fantastic difference to an already good DAC. Its like having a new DAC, I'm really pleased I finally tried one after reading about them for a year or so. Great Improvement. : )

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    2 жыл бұрын

    Cool 😎 thank you for sharing 😊

  • @BoredSilly666

    @BoredSilly666

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@abritishaudiophile7314 I agree with everything you say about Soundstage, Depth, Imagining, Punch and Attack are much better. Better bass transients with better tone and realism. Next purchase is a Streaming transport like a sms-200 or Limetree bridge to pass Qobuz to my Qutest. Once I have a new streamer as Im only using my Laptop and Audivana Studio just now, I will certainly consider and LPS for my Streamer as well. Im already looking into seeing if I can get a LPS for my Nvidia Shield.

  • @abhimawa1
    @abhimawa13 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for the valuable video. I always believe in decent input (clean uninterrupted power), decent processing, and decent output. Upgrades on power cord (made in Japan, they normally have the decency of not selling overrated BS) or power supply, clean electicity (polarity, grounding), then damping unwanted vibration / frequency, should do magic.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you abhimawa1 😊

  • @treyhorn5645
    @treyhorn56453 жыл бұрын

    Hi Taryn I realize this is an older video but I did remember that you did this video I just bought a new ifi Zen Bluetooth and I am running my signal out through the 4.4 to RCA's and I noticed what an incredible night and day difference that it made . I am looking to upgrade the power supply I've heard only positive things about what it does for the sounds specially being Bluetooth. Appreciate the videos brother. ✌️❤️

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Trey. Please let me know how the PS upgrade works out 😉👍

  • @exif6839
    @exif68393 жыл бұрын

    I have bought an used Benchmark DAC2. Blocked Mororpot and defect power supply. So corrected the housing (was a little bit out of shape), oiled the pot axis and replaced the powersupply by an external one from the web. And the result is truly amazing. Works very well and sound is perfect for relatively less money 😁

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Very interesting. Thank you for sharing Walter 😉

  • @carminedesanto6746
    @carminedesanto6746 Жыл бұрын

    Greetings from Toronto. I just picked up the Topping E50 DAC …and everyone is saying ( because it’s a usb powered unit ..5v 1A ) ..this is a very and informative video. Thank you.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you 👍

  • @shant981
    @shant9813 жыл бұрын

    Great video with lot’s of helpfull information and good explanation. needed this, because i am zooming in on the Qutest, to replace the internal, dac of my Primare D.30.2, cd player and modded Sonos. Many thanks!

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Felix 😊👍

  • @robertruff8736
    @robertruff87363 жыл бұрын

    Interesting Video Tarun. I recently updated my power suppliers to Linear types on A) My PC to Teac Dac interface through the iFi Audio Micro iUSB3.0 Power Supply and B) A Network Switch suppling a Musical Fidelity Streamer. Both Updates were a definite upgrade in sound quality. I can definitely support your Video finds.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Robert. I appreciate you watching and sharing your experiences 😊👍

  • @barlow2976
    @barlow29764 ай бұрын

    A million thanks Tarun. I am Mr Budget, all my gear is used, or in the case of my CD, vintage. I have a WiiM Pro Plus and go coax out to my Mojo, and from there to my Denon PMA600ne.Through my Br03 speakers I could hear my shower pump, commercial freezer and the compressor in the barn come on- both are quite large old-school motors and must draw a lot of current on start up.Annoying, but liveable with, especially after switching the compressor off. I didn't realise there was other noise 'on the line' until I got my (love or hate them) Grados- my ATH M50x didn't reveal it. Just plugged in a iPower 2 to feed the WiiM PP, and wow, it has totally opened everything up, I'm over the moon, best £70 spent within my 'system'. Coming from humble beginnings I was delighted with my sound before, and can't believe it has improved it so much. I'm not even going to piss my wife off by asking her to keep switching the power lead over, so sure am I of what I'm hearing.On the strength of that I've also ordered the power strip What HiFi awarded a prize to, another cheap buy at forty quid.Now I need to ask my sparks why the barn ring is heard on my house ring, here in West Wales things can be primitive! You and Hans (who also specifically recommended my solution) are doing a great job, easy to listen to and concise. David over at AudioMasterclass is also a very amusing, but informative channel. How lucky we are.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 ай бұрын

    Thank you Barlow. Great to learn about your experiences 😊👍

  • @alanlee2516
    @alanlee25164 жыл бұрын

    Great advice Tarun. After watching your review, I decided to purchase the iFi iPower. I was a little skeptical, but for $50 I was willing to give it a shot. When I received the iPower I listened to a couple of selections before connecting it to my Topping D50s DAC. After replacing the old 5v power connector with the iPower I was astounded at the difference it made to my listening experience. Best $50 I ever spent. Thank you.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Hi Alan, great to hear about your experiences. Thank you for sharing. It is reading comments like yours that makes doing the Is channel worthwhile. 😉👍

  • @neiltal5992
    @neiltal59924 жыл бұрын

    Just upgraded my Node 2i’s power board to a custom 5v dc board (paired with a 5v battery power bank). Significant audible improvement- thanks for the tips.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching and sharing Neil 😉👍

  • @benoitdugas745

    @benoitdugas745

    3 жыл бұрын

    hi Neil can you please tell me what exactly you did I have the Node 2i as well and would like to upgrade also ( what did you use ) here is my email dugasb@gmail.com thanks.

  • @njrumenos

    @njrumenos

    13 күн бұрын

    Are you using the DAC inside the 2i or bypassing to an external DAC? I specifically use the node as a steamer transport only and using an external DAC, trying to clarify if a Linear power supply is still worth while using on the node for this purpose

  • @x84man
    @x84man4 жыл бұрын

    Really well considered review, excellent stuff Tarun.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you x84man 😉👍

  • @grahamc1511
    @grahamc15114 жыл бұрын

    Tarun, thanks for another unbiased and detailed review. I have been toying with the idea of adding an MCRU power supply to my Poly/Mojo for some time and you have helped me to finally decide to try it. I'll let you know how it works. I'm running the excellent EAR 834 integrated valve amp into Audio Note AN/J speakers and have been delighted so far. Upgrading from a Marantz streamer to a Poly has been a great experience allowing me to utilise Roon to far better effect. Thanks again for the excellent channel.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for your support Graham. I use the iFI iPower to charge up my Mojo. It sounds the same with the iFI power supply plugged in compared to running the Mojo off batteries. This is something I should have pointed out in my video. I don’t think you need a fancy linear power supply for the Mojo. As for my Auralic Aries Mini, absolutely! As far as I am aware the Mojo still runs from the batteries and all the power supply does it trickle charge it up. This is why I can’t here a difference between the batteries and the iFI power supply. However, get rid of any cheap switch mode power supplies as they pollute your entire hifi system with noise. I use a 5v iFI iPower. I hope this makes sense and sorry for any confusion. Good luck😉

  • @djclass005

    @djclass005

    4 жыл бұрын

    A British Audiophile thx for clarifying this.

  • @grahamc1511

    @grahamc1511

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Tarun, that makes perfect sense since the batteries are not disengaged when using the power supply. Appreciate your perspective. Do you think a power conditioner a better option (for the amp in this case)? Have you any experiences in that area?

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    I use an iFi AC Purifier. It is a parallel mains conditioner. It does make a positive difference to the overall sound quality. 😉

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Hi Dave, the problem is that short term auditory memory is unreliable. Much better to have two externally identical devices but one with the filter removed. Try each one in your system for a week or two and then you will notice the difference. If you provide the devices, I will do the testing. Maybe you should try it for yourself as well. You may change your mind that a mic and a recording device can capture everything we can hear.

  • @johncahill985
    @johncahill9853 жыл бұрын

    Good to see someone talking about power supplies with regards to streaming and DACs It might be worth speaking to Dave and trying some grounding devices and see what you make off it

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for the suggestion John 😉

  • @Gabster1
    @Gabster12 жыл бұрын

    Excellent video so many audiophiles don’t put enough attention to clean power nice to bring awareness to this subject.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you 😊👍

  • @yannick930
    @yannick9304 жыл бұрын

    I'm currently using the ifi ipower and i'm thinking about a linear power supply. The ifi already made a big difference in my system, it even improved when i plugged it in an audioquest powerquest. I can't wait to see what a linear power supply will do. As always i found good information on your channel.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you yannick930. Please let me know how you get on 😉👍

  • @yannick930

    @yannick930

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@r423sdex I don't do pseudo science but yes i have experience with the audioquest powerquest 2. It does wonders.

  • @fletchermunson6225
    @fletchermunson6225 Жыл бұрын

    Good advice Tarun. I had been using a Bluesound 3rd gun Node as a steamer into my DAC. I was happy until I tried the PD Creative modification converting it to an outboard LPS. The change in sound quality was very noticeable and gratifying. Detail retrieval, comprehension of lyrics, sound stage, overall nuance and tone improved. The internal board is about $100 and arrived in the US in a week from Poland. My 115/5v outboard power supply from China via Ebay for an additional $100 took too weeks. (If you are not on 115v, PD sells their own power supply so recommended for UK and EU users) Accomplishing the upgrade (which is reversible) was 15 minutes requiring only a Phillips screwdriver and optional needle nose pliers. The process can be seen on UTube. Initially I was skeptical as to how much things could improve but I couldn't be happier with the upgrade.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    Жыл бұрын

    That is great Jim. Looking forward to you telling me more if you can make the ABA Club meeting this Sunday 👍

  • @MrRAW1968

    @MrRAW1968

    6 ай бұрын

    Same here, ordered the modification as well, but with the medicalgrade switching power supply. In time I willbuya more expensive lineair power supply, it takes up too much space now. Ive had experience with the iFi ipower, great value for money.

  • @dennisstempher9684
    @dennisstempher96844 жыл бұрын

    Great vid! Love my Auralic Mini with an SBooster LPS! As a streamer, it outperforms the MIND unit in my Moon 380D dac (and even the newer MIND2 streaming module)... Though I have to admit that the high end USB cable between the Auralic and Moon also plays a significant role in the SQ equation ;-)

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing your experiences Dennis 😉👍

  • @Percival1919

    @Percival1919

    3 жыл бұрын

    Hi Dennis. Which high end usb have you gone for? I was going to get a Chord model as I have their speaker wire and their interconnect between DAC and amp. Audioquest was also a consideration.

  • @dennisstempher9684

    @dennisstempher9684

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@Percival1919 I'm using the Audioquest Diamond USB... Kind of crazy when taking the cost of the Auralic Mini into consideration, but I wanted to make sure that if I upgrade my streaming front end in the future, the USB connection wouldn't be the weakest link. However, based upon the improvement in the current setup that the upgrade to the AQ Diamond (from the Furutech GT-2 I was using before that) has given me, the investment is well worth it :-)

  • @catalinniculae5740

    @catalinniculae5740

    9 ай бұрын

    but if I use the Auralic Mini only for streaming from Tidal, does the linear source bring improvements?

  • @dennisstempher9684

    @dennisstempher9684

    9 ай бұрын

    @@catalinniculae5740 That's how I used it too and the LPS definitely brought improvements :-)

  • @Antoon55
    @Antoon554 жыл бұрын

    Running a SBooster BOTW with my Brooklyn Bridge makes a significant improvement indeed. This is no snake oil..

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching and sharing Ton R. 😉👍

  • @amb3cog
    @amb3cog4 жыл бұрын

    I went from using my laptop, a CCA, a TV with various stuff hooked up to it, and an Nvidia Shield TV Pro for streaming (all non audiophile solutions obviously). To an audiophile solution. A Musical Paradise MP-Berry V2, which is really just a basic low power computer running Windows 10. It has no fans, uses a big, heavy, thick metal case to protect against interference from radio waves. And it is divided into two sections. One for the computer, and one for the toroidal transformer/power supply. It has some audiophile software in it, but I'm basically just using Tidal with all the direct settings that avoid going through Windows. I bought it, because it was a good deal, and I figured it was one less weak link in my signal chain. I wasn't expecting any big improvement. In fact I wasn't really expecting any improvement at all. Instead I ended up completely shocked at the difference it made. It was stunning! Total jaw on the floor moment. You read all the different people arguing about what works, and what doesn't. I decided a long time ago to not listen to them, and to just try as much at I can on my own. That way I can decide for myself. I recommend everyone else do the same. Just try stuff. If you don't like it. You can always return it, or sell it. But you'll never know for sure, until you try it for yourself. ✌️

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Excellent advice HH Scott. Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 😉👍

  • @michaelreading9296
    @michaelreading92964 жыл бұрын

    The best reviews, clear and concise.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Michael 😉👍

  • @dell177
    @dell1774 жыл бұрын

    My first DAc was the Musical Fidelity Vdac II ($179) that came with a cheap 12v switchmode supply. Having read Sam Telligs review of this DAC I knew the cheap supply they supplied was not great, he suggested a $125 power supply because it was much quieter than the switchmode unit. I ordered a Pyramid linear 12v power supply *($20 at that time), it was not as elegant looking as Sam's suggested supply but it was 5X less expensive. I worked for a power supply company for most of my life and I know what it takes to produce a quiet supply, this $20 supply does what the $125 unit does without the fancy enclosure, you really can't hear the enclosure on a power supply. That vdac II was pretty good for it's day, I've now use a higher end DAC that had a built in linear power supply, much more money but really great sounding

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing your experiences dell177 😉

  • @andrewwebb4635
    @andrewwebb46353 жыл бұрын

    Fire on, fire off, fire on again! It seems like one video but it must have been made in at least three sessions. Very informative and interesting as usual. I’d no idea power supplies could make such an improvement till Tarun’s recent videos. I trust him more than most on KZread who often seem to have a promotional approach. Thank you again for simply explained yet reasonable technical explanations.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Hi Andrew, if I recall the fire went out in between takes and I didn’t notice straight away 😂 Thank you for watching. Your support is very much appreciated 😊👍

  • @andrewwebb4635

    @andrewwebb4635

    3 жыл бұрын

    Your videos are very much appreciated! Both you and Hans Beekhuizen always provide technical background to your reviews and opinions.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@andrewwebb4635 thank you Andrew. Very kind and flattering to be compared to Hans 😊👍

  • @KCYT2010
    @KCYT20104 жыл бұрын

    Linear power supplies are one of the latest upgrade accessories in the audiophile market. They can make a difference but in varying degrees and with widely varying return on your investment. You have to ask yourself why virtually all the major brands be offering their DACs with a power supply that cripples it ? Well they don't. They're selling components that work well if you have clean, stable power. Start with a good line conditioner that filters (cleans) the power for your entire system and then swap your switching power supply. You might still hear a difference but it will be minute by comparison to running it without line conditioning.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing your experiences.

  • @210195111

    @210195111

    Ай бұрын

    Logic.

  • @NickP333
    @NickP3333 жыл бұрын

    This is a fantastic video, Tarun. I bought a rather nice phono stage a bit ago, but it came with an 18VAC wall wart type transformer PSU. I replaced it with a Swagman PSU of the same value which contains a larger toroidal transformer, and the difference wasn’t subtle. I took it a step further, and covered the inside of the Swagman with adhesive copper. More attention needs to be payed to PSUs and made external if possible.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing that Nick much appreciated 😊👍

  • @hamzatatta952

    @hamzatatta952

    Жыл бұрын

    Hi. Is this only only for turntable

  • @NickP333

    @NickP333

    Жыл бұрын

    @@hamzatatta952 Hi there 👋 No, it’s not just for a phono stage. Any piece of gear that uses an external SMPS (switch mode power supply) can be changed out for a linear PSU, which usually sound much better. A DAC, phono pre, headphone amp, etc. can be powered by a linear PSU. Check out Swagman. They’ve got a great bunch of PSU’s that use toroidal transformers. Hope that’s of some help. 🔊🎶😊

  • @hamzatatta952

    @hamzatatta952

    Жыл бұрын

    @@NickP333 ok thanks , I will hope it’s not too expensive

  • @NickP333

    @NickP333

    Жыл бұрын

    @@hamzatatta952 What are you looking for a linear PSU for? I’ll try and look for you if ya want.

  • @southeastgasservices
    @southeastgasservices3 жыл бұрын

    Another excellent review. since we're talking about power supplies, anybody old enough to remember the Mission PSX power supply, I remember paying in the region of £500.00 (irish punt) for one around 1985....lunacy money when you think about it now, not sure how much that would be in today's money. Hi Taron. I'm thinking about getting a dedicated streamer now, instead of pc based streaming.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Bill. I was late jumping into to streaming myself 😊👍

  • @paulstubbs7678
    @paulstubbs76784 жыл бұрын

    Good vid, Yes, I'll have to upgrade the supply in my Raspberry Pi based streamer, although I will be diving into my parts bins and making a nice linear job as opposed to buying one.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    That is great. Thank you Paul 😉👍

  • @wardyesp123
    @wardyesp1234 жыл бұрын

    Hi Tarun. great videos, thanks for the detailed info and balanced opinions. I’ve just added an MCRU to my Chord Qutest, streaming from a node2i . It’s early days but I can hear increased depth of soundstage as the most immediate change and I’m v happy with it. (going into a Linn Kairn / Klout / Harbeth P3s. For me the mix of vintage and new is working well :)

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    That is great Richard. Thank you for watching, you kind words of support and sharing your experiences 😉👍

  • @TheSujanroy
    @TheSujanroy Жыл бұрын

    Loved the video. "Water is poured on it".... Once a Desi always Desi :) Just got myself a WiiM Mini Streamer after running my Cambridge AXA61 with my phone all thru the pandemic. Was dilly-dallying on the power supply but you convinced me to go for an Allo Shanti.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing 😊

  • @AjaySharma-tt6so
    @AjaySharma-tt6so4 жыл бұрын

    Another great informative review. Well done!

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Ajay 😉👍

  • @tonybalm1513
    @tonybalm15134 жыл бұрын

    You raise some very good points about power supplies. A lot of people think switched mode power supplies are relatively new. They have been around for a long time I remember my late father repairing them back in the 1970's he hated them. They were used inside televisions for stepping voltages up as well as down. Many of them used to go faulty quite often or disappear in a cloud of smoke!!! They were built very well considering but used to run very hot. The quality was far better than the rubbish that comes out of China now day's. Modern switched modes don't just spew crap down the mains they cause interference across the radio spectrum as well. My other hobby is amateur radio and I can tell you that most of the H.F band 0-30 MHz is full of noise generated by these modern devices. I can't hear anything below 5 MHz 60 metres because of noise!!!! You don't very often see switched mode power supplies in broadcast desks (mixers) they are linear ones in separate boxes rack mounted. The main reason switched mode power supplies are so popular is they are cheap to produce do to the high price of copper.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing your experiences Tony. My father-in-law is a Radio Am. he had to replace a number of SMPS in his house for the exact reasons you describe. He doesn’t even own a hifi system. 😉👍

  • @mrpmj00
    @mrpmj005 ай бұрын

    0. Upgrade the streaming source to lossless like Apple Music (don't use compressed Spotify). 1. I upgraded my Eversolo DMP-A6's power supply to the linear supply by Beatechnik. 2. The Cardas Clear USB cable sounds even better than the already great freebie cable from my Eversolo DMP-A6. --- The Cardas Parsec RCA cable sounds even better than my already great WorldsBestCable (using Mogami 2549 and Neutrik connector). The iFi SilentPower Supanova (with noise cancelling) improved the sound quality objectively when it made the speaker buzz go away! The Micca speaker wires improved my sound quality.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    5 ай бұрын

    Thx for sharing 😊

  • @nobodyimportant2294
    @nobodyimportant22943 жыл бұрын

    Awesome video! Just recently found you, really liking your approach 👍🏻

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you NI 😊👍

  • @geoff37s38
    @geoff37s384 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Tarun for the warning on switch mode PSU’s. i am a Ham Radio operator and confirm that many of these little power supplies produce huge amounts of radio frequency interference. I have tried 20 Amp switch mode power supplies, about the size of a paperback novel, without success. I use a large and heavy linear PSU as it does not emit interference. A suggestion for those only with the knowledge is to try powering your DAC/streamer from a suitable battery of the correct voltage. If you hear any improvement then it is worth investing in a better power supply. Again, only do this if you are confident you know what you are doing.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Geoff. My father-in-law is a Radio Am and has to replace cheap SMPS for his Tv streaming box. He doesn’t even own a hifi. 🤔

  • @bobb.9917
    @bobb.99176 ай бұрын

    An oldie vid…but a goodie! Thanks Tarun!

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    6 ай бұрын

    Thank you 😊

  • @dougieroberts7045
    @dougieroberts70452 жыл бұрын

    Great video. The imponderables are numerous regarding streaming music. I personally use a desktop pc, reasonable spec, Asus Xonar Essence STX II internal sound card, feeding audiolab 6000a feeding audiolab 8300xp feeding Wharfedale 12.4 , I tried JRiver but did find it over complicated and found that Music Bee is the best all round media player for windows based media centre pc's. I will be looking into the Mains Purifers, specifically the audiolab ones that seem to be getting the flavour of the month attention, I will update this accordingly, keep up the videos, always interesting.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Dougie. I appreciate you sharing your experiences 😊👍

  • @williemckinney2168
    @williemckinney21684 жыл бұрын

    Tarun thanks for the video, I hadn't thought about streamers( at one point during you're video, I have a inner voice that sounds just like the character portrayed by Red Fox, Fred Standford poncho the American TV series "Stanford and Son" when gets on his son for something in Fred's mind he's supposed to know, he says" You big Dummy" ) like that before,.and after I was telling you before, I was upgrading the components in my KEF 100's and lucky enough for me, my system is revealing enough that " better part" should translate to better sound, it measures the same but the sound is clearer more spacious much more enjoyable. So, why not the streamer" You big Dummy" lol, Tarun, you and Paul McGowan of "P.S. Audio, is my go to source when I get to sit down with my favorite beverage for the day,.with songs that I've been thinking about when it's time to unwind, listening to you guys is like sitting down with a friend,.and he's sharing something you both are passionate about, and my friend, that makes you a very cool individual in my book, so, keep up the good work and I'm still waiting on the r2r dac video. Well, you're American brother, signing off. Take care.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Hi Willie, I always look forward to reading your comments. They are always extremely open and honest as well as you are so generous in your support of what I am doing. I am. It familiar with that show. Will have to check it out. Take care my friend and stay safe 😉👍

  • @Thomas-us4wq
    @Thomas-us4wq3 жыл бұрын

    Just bought a Audiophonics LPSU25 5V linear power supply to use with my Raspberry Pi 3B. At first power up I got a low voltage warning from the Pi (running OSMC Kodi). This had me worried, but adjusting the voltage screw on the back of the unit cured this. The setting was set to 5.15V using a multimeter. So if you are in the marked for one of these powersupplies, remember that the initial voltage setting may be off.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing Thomas. Glad you got it sorted 😉

  • @jpdj2715
    @jpdj27154 жыл бұрын

    Valid and relevant. The simple (oversimplified) version is the following. Draw a capital T. Write "source" at its bottom, of it's vertical pillar. The horizontal roof: to its left side write "AC" and to its right side "speakers". Frame it and under it, write GIGO - garbage in = garbage out. Each component has at least one of these T's if you want to take some oversimplification away. Now you have a chain. But inside a component there may be several. A power amp may have a voltage section that is source to a current section. Even in digital components this plays to some extent. And digital 1s and 0s are transmitted not as 1s and 0s but as relatively analogue wave patterns - and to analogue audio this is noise and if that noise gets into the analogue section, e.g. via ground paths/loops, we are helixed. Once the oversimplification is broken down, now connect all the drawing's AC inputs with a pencil line and imagine this is where one T puts stray, rejected, noise back onto. Draw an aerial (antenna) on each T to symbolise its sensitivity to electromagnetic interference as a receptor, but also as a transmitter-criminal: vector of contamination. And even the controller that regulates your turntable motor drive could suffer, or be culprit. As cabinets are the most expensive part of any component, we, as consumers, have to wonder why developers and manufacturers do not solve these things in the first place, in the cabinet we already buy. The upfront assumption of the developers is "clean AC" and that is a dream - a very bad dream for the consumer. Most power supply upgrades are third party aftermarket, so it can't be that. Why not spend a bit more on power supply and clean power, and save a penny elsewhere? My guess is, it will sound so good that consumers have less reasons to buy more expensive. [helix = screw]

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank, you for sharing your experiences Jp 😉

  • @tonyjedioftheforest1364
    @tonyjedioftheforest1364 Жыл бұрын

    Outstanding video. I viewed this wanting to upgrade the power supply to my Rega Fono MM mk5. I spoke to Rega directly to see if they did one but they only do the replacement wall wart that they use on all their other stuff. The iFi one doesn’t cover 24v dc I don’t think. I shall have a search around to see if anyone else does. Thank you very much for sharing this information. I will definitely subscribe.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you Tony 👍

  • @angi733
    @angi7334 жыл бұрын

    Solid advice, I recently added a linear power supply from MCRU to my Phono stage and it made a huge difference!

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Angi. I can imagine that a phono stage may be even more sensitive than a DAC. Thank you for watching and sharing 😉👍

  • @MrDannydjmix2
    @MrDannydjmix24 жыл бұрын

    Very good video, linear power supply always makes sense compared to switching power supply, there are good switching power supplies out there but there is something about the way a linear power supply works in any audio device, also the bigger the better

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching and sharing 😉

  • @HiFiGOAudio
    @HiFiGOAudio3 жыл бұрын

    You make very informative videos!! Thank you for your good work!!

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching 😉

  • @imammarc
    @imammarc9 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the advice. Picked up an iFi Power 2 for my Wiim Pro Plus and it really makes the background dark!

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    9 ай бұрын

    Cool 😎

  • @user-xb4nn6ql5l
    @user-xb4nn6ql5l4 жыл бұрын

    Dude - it was 35 in my neck of Britain today. What’s with the fireplace? Clean power, and just as importantly, distance between power supply and signal components is second only to speaker choice in my experience. Really good video, once again.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    I know. Not so warm in the middle of the night when I film these vids.

  • @patton1977

    @patton1977

    4 жыл бұрын

    Lol I was thinking that

  • @Micke65

    @Micke65

    4 жыл бұрын

    Maybe he dont like cold sound 🤔😁

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    How did you know Micke? 🥶🥶😂

  • @nathanevans6277
    @nathanevans62773 жыл бұрын

    Excellent video once again. I have just upgraded the power supplies for my TT, phonostage and line stage. In each case the improvements in sound quality have been significant. Why the sound quality of the phono and line stages improved seems intuitive. What I still can't get my head around is how changing the power supply for the turntable speed controller has such a big effect across the whole audio band. I have a heavy platter and very low friction bearing so speed stability could only really be improved at very low frequencies, the mass will filter out high frequency flutter. Using a stethoscope I can't hear any difference in motor noise. Where does the improvement come from? I went down a cheaper and more satisfying route and built my new power supplies myself using high quality components and discrete regulators.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Hi Nathan, I suspect the upgraded power supply radiates less electrically noise resulting in lowering the noise floor to all the other components connected adjacently in your system. This won’t be detectable by a stethoscope.

  • @nathanevans6277

    @nathanevans6277

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@abritishaudiophile7314 happy Christmas. You would have thunk! Where the power supply is located doesn't have any effect. It's an origin live advance motor controller. They make several upgrade supplies and claim that upgrading the power supply makes more difference than moving up the range to the top of the range controller. It's a real head scratcher.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    I have never got a definitive answer from anyone as to why upgrading power supplies makes such a difference. Of course, noise, impedance, current capability and stable voltage regulation are fairly easy to understand. But this does not account for why it is so significant IMHO 😉

  • @markcarrington8565
    @markcarrington85654 жыл бұрын

    It's not surprising that, at the entry level, the external power supplies are junk. What is surprising is that many, so called, high end manufacturers are prepared to ship their products using them, including in their moving coil phono stages, which work on tiny voltages. They will then generously offer an upgrade to the power supply! My advice would be to consider all devices together with their matching linear power supply when making comparisons. Great video, and certainly NOT snake oil!

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Mark. I think you are right probably even more critical with a phono stage. Thank you for watching and sharing your insights 😉👍

  • @k-doggy1762

    @k-doggy1762

    3 жыл бұрын

    Chord are the biggest offenders. Selling DACs worth thousands with the cheapest power supplies you can get. And having the cheek to say upgraded power supplies do not affect performance and voiding warranty if you were to use a higher quality one.

  • @miketierney452
    @miketierney4524 жыл бұрын

    Another great Video Can't beat a good Linear PSU, I build my own but they are not easy to design. Audiophonics do a linear psu for 89 euros. Best to separate analogue & digital circuitry . I use a Rpi and the Audiophonics r2r dac based upon the philips tda 1387. The noise from the RPI was terrible until I separated the power.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing your experiences Mike. 😉👍

  • @kgtan20
    @kgtan204 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the interesting comparative review. There is a new iFi iPower X that is twice the price but I found it provided a noticeable and worthwhile improvement over the standard iPower. Perhaps for another comparative review down the road? Cheers

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Guan Tan 😉

  • @richardcarden4161

    @richardcarden4161

    3 жыл бұрын

    I used the ifi x on my BLURAY player and the picture on my 1080 TV looks better than the older ifi power supply.

  • @jeremiahtidey7569
    @jeremiahtidey75693 жыл бұрын

    Hi Tarun. First of all, big fan of your straight-talking, no-hype videos and your general approach to audiophile discussion, layering down the facts and then getting into subjective experiences. Really clear and helpful. I was hoping I could ask your opinion on a specific situation... Although perhaps it's a question better served to the manufacturers... Here you talked about switch-mode power supplies, particularly naming the iFi iPower as a viable option. I've recently acquired a second-hand Cambridge Audio dacmagic Plus on the cheap (although your videos about DACs already have me wondering if the new budget Chinese offerings at similar pricepoints would surpass this "old tech"). This comes with a switch-mode power supply and the statement of requiring 12 V, 2 A ('use supplied PSU only') written on the back. I looked into the iFi as an alternative power source but found that the iFi 12 V model only kicks out 1.8 Amps. Presumably this 10% loss in current would pose something of a constraint on the device and ultimately the sound? I pulled out the power demands of your Aries to see if that also suffered a step-down but this is not the case - the 15V iFi plug being 1.2 A, the Mini requiring between 14V@1.2A to 18V@1A, shipping shipping with a 16V@1A (ostensibly). I use the RCA outputs, not having balanced-in on my amp, and my wishful thinking would hope that the use of the less demanding outputs would keep the supply nicely within the system's demands, but electronics are not my speciality! And, if we assume that the lacking amperage is a problem, might any of the passive jobbies in your 'tweaks' video be at all useful? I found the Tacima power-strip to shave the highs off my streamer/CD/amp setup (before I bought the DAC..) so sent it back, and the delightful Tacima parallel plug-in works great on my amp. But presumably these wouldn't really be effective in this situation? I gather from your video that it's the plug itself that's being the fuzzy member here. And, of course, testing Anyway, that got long. Sorry. Any thoughts would be very appreciated, if you get time and desire. Merry Christmas! (hopefully rather belated by the time you read this, ofc. ... happy new year?)

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Hi Jeremiah, you don’t want an underpowered power supply. Fortunately, ifi do a more powerful version called the iPower X. There is a 12v/2A version that will power your device. Passive tweaks are no substitute for a better power supply. However, the Tacima parallel mains conditioner is a good idea. If you want even better performance, try the ifi AC iPurifier. Good luck 😉👍

  • @jeremiahtidey7569

    @jeremiahtidey7569

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks for the astonishingly prompt reply, even if it weren't holiday season. Appreciate the confirmation of my fears, however obvious a question it may be, and for the alternative suggestion. Shame about the price hike though. That's how much I paid for my DAC! Hah. All the best, JT

  • @MrSidMuff
    @MrSidMuff4 жыл бұрын

    I upgraded the power supply for my Vortexbox streamer a while ago to an SBooster after a brief hifi show demo. It was a significant addition and really made a difference in my system - the background noise floor particularly so, and the improvement in detail and imaging was marked. One of the best 'upgrades' I've made; the synergistic benefits palpable. Do it guys, Tarun is spot on.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Sid 😉👍

  • @Academicidiot
    @Academicidiot3 жыл бұрын

    I upgraded my ps to my dac and it was great the new version didn't make an annoying 'eeeeeeee' noise all the time it was switched on that meant I couldn't sleep without switching it off at the mains.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank great. I am glad it worked so well 😉

  • @sebastianpolcyn6358
    @sebastianpolcyn63584 жыл бұрын

    I haven't really formed an opinion on power supplies, cables etc., simply because I don't have any personal experience with them (I'll probably give it a shot sometime and surprise myself with the results; kinda openminded both ways here). On a different note: I do appreciate You not classifying these due to a lack of "data points" - shows integrity and a professional attitude 👍

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Very wise Sebastian. Did you watch my video on cables?

  • @sebastianpolcyn6358

    @sebastianpolcyn6358

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@abritishaudiophile7314 I did - good deal of useful tech info in that. I actually do have some moderately expensive (100-150€ a pop) cables from Cardas and Straight Wire in my system (bought them together with my gear), but I never did any head-to-head comparisons with "ordinary" connections. I'll probably sit down and have a go at it when I have some time on my hands, been meaning to do that for a while actually.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Sebastian.

  • @lonniefarmer7067
    @lonniefarmer70673 жыл бұрын

    Being in the States I have an advantage with the availibility of an outstanding power reformer/capacitor in the AudioQwest 5000. I have to have it anyway as lightening strike is such a common occurrence in Colorado, that it is my insurance by being able to withstand more than my power box for my house. It has performed that function once and saved my equipment. It makes a HUGE sound difference by .15db.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing your experiences Lonnie 😊

  • @Johny666EU
    @Johny666EU11 ай бұрын

    ive got couple dacs including network devices like denon ns730 or pioneer n-50a which are great devices but with a time some features are come up and it makes those devices a bit obsolete (streaming services) so as a result after trying couple different usb dacs i end up with iFi V2 dac and i was happy with possibilities, but the sound still wasn’t that great as denon or pioneer mention before. thinks has change since i bought iFi iPower X power supply and im amazed how big different of the sound is. dynamics, low noise, clarity and now it become my main dac for network streaming like amazon music (premium). as i conclusion i must say any dac without decent external power supply will not work properly and good psu can shows up real dac potential.

  • @ItsDextrin
    @ItsDextrin2 жыл бұрын

    The music you listen to was probably made with ordinary xlr cables, mixers, and power supplies. For there to be significant improvement, the everyday products that musicians use should be of such quality in the first place. Only change power supplies if you can test, measure or hear hum or hiss without music playing, clipping transients at max volume (caused by insufficient power), or noise from other devices on the same power line.

  • @Coneman3

    @Coneman3

    Жыл бұрын

    Tired old argument. Find another hobby.

  • @Jack96993
    @Jack969934 жыл бұрын

    I have the Audiolab 6000N streamer and by pass it's internal DAC by going SPDIF into my Exogal Comet Plus DAC that has it's own external power supply. It all sounds pretty sweet indeed! The Audiolab 6000N DTS Play-Fi works pretty well, and has many streaming services available

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching and sharing Jack

  • @Jack96993

    @Jack96993

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@abritishaudiophile7314 No problem! Have you checked out the Exogal Comet Plus DAC? Interesting approach on designing a DAC from the people that use to work at Waldi

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    I haven’t come across that one Jack. Thank you for the suggestion 😉

  • @jasoncarlson4285
    @jasoncarlson42854 жыл бұрын

    Two thumbs up from me Tarun i think its what my system is needing, i'll start saving now.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Jason 😉👍

  • @jasoncarlson4285

    @jasoncarlson4285

    Жыл бұрын

    @@abritishaudiophile7314 I got the ifi power supply unit and i did infact noticed a big diffrence so thank you for that video Tarun. keep up the good work Ser.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    Жыл бұрын

    @@jasoncarlson4285 that is great Jason 😊👍

  • @anglosaxon361
    @anglosaxon3614 жыл бұрын

    Naim/TeddyPardo/Avondale/Class A and others offer power supply upgrades, it isn’t snake oil! Roon is also an excellent streaming application, although it is pricey, I use it with my March USB DAC, excellent sound! Runs circles around a Majik LP12

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Anglo 😉👍

  • @markclancy5371

    @markclancy5371

    4 жыл бұрын

    Definitely they make a difference doesn't have to be on high end gear either.i got a linear toroidal psu Chinese 1 for my Sony bluray best buy ever and I've tried this psu on a small tpa3116 amplifier and it lowered noise floor improving sound quality of that.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching and sharing Mark

  • @paulschroedery6721
    @paulschroedery67214 жыл бұрын

    Hi - great video. Really well explained and super helpful Obvious (to me) question....surely the Hugo is best when playing on battery. Why not just unplug the power supply when listening and put it back when not to charge?

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Hi Paul, you can do that with both the Mojo and the Hugo but I got fed up with constantly unplugging the cheap SMPS from my power strip so the £49 on the iFi low noise SMPS was worth it. Thank you for watching and commenting 😉👍

  • @WorldView22
    @WorldView22 Жыл бұрын

    The power supply is a very important component in an audio chain. I have experience with various PSUs and can attest that they make a very apparent difference, no doubt. Rob Watts from Chord himself had to admit in a recent interview that it made a significant difference on one of his designed DACs. This is no snake oil at all.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you 😊

  • @arthursix4270
    @arthursix42704 жыл бұрын

    An enjoyable and thought provoking video. It’s interesting. Both the Mojo and Hugo can run off their batteries, which should be the first port of call when trying to determine whether you can hear the difference compared to connecting these devices to the mains. Now you can buy an integrated streamer for both devices, of course, which will avoid any need to upgrade two power supplies if you listen to them using their battery power. With my AE1 active speakers, I cannot hear any real difference between the Mojo plugged /unplugged/Poly configurations. Listening more critically, I use a Chord Hugo2 /2Go with decent headphones (Utopia, Empyreans) where I can notice the difference. I beg to differ with the implied suggestion that’s there’s not a decent uplift in performance between the Mojo and Hugo (2? And with like for like power supplies?). Whether it’s worth the extra £1400 is another matter.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Hi Arthur, thank you for sharing your experiences. I used the Hugo 1 and it was better than the Mojo. I just found that upgrading the power supply to the streamer made more difference than upgrading the DAC. Which was surprising to me at least. As for the power supply for the Mojo, I use the iFi £49 low noise SMPS. It sounds the same in my system as when I run the Mojo from its batteries. Which makes sense if all that the PS does is charge the batteries. The reason for using the iFi with the Mojo was that I didn’t want cheap SMPS’s polluting the rest of my system with noise. I hope this makes sense. 😉

  • @Only1Feckitt
    @Only1Feckitt4 жыл бұрын

    Always enjoy your Vids man. Cheers

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Stratjammer 😉👍

  • @lp9290
    @lp92903 жыл бұрын

    Hi, nice review. I suggest to consider also a battery pack which may guarantee many hours of clean power supply .

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you LP 😊

  • @mmdusa
    @mmdusa4 жыл бұрын

    Very well done and informative video sir. I bought the iFi to use with me Blusound 2i. I'm glad you're spreading the word on what a difference the right power supply makes. You don't know what you're missing, until you do. Thank you!

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you mmdusa. I appreciate your support 😉

  • @beetooex
    @beetooex4 жыл бұрын

    This video is really important advice if you use a PC with a bus-powered usb dac like the Dragonfly or Soundkey. Connect them via a galvanic isolator that has an input for external power and you can now use whatever power brick you like. The noisy 5v usb power coming from the PC shouldn't ever be allowed near a dac- it can be worse than the cheapest SMPS plug.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you beetooex 😉

  • @kjbiz
    @kjbiz4 жыл бұрын

    Another great explanation 🙏

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you kjbiz 😉

  • @paulroscelli2545
    @paulroscelli25454 жыл бұрын

    Great presentation. I have heard good things about innuos mk iii-. Would love to hear a evaluation

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Paul. So have I. It is in my radar. 😉

  • @CC-bg8gf

    @CC-bg8gf

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@abritishaudiophile7314 Another great video, thanks Tarun. Have you ever used a USB reclocker? J. Darko has an interesting article on this ("Innuos Phoenix USB reclocker review"). Could it be that using linear power supplies for the music server/streamer/DAC eliminates the need for a reclocker? Probably not I suppose.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Hi Claude, I haven’t used one and I am sure I will get one in for review at some point. The reclocker performs a different function to the power supply. If I get one in, I will let you know what I think.

  • @davidpiscopo3774
    @davidpiscopo37744 жыл бұрын

    Excellent video! So I just bought a phono preamp. It's audiophile grade. Cost me 2k Cdn$. Now that company also sells matching PS for the unit for 1,600$. I'm thinking why not buy the MCRU or a similar power supply at a third of the cost. Yes I give up the matching design but am I giving up anything else. My thinking is there's a gigantic markup built into buying the matching PS piece and maybe I'm better off buying the PS from a third party.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Hi David, I can’t say for sure without an AB test. I can’t fault your logic. The MCRU supply is excellent value for money IMHO 😉👍

  • @jackkryjak2635
    @jackkryjak26354 жыл бұрын

    Spot on...... Always informative. Great video

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Jack 😉👍

  • @nikosdm
    @nikosdm Жыл бұрын

    Very well done I apriciate your suggestions.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you 😊👍

  • @ironduke298
    @ironduke298 Жыл бұрын

    Yes, I can confirm this approach, as Im sure many thousands will also attest. I fancied fiddling with this issue on my Bluesound Node, so having watched Alvins presentation over at Vinshine Audio, I fitted their linea power supply upgrade. Wow, it really was like lifting a vail from my ears. I wonder why manufacturers dont offer these upgrades themselves? $$$$$

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing. As you alluded, it come down to cost 😊

  • @yannick930
    @yannick9303 жыл бұрын

    Finally finished ! and it is amazing !!! If you still stream Tarun i have a killer upgrade for you. 1. a linear power supply on your internet box 2. a rj45 -> fiber -> rj45 set up (lpsu everywhere) 3. a switch with lpsu and a good rj45 cable to your streamer. i did this for a while and i finally finished all the lpsu for the set up. Everything is improved, even the quality of the pictures on my Tv is better. I built almost 12 lpsu, simple regulation, double regulation, double rectification, galvanicly isolated, passive regulation,.... after a year i made it and i'm confortable now. Next project : 1) building a streamer based on the raspeberry pi 4, the allo digi one signature and volumio with my own lpsus. 2) building my first amp : 1 single ended EL34 and 1 solid state class A. Now that i understand very well power supplies it feels like building a pc in my head. Rendez-vous in 1 year. Maybe i'll send it to you for a review :)

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    You clearly have a passion and talent for this Yannick. You may want to consider making a career out of it. I am not joking 😊👍

  • @yannick930

    @yannick930

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@abritishaudiophile7314 If the passion is still there after 3 years i'll try something. For now I want to challenge myself more and get a grasp on a complete system. Master all type of amplification and then i'll make a market study in my erea to see if it'll be profitable. For now i have a good job and i'm recouping on my college years lol

  • @yannick930
    @yannick9303 жыл бұрын

    I'm challenging myself, I'm building my own linear power supply from scratch. I just finished studying how tubes and transistors work. I'm dabling into the maths. Making sure I soak all the theory, make a plan and buying an oscilloscope. By my estimation for 100 euro i can build a top notch lpsu and for 250 use fancy parts. If everything goes well, I'll custom build 10 for my différent équipements. A significant cut in cost. If i buy what i want it's more like 4k minimum. Wish me luck :)

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    That is great Yannick. I wish you all the luck but I have a feeling you won’t need it 😊👍

  • @yannick930

    @yannick930

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@abritishaudiophile7314 Hello Tarun ! update : i just finished my first LPSU. (busy at work i just found the time) A solid 5.02V with no load and 5.06 - 5.07V with a load on it. 1.5 Amp at peak, this is for a small 5V dac with 0.5Amp max. A basic design just to make sure everything works. I left out the choke, too complicated for the moment. For the second round a 15V and 18V for my turntable and phono preamp. I just ordered my first oscilloscope i want to see what the waveform looks like :) the only way to have objective mesures on what is happening when i try other designs like the double regulation and a choke at the + of the rectifier or at the output. The maths are giving me headaces and no way to verify if i'm correct. I need to see it. Have you built a lpsu before ?

  • @mat.b.
    @mat.b.5 ай бұрын

    Power supply upgrade from cheap stock wallwart to the cost effective iPower option, to my streamer, was immediately noticeable and I could probably identify it blind (and have). But the changes it made left room for improvement (or were a step back, in one area) so don't doubt that a better option could do more, depending on the system.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    5 ай бұрын

    Thx for sharing 😊

  • @johngriffith8346
    @johngriffith8346 Жыл бұрын

    I have a streamer and dac with inbuilt high quality power supplies but didn't really get the benefit of high resolution streaming until I upgraded the power supply to my router as I used a direct wired ethernet connection so don't forget the router. It would interesting to have a review on whether different routers can make a difference as I suspect this is an area that is not well explored.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    Жыл бұрын

    I appreciate the suggestion 😊

  • @beezlebub3955
    @beezlebub39552 жыл бұрын

    I recently bought my first standalone Dac, a Topping E50, it has a few upgraded chips that some much more expensive ones have, anyway in my research I found a comment or two talking about this topic, talking about a Jameco Reliapro, in the 5v flavor, it’s a budget option, many positive reviews on Amazon, I gotta say that the quality of the sounds are so far ahead of other things I have, if it fails I’ll get something of better quality

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing 😊

  • @masterblaster8119

    @masterblaster8119

    Жыл бұрын

    hi there. were EU/UK adapters included in Jameco Reliapro psu 5v?

  • @beezlebub3955

    @beezlebub3955

    Жыл бұрын

    @@masterblaster8119 No they were not, I got mine on Amazon, I don’t remember if there was an option for US or UK plugs

  • @beezlebub3955

    @beezlebub3955

    Жыл бұрын

    @@masterblaster8119 also I am in the US

  • @brown-eyedman4040
    @brown-eyedman40404 жыл бұрын

    You are indeed a brave man, to say power supplies could effect digital playback. And after saying that cables make a difference.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Hi brown-eyed man, there is a fine line between brave and daft. 🤔

  • @cybergod77
    @cybergod774 жыл бұрын

    an interesting 2 box LPS solution, wished the price was more attractive. thanks for the review

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Gilbert 😉

  • @AccuphaseMan
    @AccuphaseMan4 жыл бұрын

    I use my A&K Kann Cube as a streamer via upnp, has had higher fidelity than any of the full-sized streamers I have tried. Possibly due to the better processing and battery power.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching and commenting Dean

  • @zacharyshort384

    @zacharyshort384

    4 жыл бұрын

    I really wanted to get the Kann Cube for a number of reasons. Alas, the 2.5mm is a deal breaker for me :/

  • @AccuphaseMan

    @AccuphaseMan

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@zacharyshort384 I haven't had issues with it. I use a 4.4mm to 2.5mm adaptor for IEMs and a 4-pin XLR to 2.5mm adaptor for headphones. Both with angled connectors, so my ports aren't the slightest bit loose. I think the TOTL FiiO has 4.4mm though, haven't demo'ed it due to the current situation but on paper it is quite competative. You Just lose out on the juice and the XLR output.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Hi zachary, it is a shame they don’t do desktop versions or docking stations for these devices.

  • @allanbarr1975
    @allanbarr19753 жыл бұрын

    I like my macmini (auiravana) + rega dac r. No fancy dsd, but lovely analogue sound. weighs a ton, always a good sign

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    3 жыл бұрын

    That is great. Thank you for watching and sharing 😊

  • @peterphan227
    @peterphan2274 жыл бұрын

    Thank you. I learned a lot!

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Peter 😉

  • @clothyardshafts
    @clothyardshafts4 жыл бұрын

    Very good, very helpful video. Thanks. I’ve been wondering about the efficacy of power supplies and specifically the little wall warts that are supplied with some pretty expensive kit. I’m going to try moving upmarket a notch and seeing what happens.

  • @abritishaudiophile7314

    @abritishaudiophile7314

    4 жыл бұрын

    Great Patrick. Let me know how you get on. Thank you for watching and sharing 😉👍