@sns Thanks for input. Ordered the higher quality LPS to give it a try.
On a separate topic I thought I would give battery power a try for kicks. I already had a Solar back up power outlet (a 24 volt set up) with a pure sine-wave inverter. I ran a 14ga 25 ft extension cord from the outlet to my system and connected all components. Wow....background got quieter, volume appeared louder, could hear all the separate instruments, vocals, noises much clearer and stage expanded. What a change for no added expense. Prior to this my system did not have noise issues and running on regular ac power does sound warmer/softer in a good way. Just different. I think I am glad I gave it a go. Ughhh...Now I have to figure out how to hard wire the battery power in with romex and a electrical box.
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@tksteingraber Well that's good, proves your system resolving enough. Don't know if I mentioned in this thread, but I have tried battery power with dacs and lps for various streaming devices, always went back to ac with my BPT 3.5 Sig. power conditioner as superior. I too hear warmer/softer with battery, but this less satisfactory with time, noticeable decrease in transients, micro dynamics, music lacked excitement, involvement with battery power.
My take is battery power could likely be preferable to non optimized ac, but with dedicated lines, top notch grounding and power conditioning, ac better.
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@sns ok my LPS (paid under $100) arrived today and I must say the higher quality LPS moved the needle right out of the box. The bass is a bit heavy but I will give it some time to break in. Anyway it’s a keeper. Similar improvements, to a lesser degree, than what the battery power gave me that I mentioned above. Contrary I would not recommend the Ifi ipower LPS wall plug...it did nothing for my system. Amazing how an LPS can make quite a noticeable improvement on a FMC. Thanks for the suggestion to give it another go.
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@tksteingraber Sounds good, your results what I'd expect. Just a reminder, power cables on lps and ac feed, power conditioner will also help. Lps and same upgrades on other FMC will also help, although to lesser degree.
Even the dc cables (from lps to FMC) can have an effect, at this very moment another thread here in regard to this upgrade.
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"wow, the difference was huge and amazing"
I have been around the block and back on this stuff but I just don't come to the same conclusion as above. I have 45 feet of fiber, converters, LPSs, Network Acoustics ENO and Ethernet cable, GigaFOIL v4, and the Silent Angel Bonn N8 switch. My internet is high speed with an Orbi mesh router system and a standard switch at the main router which separates the audio stuff (the Silent Angel Bonn N8 switch is near my components). I am using Mojo Audio's DejaVu server and EVO DAC and with those components, it is my experience that any sonic difference/improvement resulting from all the digital "add-on stuff" is subtle, if any.
I decided to simplify all this "stuff" by moving the Silent Angel Bonn N8 switch near my main router, running 45 feet of Ethernet cable from that switch directly into the GigaFOIL v4 (which is near my components), and then running the Network Acoustics Ethernet cable from the GigaFOIL v4 directly into my server. The switch, router, and GigaFOIL v4 are all on LPS.
I am having a hard time discerning any sonic difference resulting from the simplifications. My system sounded good before the changes and it sounds good after. I may reintroduce the ENO and/or try moving things around a bit just for kicks but I am skeptical this stuff does much of anything, and certainly not to the levels discussed by some on these forums. Maybe I need to listen more, or maybe the add-on stuff is more helpful for systems located in noisy environments.
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@mitch2 Perhaps huge and amazing may be over exuberance over an initial, formerly unheard difference, sure many of us have been here.
In going back in my mind over all streaming changes since my initial foray some seven, eight years back, there were times when a change brought about this same over exuberance. Over time I can now see changes have all been incremental, however, if I were to compare my original setup to present it would be huge and amazing difference. Perhaps you need to do this comparison in order to reaquaint yourself with the efficacy of your upgrades.
For me, the higher resolving my system, the easier it is to hear the smallest changes.
Based on your description of setup, weakest link I see is the 45' ethernet from switch to gigafoil. Moving Silent Bonn close to router, replacing standard switch would seem to be good move. I'm lucky in that my internet service comes into my dedicated listening room, but at one point had this setup at far end of room, running 25' ethernet from modem to router (which is close to audio system). I then decided to setup modem close to router via 25' longer coax, so now I could use 1m ethernet from modem to router, no ethernet longer than 1.5M in entire streaming setup. So between shorter ethernet which also meant I could use better ethernet (
various generic to Supra to AQ Cinnamon, long cables, to AQ Vodka, short cables). Both shorter and better quality ethernet cables were meaningful upgrade for me.
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@mitch2 It would be interesting to hear your impressions if you took out all supplementary devices that are not required to get sound... just go bare bones with the server and DAC and see how it sounds.
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It would be interesting to hear your impressions if you took out all supplementary devices
Interesting idea. I will give that a try. IME, my biggest streaming improvements over the years have been through upgrading components and digital processing.
BTW, the 45 feet of fiber vs. 45 feet of CAT8 Ethernet comparison is easy since both of those runs are already in place.
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Yep, its usually the case several incremental upgrades result in an overall large upgrade. I nearly always do A>B>A comparisons to confirm I'm hearing what I think I'm hearing, especially with streaming. I've done a fair amount of experimentation with streaming equipment, expectations have never been so tested, A>B>A results exposed some 'upgrades' as not being real upgrades, lateral or backwards move on my part.
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I've completely changed my system over a year, but for reasons have not yet heard these changes.
Linear power supplies, DC cables, fuses, Dac, network switches, grounding box, electrical filters, ethernet cables, streamer, USB cable, DDC, mains purifier, amp recap/update, I2S cable, changing from wifi to ethernet, LAN isolators, Qobuz.
Will set my system up close to as it was and add items systematically, which is not my usual style. Interested to hear the changes, and the effect these increments have on the whole.
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@sns
I should be able to A>B>A if I take my time.
Just have to remember to take notes with every addition, as it becomes hard to remember.
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This is why I've kept audio journal for twenty plus years, document every change. This has been extremely beneficial in moving forward rather than constant lateral or circular movement. Allows one to systematically build system with strong foundation, end of equipment churn.
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My streaming quality is pretty bad, so I'm probably most likely to hear an improvement with these devices. At some point I might decide on a switch like the more affordable English Audio. Would a switch like that make a significant improvement and is it possible to place the switch on either side of the fiber optic?
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Just pulled the trigger on the Dela S100. Full upgrade.
LPS has to wait for the moment and will update the difference after burn in and intall of fibre cable.
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Hahahaha
we usually always buy physical copy, when hard earned money is spent, there had better be a cd or lip on my hands. Streaming, all this stuff is nuts.
just transfer from YouTube,
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I tried fiber and initially like it for the clarity but later realized it was for lack of low end presence.
I tried several SFP's and fiber cables between an EtherRegen and SOtM switch both clocked with a Muted Ref10.
Each SFP had a different presentation. I found using different SFP's in the ER and SOtM balanced some of the issues from different SFP's.
In my experience the SFP's were adding a layer of edginess. I used several Finisar SFP's and also tried the Sonore SFP's and fiber.
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Early this year, I installed this inexpensive fiber solution into my tube monoblocks = system to great effect. Only recently did I finally add an LPS. I've reported on that positive impact here on only one fiber media device. A significant improvement that made me wish I had done so sooner.
Now, I've closed out the loop with LPS flowing into both media converter boxes and didn't expect much as this was not the "dirty" side.
Wrong yet again. Another significant bump in performance with a more profound background, great separation, and a tonally rich depth I did not know was possible.
My tube monoblocks are quite sensitive to any change but this is such a nice surprise once again. Here is the LPS I'm using to power both FMC boxes:
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I second this Lps. I bought it for my pair of FMC’s and it made a very noticeable improvement. Prior to this Lps, I tried the ifi ipower wall plug Lps and it made no noticeable improvement in my system. Fyi- This identical Lps unit can be bought under a different brand on Aliexpress for $62.
BRZHIFI SUPER 3.5A Dual Output Low Noise 25W DC Linear Regulated Power Supply 5V 9V 12V
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That's the model rebadged LPS by many others. @tksteingraber did you get the one for a little more with the Talema power supply?
Second day running this LPS unit for both FMCs and it's easily produced the best I've heard out of my system. I thought the FMCs by themselves were a noticeable jump but the LPS is really significant and wouldn't want to be without it.
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@romanesq no I purchased the Bengzi transformer which is the same as the Amazon one. Couldn’t find out any info on what is better about the Talema transformer for the extra $. Looking at pics of the inside of both LPS models they are mirror copies. Amazon is much faster at shipping and easier with returns. Both sound the same.
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Yes, I looked up the Talema data sheet, and their transformers for this size, 25W and up look different. Among those resellers, I see the same transformer with the only difference I can find is the color. Otherwise, they look exactly alike.
Still marveling at the improvement in my tube monoblocks system with the additionof the LPS into the second FMC. Once again, I did not expect that.
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I haven't read the complete thread so forgive me if this has already been mentioned.
This didn't cost me a dime and really improved my SQ. I'm streaming a Bluesound Node to a Hegel integrated. There were two network switches (splitters) between my router and the node. I removed both switches from the path and replaced with a Ethernet home run from the router directly to the Node streamer. Bingo! I didn't realize how much the switches were compromising the signal. Huge improvement in the sound stage.
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Yep I don’t use a switch. It’s a last resort in my mind ..only used if you have to have one. Keep it simple and save $’s
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I agree on switch front, but can we say this about all switches? Some report switches in $1k range and below are of little or no benefit, those priced much higher of great benefit.
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@sns will a $1k+ switch improve the sound over being switch free? Any added benefit? The price on good ones seems to have no limits.
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Well the AfterDark Dela S100 has arrive and been burt-in.
Running from a Sean Jacobs DC1 (on loan).
Just blown away with the SQ.
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