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Usefullness of a external quality power (linear PSU or Battery) for USB Pci card (SOTM, PPA,...) for use with an Asynchronous, completely 5V decoupled DAC ?


malarz

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Hi,

In fact my question is as follows:

The USB audio cards PCI (SOTM, PPA, ...) are equiped with an extra external power supply input for quality power (linear PSU or Battery) instead the primary power from PC, is this external power designed ONLY for supplying quality 5V for devices plugged into this card (and which need this 5V) OR it improves ALSO the performance of this USB audio card (output data signal for DAC , ...) ?

I am asking that, because I have an Asynchronous DAC that don't need the 5V power and is reclocking itself the incoming signal, so maybe (for me) buying the expensive extra external power supply for my SOTM Tx-USBexp card is wastefulness ?

 

Thanks for your opinions.

 

Nice day everybody.

 

 

Even if you have a linear psu, having a separate, clean supply for the PCIe card matters. The main reasons are:

  • switch mode psus on the motherboard itself still introduce ripple and rf noise
  • SATA drives and HDDs will also introduce noise whenever they spin up
  • The mobo itself is not insulated or protected and hence is susceptible to outside influences

 

Good that your DAC is asynchronous and good that it is insulated. But there will still be some current leaking across.

 

In conclusion, it will make a difference although in your case less than when the USB connection is not insulated.

Synology DS214+ with MinimServer --> Ethernet --> Sonore mRendu / SOtM SMS-200 --> Chord Hugo --> Chord interconnects --> Naim NAP 200--> Chord speaker cable --> Focal Aria 948

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