A novel way to massively improve the SQ of computer audio streaming

[MagnusH]

Here is a little USB tweak I made to a cheap TP-Link network card. Nothing to fancy, I just cut the 3.3v connection to PCIe and patched in a linear voltage regulator board and a connector to get external power (currently using a battery pack, 4*AA). It made a nice improvement to the sound though, calmer and more fluent. 

 

But I would like to take this further, maybe a better clock? Or cut the ground connection to the PCIe and make the card floating (will the card work after?). Suggestions are welcome 🙂

[MagnusH]

56 minutes ago, Peter Avgeris said:

I see that you have made a nice little mod on this board.

It is fantastic!

Did you cut only one trace on the pcb? If I ma correct there exist 4x 3.3V connectors on PCIe interface.

I also see that you desoldered the LEDs. I hope that you got really nice sound out of this mod...

I actually only cut one because the card uses the 3.3v aux, the 4 normal 3.3v was not used. No idea if the removal of the LEDs improved the sound, but they are useless to have anyway so might as well remove them (and since I use battery as power it will last a little longer).

 

The sound improvement was similar to a LAN isolator from Pink Faun I bought a few weeks ago, more rounded and fluid sound with less harsh high frequencies (I still use the LAN isolator so this was in addition to it's improvement).

[MagnusH]

I also just ordered a 25Mhz NDK NZ2520SD for $6 (but shipment $30 from Japan), going to connect that to the regulator board and then the clock output to the little black chip's clock input and cut the connection to the old clock. Lets see if it makes any difference (the clock has very low phase noise).

[MagnusH]

14 minutes ago, Peter Avgeris said:

I had uploaded a little article about this card about a month ago. Did you already have this hard or maybe you read that post and you decided to get it?

No, just lucky 🙂 , I just bought a cheap card on the nearest shop that sells those things

 

It will take a while before I can do more upgrades to it, but I plan to insert some Panasonic high-quality caps at the output of the voltage regulator board, and as I already mentioned replace the clock with a very low phase-noise 25Mhz NDK clock. Lets see if it makes any differences, but at least now I feel much less inclined to buy some expensive HiFi switch or NIC!

[MagnusH]

16 minutes ago, cat6man said:

has anyone found an adapter for usb A female to usb A male that includes the ability to insert the Vbus power?

i've searched/googled with no success.

This one is what you want I think: https://ifi-audio.com/products/idefender3-0/

[MagnusH]

Found this on the web, so yes the Y1 should be a 25Mhz oscillator (but have seen X or XO also used):