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

[Elberoth]

Jplay has been a long time advocate for using a separate Ethernet card to connect their Audio PC and Control PC.

 

BTW, speaking of improving microRendu and SOtM sMS-200 performance - try putting Jcat isolator (Intona) and Wyred Recovery inseries after the microRendu (uR > Intona > Wyred Recovery, with uR powered by LPS-1). HUGE gain in dynamic contrast, soundstage dimensionality and clarity. My jaw literally hit the floor yesterday, when I first tried this combination (and that was after trying all sorts of PSUs on those gizmos, which also brought some improvement).

[Elberoth]

How does it sound without the uR in comparison, using your Jcat Femot USB card powered by an LPS-1 which in turn powers the Intona? Direct USB to the DAC. ? How to power the Wyred Recovery if used?

 

No idea. Haven't done any comparos yet. Those will come, so no worries.

 

I'm using UpTone JS-2 PSU to power both the Wyred Recovery and LPS-1. The LPS-1 is crucial.

[Elberoth]

With the stock sMS-200 vs the mR and with each powered by a switching 9V iFi PSU, I actually prefer the mR. The sMS-200 sounds more detailed but the presentation is quite thin and anemic whereas the mR has nicer body. When powered by the LPS-1, this thinness improves considerably and while both the mR and sMS-200 benefit greatly from a superior low-impedance PSU like the LPS-1, the sMS-200 scales better to my ears -- it is more resolute.

 

That is interesting to say at least. I came to the exact ... opposite conclusions after auditioning both in my system !

 

Therefore I must conclude they are very system dependent.

 

BTW - the very best combination in my system was:

 

sMS-200 powered by Js-2 -> Intona -> Wyred Recovery powered by LPS-1 (itself powered by JS-2 via the second rail) -> DAC

[Elberoth]

On 12.05.2017 at 7:47 PM, romaz said:

 

Who said you need a rubidium master clock?  SOtM isn't saying this.  They provide an external 10MHz master clock option for the sake of flexibility for those who desire it.  I certainly am not looking to do this.

 

What extra flexibility do you have in mind when talking about the 10MHz clock option ? 

 

To me, the external clock means more cables, an extra box, and substantially higher cost. 

 

I also have problems seeing any benefits an external clock could provide vs an internal clock, unless the later is of poor quality (It is important to not that the real world phase noise numbers will be degraded by extra cabling, connectors and additional PPL used to get 12MHz clock needed by the SmS-200. So even if you use the best in the world 10MHz clock with ultra low phase noise, the real world #s will be much, much worse. It is even possible that $25 Crystek clock Alex is using in the ISO Regen will have less phase noise than the 10MHz clock + cabling + PLL combination).  

[Elberoth]

47 minutes ago, R1200CL said:

 

http://www.ghentaudio.com/part/dc01.html

 

Several versions available. 

 

 

Thanks for the link. I have ordered 0.2m and 1m cables.

[Elberoth]

Anyone tried getting rid of the regulator board from the sMS-200 ?

 

I just got this tip from another forum member:

 

If you want to get the most out of your SMS then open up the box remove the external regulator board and inject 5v straight onto the main board. Lord knows how sotm managed to produce such an awful reg board but if you use the sonore battery psu or Paul Hynes reg straight into main board the results are superb.

 

I'm gonna try this on my return from Munich High End show. I have just opened the sMS-200 up and it seems like a very easy mod to perform. 

 

The original regulator board uses a DC/DC converter (probably to accomodate a vide range of input voltages) and those tend to be very noisy. It makes zero sense to pass the power via this regulator, if you can set the LPS-1 to 5V and power the device directly.

 

[Elberoth]

4 minutes ago, AmusedToD said:

I suppose this is impossible to do if the PSU is 12v, right? 

 

You would need to add a separate voltage regulator that would drop the voltage to 5V as this is what the main board needs. But with such a big voltage drop the heat (from the regulator) would become an issue.

[Elberoth]

30 minutes ago, AmusedToD said:

 

Ok, apparently a 5V PSU is the safe bet then.

 

If there is a tx-USBultra right after the SMS-200, do you think this mod is worth the effort as the signal would be regenerated by the superior clocks in the tx-USBultra?

 

Looking forward to your report.

 

I think nobody can answer this question. If I had to guess, I would say - probably. 

 

And BTW - I wish SOtM offered a sMS-200lite version that would lack the whole input voltage regulator board and just run from 5V supply. 

 

This is the board I'm talking about:

 

[Elberoth]

I had spoken with Marcin from Jcat in Munich and apparently they have Ethernet card, based on the same Femto tech as their Femto USB card, in development. 

 

I think I will try this route with my sMS-200 when ready.

[Elberoth]

Here is my SOtM sMS-200 setup:

 

- SOtM sMS-200

- Jcat USB Isolator

- Wyred 4 Sound Recovery

- 2x Uptone LPS-1

- Uptone JS-2

 

Sounds better than the $19.000 Aurender W-20 I have on hand. 

 

I think I will try Jcat Femto Ethernet card next.

 

[Elberoth]

2 hours ago, Dev said:

 

Wow....

 

By any chance did you try the ISO-R replacing the JCAT USB Isolator and RUR ?

 

From the figure it appears that the JS-2 is powering both the LPS-1 ? How much do you think the JS-2 powering the LPS-1s contributes to the sound ?

 

I did, but I need to spent more time with ISO Regen for any conclusions. A separate Jcat USB Isolator + Wyred 4 Sound Recovery vs ISO Regen thread is in the cards.

[Elberoth]

On 14.09.2017 at 4:38 AM, hurka said:

Mr Jos alredy use it

 

What is the company name ? Tried to google 'Jos Audio', but got nowhere.