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

[tboooe]

3 hours ago, lmitche said:

So you are not using a PCIe slot for the fiber optic connection from the Adnaco?  Your using a USB 3 Ethernet adapter instead? 

@lmitche so if I am understanding this correctly you are not using the fiber connection from the Adnaco R1USB30 back to the PC via the H1A card?  You are using a USB to ethernet adapter instead to connect the R1USB30 to the PC?  Is the point of this to avoid having to use the card and potentially introduce noise through the pcie slot?  Finally, why not just a cheap USB hub instead?  I apologise for the questions.  I am just trying to get my head wrapped around what you did.

[limniscate]

3 hours ago, ElviaCaprice said:

There's only 3 power supplies that I consider the upper echelon of the field and willing to buy.  That is the Paul Hynes, LPS-1 and VR Mini.  If anyone can make a comparison to one of those three, I'll listen, otherwise it don't mean squat.    I don't know what Darko is talking about in that article, other than subpar power supplies, but these 3 power supplies I mentioned can fulfill all your needs and they hardly ever go on the market second hand.  If they do it's nearly for full value.

 

Yes, we are waiting on that ISO Regen, tX-USB Ultra matchup. 

I ordered a Paul Hynes SR7 DRMR2XL and will compare to my LPS-1.  Embarrassingly though, I have a hard time hearing any differences between my HD-Plex and LPS-1.

[mozes]

4 hours ago, ElviaCaprice said:

we are waiting on that ISO Regen, tX-USB Ultra matchup. 

I received my Iso-Regen yesterday and plugged it between my Nimitra and tX-USBultra. I powered it by LPS-1 and gave it 5 min to warm up as I couldn't wait more.

All I can say is that the IR+tX is a match made in heaven.

My system sounded amazing with the tX only, but with the IR in front of the tX it sounds like OMG! Just another level altogether.

No need to go specific, simply everything is better

[ElviaCaprice]

7 minutes ago, mozes said:

I received my Iso-Regen yesterday and plugged it between my Nimitra and tX-USBultra. I powered it by LPS-1 and gave it 5 min to warm up as I couldn't wait more.

All I can say is that the IR+tX is a match made in heaven.

My system sounded amazing with the tX only, but with the IR in front of the tX it sounds like OMG! Just another level altogether.

No need to go specific, simply everything is better

Good to hear, Mozes,

Please try it with the galvanic isolation off.  Curious if this then sounds worse in combo with the tX-USBultra as opposed to only the ultra, no ISO.

[mozes]

4 minutes ago, mozes said:

I received my Iso-Regen yesterday and plugged it between my Nimitra and tX-USBultra. I powered it by LPS-1 and gave it 5 min to warm up as I couldn't wait more.

All I can say is that the IR+tX is a match made in heaven.

My system sounded amazing with the tX only, but with the IR in front of the tX it sounds like OMG! Just another level altogether.

No need to go specific, simply everything is better

One more thing to highlight is that the IR managed to boost SQ eventhough my Nimitra is powered by a VR Mini so it is an amazing little device 

[mozes]

Just now, ElviaCaprice said:

Try it with the galvanic isolation off.  Curios if this then sounds worse in combo with the tX-USBultra as opposed to only the ultra, no ISO.

Will try it later today and let you know

[ElviaCaprice]

What I would really like to find out, does adding an ISO Regen between two components clocked with the same s-clk EX clocking board hurt SQ or help?

Also maybe you could test the ISO Regen following the tXusbultra?  Without the tXusb ultra?

   Thanks Mozes.

 

[lmitche]

1 hour ago, tboooe said:

@lmitche so if I am understanding this correctly you are not using the fiber connection from the Adnaco R1USB30 back to the PC via the H1A card?  You are using a USB to ethernet adapter instead to connect the R1USB30 to the PC?  Is the point of this to avoid having to use the card and potentially introduce noise through the pcie slot?  Finally, why not just a cheap USB hub instead?  I apologise for the questions.  I am just trying to get my head wrapped around what you did.

No, I am using the H1A card into the PCIE slot on the motherboard.  The ethernet NIC and hard drive enclosure are plugged into the R1USB30 which is powered by the LPS-1.

[austinpop]

8 minutes ago, ElviaCaprice said:

What I would really like to find out, does adding an ISO Regen between two components clocked with the same s-clk EX clocking board hurt SQ or help?

Also maybe you could test the ISO Regen following the tXusbultra?  Without the tXusb ultra?

   Thanks Mozes.

 

 

That is exactly my question too, and I would love to try that in my setup. Someone want to loan me an ISO-Regen for a couple days? 

 

i know Roy had ordered one, but we won't know his experiences until his return to the forum.

 

I would love to compare this:

• Switch (sClk-EX) > sMS-200 (sClk-EX) > tX-USBultra > DAC, with
• Switch (sClk-EX) > sMS-200 (sClk-EX) > ISO-Regen >  tX-USBultra > DAC
• vary the GI on and off in above 

Note - these configurations need 3 and 4 LPS-1s, respectively, so we may be entering the realm of the surreal soon!

[AmusedToD]

30 minutes ago, mozes said:

I received my Iso-Regen yesterday and plugged it between my Nimitra and tX-USBultra. I powered it by LPS-1 and gave it 5 min to warm up as I couldn't wait more.

All I can say is that the IR+tX is a match made in heaven.

My system sounded amazing with the tX only, but with the IR in front of the tX it sounds like OMG! Just another level altogether.

No need to go specific, simply everything is better

 

Great to hear of your results @mozes. Please try the ISO Regen AFTER the txUSBUltra and tell us what you hear.

 

I have the sms200Ultra and wonder whether adding the ISO Regen (with supposedly lesser quality clock, but only "supposedly" based on price only) would improve or degrade the sound quality.

 

Many thanks in advance!

[austinpop]

47 minutes ago, limniscate said:

I ordered a Paul Hynes SR7 DRMR2XL and will compare to my LPS-1.  Embarrassingly though, I have a hard time hearing any differences between my HD-Plex and LPS-1.

 

Being local, my ears are always at your disposal, Eric!

 

What voltage did you get? As I recall, Paul can also do variable voltage if you want him to.

[tboooe]

10 minutes ago, lmitche said:

No, I am using the H1A card into the PCIE slot on the motherboard.  The ethernet NIC and hard drive enclosure are plugged into the R1USB30 which is powered by the LPS-1.

Got it.  So the USB to Ethernet adpater is to provide network access for the PC I assume so you can have some sort of remote control?  Any concerns with network, os, and music traveling over the same fiber cable?

[lmitche]

1 minute ago, tboooe said:

Got it.  So the USB to Ethernet adpater is to provide network access for the PC I assume so you can have some sort of remote control?  Any concerns with network, os, and music traveling over the same fiber cable?

Yes I am using Roon and VNC to remote into the PC.  My only concerns are that something will break and I wont be able to enjoy the music anymore.

[mozes]

45 minutes ago, ElviaCaprice said:

What I would really like to find out, does adding an ISO Regen between two components clocked with the same s-clk EX clocking board hurt SQ or help?

Also maybe you could test the ISO Regen following the tXusbultra?  Without the tXusb ultra?

   Thanks Mozes.

 

I will be doing such tests later on, I just want to give Iso-Regen a week to fully burn-in so it has a fair chance against the tX

[mozes]

25 minutes ago, AmusedToD said:

 

Great to hear of your results @mozes. Please try the ISO Regen AFTER the txUSBUltra and tell us what you hear.

 

I have the sms200Ultra and wonder whether adding the ISO Regen (with supposedly lesser quality clock, but only "supposedly" based on price only) would improve or degrade the sound quality.

 

Many thanks in advance!

I will give it sometime to burn in and then do the different tests and post my impressions

[mozes]

1 hour ago, ElviaCaprice said:

Please try it with the galvanic isolation off.  Curious if this then sounds worse in combo with the tX-USBultra as opposed to only the ultra, no ISO

I switched off the galvanic isolation and a tiny bit of the magic is gone. Less sparkly and shorter decays of notes are things I noticed.

[Superdad]

1 hour ago, austinpop said:

Note - these configurations need 3 and 4 LPS-1s, respectively, so we may be entering the realm of the surreal soon!

 

I think all of you in this thread entered that realm a long time ago! 

[Superdad]

1 hour ago, austinpop said:

Being local, my ears are always at your disposal, Eric!

 

Best to keep you ears away from the disposal Rajiv!  

[Superdad]

6 hours ago, ElviaCaprice said:

There's only 3 power supplies that I consider the upper echelon of the field and willing to buy.  That is the Paul Hynes, LPS-1 and VR Mini.

 

If you have high current needs, then it's a good bet that our choke-filtered, power-factor-corrected, floated-output-ground, dual-rail, 5-7 amp JS-2 ($925) would join your list.  Coming up on 400 built and sold--and only twice have I seen one resold on the used market. 

[Cornan]

56 minutes ago, mozes said:

I switched off the galvanic isolation and a tiny bit of the magic is gone. Less sparkly and shorter decays of notes are things I noticed.

 

Very interesting findings Moussa! Congrats! ?

[Superdad]

15 hours ago, lmitche said:

The ISO Regen is connected via the included USPCB "cable" to the motherboard.  My dac is connected via a split lhlabs lightspeed 2g cable with the data end plugged into the ISO Regen. The power end is connected via y cable to the same LPS 1 that powers the ISO Regen.

 

Hi Larry:

I don't get why you are powering that way.  The 5VBUS output of the ISO REGEN is generated with the same TI TPS7A4700 regulator as we use (3 of) in the LPS-1.  Putting the ISO REGEN/USPCB combo directly your DAC is going to do a far better job of preserving SI and impedance match than running that cable.

 

If you want a bit extra SQ boost, make yourself a short star-quad D.C. cable (with screw terminal barrel connectors) to feed your LPS-1.  (I just shipped 200 original-style Oyaide 2.1mm plugs to my cable assembly house so we'll soon have 20-inch 15awg (4*18 split in pairs) star-quad DC cables for sale.)

 

--Alex C.

[ElviaCaprice]

28 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

If you have high current needs, then it's a good bet that our choke-filtered, power-factor-corrected, floated-output-ground, dual-rail, 5-7 amp JS-2 ($925) would join your list.  Coming up on 400 built and sold--and only twice have I seen one resold on the used market. 

It's close, but from reviews, JS-2, it seems most find the LPS-1 the better supply and from Roy's take he finds the Paul Hynes better than the LPS-1.  So between the Paul Hynes and LPS-1, most needs are met.

 

The LPS-1 is just a handy small power supply for fulfilling those low power, low voltage needs.  Can't beat it for about $400 single rail.  My first go to supply for 3.3, 5, or 7 Volt needs.  Good for in a pinch, series, higher voltage, but too expensive in this capacity.  Which leads to:

 

The Paul Hynes, great for those 12V component needs, which are often, and gives great value if you max out the number of rails possible at 4, no AC leakage, no leakage between rails, very low impedance.  A little under $500 a rail, SR7MR4.  Roy considers this the ultimate PS and I look forward to getting one.

 

The VR Mini, is expensive at just under $1100 single rail.  Not even in consideration due to cost but have heard great things about this PS.

[austinpop]

56 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

I think all of you in this thread entered that realm a long time ago! 

 

No argument there!

 

But oh it sounds so goooood!!

[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.

[ElviaCaprice]

2 minutes ago, Elberoth said:

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.

 

That's interesting, but if you do mod your sms-200 to an ultra you would probably be better served with a good cheap Intel Ethernet card mod by sotm for s-clk EX.