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

[sunny_time_99]

7 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

But don't forget that there is about 20x more resistance in 2 feet of 18AWG wire. 

Hi, this always brings me to the point that no connector is the better connector. whenever possible, I connect the wires directly or only on one side.

regards

sunny

[str-1]

3 hours ago, str-1 said:

 Mine is already in transit to me.  Will get it either tomorrow or Monday.  Mattijs seems like a great guy to deal with.

My mistake.  Shipped yesterday and just arrived.

[mikicasellas]

Hey Guys,

 

I hope this question is in track with the discussion here:

 

Regarding network connection;

 

My Audio Room is Downstairs and i have my modem upstairs which send via WIFI to a Tp-Link RE650 (AC2600) in my audio Room which is connected via Ethernet to the switch, from the switch i connect my MacMini, NUC and TV and in the RE650 configuration wifi to expand is OFF, so it only repeats thru the wired network...

 

My question is: If i get rid of the RE650 and connect the modem thru the switch via wired (25meters long ethernet from CAT 6a Blue jeans cable) instead, which of the two choices should be best in order to minimize noise ? i know via wired it will be faster (up to 200) but not sure if the Ethernet way could be best or worst

 

Kind regards

 

Miki

[Blackmorec]

44 minutes ago, mikicasellas said:

Hey Guys,

 

I hope this question is in track with the discussion here:

 

Regarding network connection;

 

My Audio Room is Downstairs and i have my modem upstairs which send via WIFI to a Tp-Link RE650 (AC2600) in my audio Room which is connected via Ethernet to the switch, from the switch i connect my MacMini, NUC and TV and in the RE650 configuration wifi to expand is OFF, so it only repeats thru the wired network...

 

My question is: If i get rid of the RE650 and connect the modem thru the switch via wired (25meters long ethernet from CAT 6a Blue jeans cable) instead, which of the two choices should be best in order to minimize noise ? i know via wired it will be faster (up to 200) but not sure if the Ethernet way could be best or worst

 

Kind regards

 

Miki

Hey Miki,

i tried a wide variety of different ways to connect my hi-fi room upstairs to my modem/router downstairs, including 10m of Synergistic Research Active SE ethernet cable. The best i found was the TPLink RE650, which i then modified to take a DC3 LPS hardwired into the RE650’s ps connector. I have the unit wall mounted on an anti vibration mounting. The 650 is connected to a dedicated 5Hhz band @ ca 500mbps which then connects via ~SR Atmosphere X ethernet to a AQVox SE switch. i use a 3 band router so i can dedicate one band to hi-fi which is the RE650s only client. The unit works brilliantly without the mods but the LPS and anti-vibe mounting really take it up a couple more notches

[sandyk]

16 hours ago, sunny_time_99 said:

Hi, this always brings me to the point that no connector is the better connector. whenever possible, I connect the wires directly or only on one side.

regards

sunny

The better Power Supplies will already have substantial connectors mounted on the rear panel typically, perhaps even using 3 pin XLR sockets . With lower current PSUs there may be a worthwhile advantage in using the lockable 3 pin mini XLR sockets at that end,  as I am doing. They are far more reliable than the barrel types long term,although the one used in my Uptone USB Regen has proven to be a very reliable high quality type despite many insertions. A major problem is the very mediocre quality of many of the readily available plugs for the device end of the cables.

[marce]

If you want the ultimate stress free connectors, look at the 38999 and derivatives, they do automotive plastic versions, environmentally sealed, machined copper pins available and rugged.

https://www.mouser.co.uk/datasheet/2/18/12-020-462735.pdf

https://www.mouser.co.uk/Connectors/Circular-Connectors/Standard-Circular-Connectors/_/N-av40f

 

[RickyV]

On 9/5/2019 at 7:46 PM, George Hincapie said:

My Farad Super 3 arrived today 😀

 

On 9/6/2019 at 12:20 PM, str-1 said:

My mistake.  Shipped yesterday and just arrived.

 

So how are the power supplies doing?

[str-1]

29 minutes ago, RickyV said:

 

 

So how are the power supplies doing?

I’m still running it in.  Only around 45 hours so far.

 

@austinpopRajiv, do you know if your Farad Super3 review unit came with the stock fuse or the Furutech rhodium TF-series fuse that Mattijs offers as an extra cost option?

[austinpop]

46 minutes ago, str-1 said:

I’m still running it in.  Only around 45 hours so far.

 

@austinpopRajiv, do you know if your Farad Super3 review unit came with the stock fuse or the Furutech rhodium TF-series fuse that Mattijs offers as an extra cost option?

 

Not that I'm aware. I will check with Mattijs...

[George Hincapie]

3 hours ago, RickyV said:

 

 

So how are the power supplies doing?

 

Busy weekend, sorry. I'll update with some photos etc. tomorrow; 0047 here and time for Zzzzzzz!

[robertodiwolvo]

10 hours ago, RickyV said:

 

 

So how are the power supplies doing?

I've been following this thread on daily basis from the beginning, but this is my very first post here. Really sorry for that 🙂

Last week I bought a Farad3 from Mattijs. It's a 12V version to use with my Nuc7i5dnke running Euphony. Before the Farad I used a new version HDplex 200w. 

There really is no comparison. The Farad is superb! Much more grip and ease, it's dead quit, much more details and beautiful decays etc etc... 

 

'At the end of our first day together I disconnected her and put her on my bedside table. Just to be close' 

😊

[incus]

I have been burning in my new Farad Super3 on my SOtM tX-USBUltra and it is a definite improvement over both the sPS-500 Ultra and the TLS Linear Power supply I used to use. Increase in blackness of background. More ease and subtlety. But no less authority. Really well made as well.  Using a silver DC cable from Audio Sensibility.  Mattijs is awesome to deal with.  I have now ordered 3 more Super3s - one for my main SOtM switch and 2 more for my TT2 and HMS.  Thanks to all for recommending these power supplies. In the absence of any Hynes rails I am more than thrilled with Farad for the long term.

[austinpop]

20 hours ago, str-1 said:

I’m still running it in.  Only around 45 hours so far.

 

@austinpopRajiv, do you know if your Farad Super3 review unit came with the stock fuse or the Furutech rhodium TF-series fuse that Mattijs offers as an extra cost option?

 

Mattijs just confirmed I have the regular fuses.

[LJONESATL]

Based upon everyone's feedback and praise, I've also just ordered a new Farad3 19v from Mattijs.  As others have pointed out, I've ordered it with the Rhodium fuse.  It will be be used primarily for a new custom audio PC I'm building specifically for Euphony. I'm using an HDPLEX H3 v2 Fan less chassis in conjunction with their 400W HIFI DC to ATX converter for the time being.  This Farad 3 will supply the power to that unit.  I've used the HDPLEX 200W LPS to power another identical build and am curious to hear the difference.

[Johnseye]

6 minutes ago, LJONESATL said:

Based upon everyone's feedback and praise, I've also just ordered a new Farad3 19v from Mattijs.  As others have pointed out, I've ordered it with the Rhodium fuse.  It will be be used primarily for a new custom audio PC I'm building specifically for Euphony. I'm using an HDPLEX H3 v2 Fan less chassis in conjunction with their 400W HIFI DC to ATX converter for the time being.  This Farad 3 will supply the power to that unit.  I've used the HDPLEX 200W LPS to power another identical build and am curious to hear the difference.

 

Did you inquire as to whether the Farad3 19v could be directly connected to the PC with the right cabling/adapters, eliminating a need for the converter?

 

[Aberrant-Decoder]

23 minutes ago, Johnseye said:

 

Did you inquire as to whether the Farad3 19v could be directly connected to the PC with the right cabling/adapters, eliminating a need for the converter?

 

I’d like to know too, I’d like to power a minimalist music server, like the one romaz has, with the gaming motherboard, but I’m not sure how to spec the needed power supply, and am on a budget.

[austinpop]

1 hour ago, LJONESATL said:

Based upon everyone's feedback and praise, I've also just ordered a new Farad3 19v from Mattijs.  As others have pointed out, I've ordered it with the Rhodium fuse.  It will be be used primarily for a new custom audio PC I'm building specifically for Euphony. I'm using an HDPLEX H3 v2 Fan less chassis in conjunction with their 400W HIFI DC to ATX converter for the time being.  This Farad 3 will supply the power to that unit.  I've used the HDPLEX 200W LPS to power another identical build and am curious to hear the difference.

 

56 minutes ago, Aberrant-Decoder said:

I’d like to know too, I’d like to power a minimalist music server, like the one romaz has, with the gaming motherboard, but I’m not sure how to spec the needed power supply, and am on a budget.

 

Just a caveat - are you sure a single Farad 3 supply has enough power for your needs? It's a great PSU, but it's limited to 3A, as you know.

 

The whole point of the single server that Roy mentioned - see this post and this one - is to power it with generously overprovisioned PSUs, which we think contribute to the outstanding dynamics. Even with his current server, which I believe he mentioned consumes under 50W steady state, he is powering it with 2 rails from his SR-7:

• a 19V/5A rail to an HDPlex DC-ATX adapter, which then feeds the ATX input (12v, 5v, 3.3v) of the motherboard.
• a separate 12V/5A rail to the EPS input of the motherboard, to power the CPU separately.

That's way more than a single Farad Super 3 can supply - nor is it designed to.

[rickca]

22 minutes ago, austinpop said:

• a 19V/5A rail to an HDPlex DC-ATX adapter, which then feeds the ATX input (12v, 5v, 3.3v) of the motherboard.
• a separate 12V/5A rail to the EPS input of the motherboard, to power the CPU separately.

Looks like 2 x PH SR5 would fit the bill nicely. 

 

How does Roy manage to run an i7-8700K (95W TDP) with only 12V/5A?

[Aberrant-Decoder]

22 minutes ago, austinpop said:

 

 

Just a caveat - are you sure a single Farad 3 supply has enough power for your needs? It's a great PSU, but it's limited to 3A, as you know.

 

The whole point of the single server that Roy mentioned - see this post and this one - is to power it with generously overprovisioned PSUs, which we think contribute to the outstanding dynamics. Even with his current server, which I believe he mentioned consumes under 50W steady state, he is powering it with 2 rails from his SR-7:

• a 19V/5A rail to an HDPlex DC-ATX adapter, which then feeds the ATX input (12v, 5v, 3.3v) of the motherboard.
• a separate 12V/5A rail to the EPS input of the motherboard, to power the CPU separately.

That's way more than a single Farad Super 3 can supply - nor is it designed to.

Sorry to ask for advice lol, but if i got a NUC NUC7i7DNBE, what way could i reasonably power it, whats a good choice for economy and performance?  I'm trying to take the first steps, but can't settle on a strategy.  I was thinking single server, i'm now thinking NUC as NAA, which i could afford to power by a linear power supply, but which one, the farad 3?

 

ps, i just did a little test and changed from optical out of chrome cast audio to optical (Xonar soundcard) out of my pc (and into mscaler), and the xonar definitely sounds better, much sharper to my mind, in this little test.

[austinpop]

5 minutes ago, rickca said:

Looks like 2 x PH SR5 would fit the bill nicely. 

 

How does Roy manage to run an i7-8700K (95W TDP) with only 12V/5A?

 

The key is that we run at very low (<1% ave) CPU utilization, so the actual power draw is way lower than TDP, which is just an idealized number anyway.

[rickca]

6 minutes ago, austinpop said:

 

The key is that we run at very low (<1% ave) CPU utilization, so the actual power draw is way lower than TDP, which is just an idealized number anyway.

OK.  So obviously the design considerations are a whole lot different if you want to run HQPlayer.

[austinpop]

2 minutes ago, rickca said:

OK.  So obviously the design considerations are a whole lot different if you want to run HQPlayer.

 

Indeed, and I’ve caveated this many times in earlier posts.

[George Hincapie]

27 minutes ago, Aberrant-Decoder said:

Sorry to ask for advice lol, but if i got a NUC NUC7i7DNBE, what way could i reasonably power it, whats a good choice for economy and performance?  I'm trying to take the first steps, but can't settle on a strategy.  I was thinking single server, i'm now thinking NUC as NAA, which i could afford to power by a linear power supply, but which one, the farad 3?

 

ps, i just did a little test and changed from optical out of chrome cast audio to optical (Xonar soundcard) out of my pc (and into mscaler), and the xonar definitely sounds better, much sharper to my mind, in this little test.

 

A Farad Super 3 will be perfectly adequate to power a NUC. That's basically what mine is doing now.

[rickca]

43 minutes ago, austinpop said:

 

The key is that we run at very low (<1% ave) CPU utilization, so the actual power draw is way lower than TDP, which is just an idealized number anyway.

I know you're running Euphony, but just a warning to anyone who plans to run Windows 10.  The power requirements to do maintenance (like upgrading to Version 1903 from Version 1809) will likely overstress a 12V/5A supply.  I fried the rectifier on my HDPLEX 200W LPS (19V/10A) while doing such maintenance with a 95W i7-6700K.  I was using the 200W LPS together with an HDPLEX 400W DC-ATX.  HDPLEX has since made some changes to the 200W LPS to prevent this from happening.

[auricgoldfinger]

1 hour ago, Aberrant-Decoder said:

Sorry to ask for advice lol, but if i got a NUC NUC7i7DNBE, what way could i reasonably power it, whats a good choice for economy and performance?  I'm trying to take the first steps, but can't settle on a strategy.  I was thinking single server, i'm now thinking NUC as NAA, which i could afford to power by a linear power supply, but which one, the farad 3?

 

ps, i just did a little test and changed from optical out of chrome cast audio to optical (Xonar soundcard) out of my pc (and into mscaler), and the xonar definitely sounds better, much sharper to my mind, in this little test.

 

If you buy a Farad3 for your NUC, I recommend getting the 19v version.