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

[stefano_mbp]

15 hours ago, Mahler and Bach on Computer said:

sMS 200 failed to connect to it.  

Here you can find which type of WiFi dongle will work with sms200

https://www.sotm-audio.com/sotmwp/english/update-news-about-sms-200-wi-fi/

[MarkusBarkus]

3 hours ago, cool_chris said:

I have a different dream .

Get all wifi off !

...I thought you only dreamed of Buffalos. 😉

 

Actually, I ran copper to a couple of devices that used to use WiFi to reduce its presence around the Listening Lair. I know it's still everywhere, but perhaps it reduces some impact. 

[cool_chris]

I dreamed about Buffalows untill I got them.

Now I am dreaming with them about kicking off wifi .

 

Wifi makes 3D musick much more flat, uncomfortable and also harsh sometimes. 

 

[Mahler and Bach on Computer]

On 10/5/2020 at 4:56 AM, stefano_mbp said:

Here you can find which type of WiFi dongle will work with sms200

https://www.sotm-audio.com/sotmwp/english/update-news-about-sms-200-wi-fi/

Thank you for the response.  I already established the WIFI successfully.  I am struggling with a specific WiFI approach.  

[MarkusBarkus]

@cool_chris, others: any experience with the PFBuffalo and Cisco 2960s before you went full-buff? Soon I will be integrating a PFB into a duo-chained 2960 config. 

[cool_chris]

2 hours ago, MarkusBarkus said:

@cool_chris, others: any experience with the PFBuffalo and Cisco 2960s before you went full-buff? Soon I will be integrating a PFB into a duo-chained 2960 config. 

I never tried Cisco personally.

From what I learned on different forums 

Cisco was the first very good switch and many have use it .

Buffalo 2016 was much better in many opinions due to the main chip that is excellent in Buffalo , but I think if you are going to create PFU-Cisco then this should land very close to the PFU-Buffalo as the clock os the most important .

 

Again I want to point that 

One PFU-Buffalo was better than Four stacked regular 2016 Buffalows powered by LPS in Nenon opinion. I agree with his findings.

It is that good.

So you can imagine the difference delta created by this excellent clock.

 

Just contact Jord, install Pink Faun Ultra to your gear and report what you hear.

Be ready to be shocked by the difference. 

I was both shocked anf amaized by this sound. 

 

I already planned to install PFU clocks everywhere,  but have not collected cash to get 4 more clocks installed in 2 other Buffalows , in modem and in router. 

I think this will be the chain that will surpass the Optane stored files with SQ in regards to the streaming via this switches and moded modrm + router.

I am very close to that.

 

[Blackmorec]

19 minutes ago, cool_chris said:

Again I want to point that 

One PFU-Buffalo was better than Four stacked regular 2016 Buffalows powered by LPS in Nenon opinion. I agree with his findings.

It is that good.

So you can imagine the difference delta created by this excellent clock.

 

Just contact Jord, install Pink Faun Ultra to your gear and report what you hear.

Be ready to be shocked by the difference. 

I was both shocked anf amaized by this sound. 

 

I already planned to install PFU clocks everywhere,  but have not collected cash to get 4 more clocks installed in 2 other Buffalows , in modem and in router. 

I think this will be the chain that will surpass the Optane stored files with SQ in regards to the streaming via this switches and moded modrm + router.

I am very close to that.

 

Hi Chris,

I don’t (yet) have experience with PF Clocks or Buffalo switches....that joy and surprise is still to come (what do you mean confirmation bias😇)

While I have no doubt that the quality of the clock plays a very significant role, I just wanted to give feedback that I have achieved some major, indeed jaw dropping improvements in sound quality by improving the power supplies to my network. 

 

I can imagine that adding really good clocks to modem and router will bring significant SQ gains, but I can state categorically that LPS upgrades also bring very significant gains. I have experience upgrading Sean Jacob’s DC2 to DC3 on an AQVox SE switch then adding DC3s and Mundorf Silver/Gold DC cables to all other network components for some of the most cost effective and profound upgrades I’ve ever made in a 45year hi-fi ‘history’. There’s no doubt that Nenon’s PF Buffalo is an outstanding piece of kit but I also have no doubt that realising its full potential needs an LPS in the DC4 class. 

In the next few days I’ll be installing upgraded DC3s to my network (Statement class transformers, Mundorf Silver/Gold cabling and DC4 regulators, footers and casework damping). Once all that’s done and fully run in, I’ll be adding one of Nenon’s PFBuffalo switches powered with a dual rail DC4. 

Anyone looking at my system would think it insane that I spent many times the cost of a modem and router on the DC cable and LPS to power them, but the results those improvements have brought have delivered SQ WAY BEYOND what I ever dreamed possible from digital files. 3 dimensional, fully immersive sound that makes the listening room utterly disappear, replaced by solid, highly focused images of the recording venue and the musicians within, with SOTA PRaT and total/complete/effortless listener involvement, with absolutely nothing to dislike. The only reason I’m still adding LPS upgrades, clocks and switches is that I’m fascinated by just how good this can all get.

 

[ASRMichael]

7 minutes ago, Blackmorec said:

Hi Chris,

I don’t (yet) have experience with PF Clocks or Buffalo switches....that joy and surprise is still to come (what do you mean confirmation bias😇)

While I have no doubt that the quality of the clock plays a very significant role, I just wanted to give feedback that I have achieved some major, indeed jaw dropping improvements in sound quality by improving the power supplies to my network. 

 

I can imagine that adding really good clocks to modem and router will bring significant SQ gains, but I can state categorically that LPS upgrades also bring very significant gains. I have experience upgrading Sean Jacob’s DC2 to DC3 on an AQVox SE switch then adding DC3s and Mundorf Silver/Gold DC cables to all other network components for some of the most cost effective and profound upgrades I’ve ever made in a 45year hi-fi ‘history’. There’s no doubt that Nenon’s PF Buffalo is an outstanding piece of kit but I also have no doubt that realising its full potential needs an LPS in the DC4 class. 

In the next few days I’ll be installing upgraded DC3s to my network (Statement class transformers, Mundorf Silver/Gold cabling and DC4 regulators, footers and casework damping). Once all that’s done and fully run in, I’ll be adding one of Nenon’s PFBuffalo switches powered with a dual rail DC4. 

Anyone looking at my system would think it insane that I spent many times the cost of a modem and router on the DC cable and LPS to power them, but the results those improvements have brought have delivered SQ WAY BEYOND what I ever dreamed possible from digital files. 3 dimensional, fully immersive sound that makes the listening room utterly disappear, replaced by solid, highly focused images of the recording venue and the musicians within, with SOTA PRaT and total/complete/effortless listener involvement, with absolutely nothing to dislike. The only reason I’m still adding LPS upgrades, clocks and switches is that I’m fascinated by just how good this can all get.

 

Hi, what server do you have? Have you also considered PF Clock for chipset & CPU? 
 

Like you I followed in your path with DC3’s powering everything. 12 rails in total. I would love to hear your feedback once you get the DC4’s, are you planning DC4’s for everything in your chain?

 

Cheers

 

P.S. We both actually live within an hour of Sean which Is very useful! 

[Blackmorec]

56 minutes ago, ASRMichael said:

Hi, what server do you have? Have you also considered PF Clock for chipset & CPU? 
 

Like you I followed in your path with DC3’s powering everything. 12 rails in total. I would love to hear your feedback once you get the DC4’s, are you planning DC4’s for everything in your chain?

 

Cheers

 

P.S. We both actually live within an hour of Sean which Is very useful! 

Hiya, 

I have an Innuos Statement which is what got me started with Sean in the first place. When I implemented the first DC2 with the AQVox SE I was using a Zenith SE, which I loved, so was only half expecting an improvement but what I got was shocking. Spades more of the Innuos goodness of purity, clarity, PRaT and massive listener involvement and emotion. The upgrade to DC3 brought a similar, but even greater improvement. Rather than highlighting any particular hi-fi aspect, the music just got a whole lot more rhythmic drive and musician interplay such that it grabs the listener’s attention and simply doesn’t let go, never allowing the mind to wander, its that compelling.  

The sound I’m getting today with the Satement and the system fully DC3 and Innuos powered with Nenon’s Mundorf Silver/Gold DC cables and a full Synergistic Research AStmosphere X Ref loom is startling immersing and holographic, with each musician fully developed in 3 dimensional space. The recording venue soundstage completely replaces any room sounds, which can be quite disorientating when listening with the eyes open. Some modern electronic recordings feel like they can literally change your level of conciousness....very psychadelic.  

The problem with this whole set-up is that new elements like LPSs and DC cables take hundreds of hours to run in and the ‘magic’ really goes ‘awol’ during the process, so if you do a lot of upgrading you spend a lot of time with the system at sub optimal. My system btw is based on ethernet cables with router to switch isolation handled by a highly optimised, dedicated 5GHz 500Mbps wi-fi band. I am going to try installing an optimised FO link but I won’t be de-commissioning the wi-fi until the FO proves itself to be better.  In its present state the Statement sees a millisecondS long burst of wi-fi transmission before shutting down the network to play tracks from Qobuz,  and there’s no other network traffic arriving at the server, so I dont really notice any difference between Qobuz and internally stored files. The big difference is really between the tracks themselves.

 

Yes its very handy living within easy reach os Sean’s workshop. Its also an entertaining drive along the local Dales roads 

[cool_chris]

3 hours ago, Blackmorec said:

Hi Chris,

I don’t (yet) have experience with PF Clocks or Buffalo switches....that joy and surprise is still to come (what do you mean confirmation bias😇)

While I have no doubt that the quality of the clock plays a very significant role, I just wanted to give feedback that I have achieved some major, indeed jaw dropping improvements in sound quality by improving the power supplies to my network. 

 

I can imagine that adding really good clocks to modem and router will bring significant SQ gains, but I can state categorically that LPS upgrades also bring very significant gains. I have experience upgrading Sean Jacob’s DC2 to DC3 on an AQVox SE switch then adding DC3s and Mundorf Silver/Gold DC cables to all other network components for some of the most cost effective and profound upgrades I’ve ever made in a 45year hi-fi ‘history’. There’s no doubt that Nenon’s PF Buffalo is an outstanding piece of kit but I also have no doubt that realising its full potential needs an LPS in the DC4 class. 

In the next few days I’ll be installing upgraded DC3s to my network (Statement class transformers, Mundorf Silver/Gold cabling and DC4 regulators, footers and casework damping). Once all that’s done and fully run in, I’ll be adding one of Nenon’s PFBuffalo switches powered with a dual rail DC4. 

Anyone looking at my system would think it insane that I spent many times the cost of a modem and router on the DC cable and LPS to power them, but the results those improvements have brought have delivered SQ WAY BEYOND what I ever dreamed possible from digital files. 3 dimensional, fully immersive sound that makes the listening room utterly disappear, replaced by solid, highly focused images of the recording venue and the musicians within, with SOTA PRaT and total/complete/effortless listener involvement, with absolutely nothing to dislike. The only reason I’m still adding LPS upgrades, clocks and switches is that I’m fascinated by just how good this can all get.

 

 

I have all powered by LPSes.

Vinnie Rossi mini supercapacitor power supply based on Belleson SPX78 .

And few Uptone supercapacitor 1.1 and 1.2.

I agree 100% with you. 

If I have to make decission of picking good grear or good power supply 

I would always pick good power supply AND GROUNDING. ( many forget about that)

 

But top power supply can really shine only with a good grear.

I was adding the Buffalows with the same power supplys. 

Also here you use 2 LPSes for Each PFU Buffalo. Clock gets separate DC power.

I am investing Shean Jacobs DC3 and DC4 and might want to go for DC4 multirail.

Unfortunate this is going to be a gigantic financial effort if I want to supply all by DC4.

Not sure how big is difference with DC3 v DC4. I know all supply details but not the expected SQ delta difference 

 

 

[cool_chris]

2 hours ago, Blackmorec said:

Hiya, 

I have an Innuos Statement which is what got me started with Sean in the first place. When I implemented the first DC2 with the AQVox SE I was using a Zenith SE, which I loved, so was only half expecting an improvement but what I got was shocking. Spades more of the Innuos goodness of purity, clarity, PRaT and massive listener involvement and emotion. The upgrade to DC3 brought a similar, but even greater improvement. Rather than highlighting any particular hi-fi aspect, the music just got a whole lot more rhythmic drive and musician interplay such that it grabs the listener’s attention and simply doesn’t let go, never allowing the mind to wander, its that compelling.  

The sound I’m getting today with the Satement and the system fully DC3 and Innuos powered with Nenon’s Mundorf Silver/Gold DC cables and a full Synergistic Research AStmosphere X Ref loom is startling immersing and holographic, with each musician fully developed in 3 dimensional space. The recording venue soundstage completely replaces any room sounds, which can be quite disorientating when listening with the eyes open. Some modern electronic recordings feel like they can literally change your level of conciousness....very psychadelic.  

The problem with this whole set-up is that new elements like LPSs and DC cables take hundreds of hours to run in and the ‘magic’ really goes ‘awol’ during the process, so if you do a lot of upgrading you spend a lot of time with the system at sub optimal. My system btw is based on ethernet cables with router to switch isolation handled by a highly optimised, dedicated 5GHz 500Mbps wi-fi band. I am going to try installing an optimised FO link but I won’t be de-commissioning the wi-fi until the FO proves itself to be better.  In its present state the Statement sees a millisecondS long burst of wi-fi transmission before shutting down the network to play tracks from Qobuz,  and there’s no other network traffic arriving at the server, so I dont really notice any difference between Qobuz and internally stored files. The big difference is really between the tracks themselves.

 

Yes its very handy living within easy reach os Sean’s workshop. Its also an entertaining drive along the local Dales roads 

 

I exchanged 5ghz Wifi to Fibreglass. 

There is no question that was one of the best decisions I made.

It affects both

Stored files and streaming.

Get hhf FO cable from youf Internet provider and start new chapter.

( remember to have it playing for w week once installed before serious sessions).

It needs burn in more than anything else. 

 

[Blackmorec]

11 minutes ago, cool_chris said:

 

I exchanged 5ghz Wifi to Fibreglass. 

There is no question that was one of the best decisions I made.

It affects both

Stored files and streaming.

Get hhf FO cable from youf Internet provider and start new chapter.

( remember to have it playing for w week once installed before serious sessions).

It needs burn in more than anything else. 

 

Hi Chris, 

Nenon also suggested i may need to go FO once I’ve implemented his modded PF/Buffalo. Every other of his suggestions has been spot on and exceeded my expectations so i will try an optimised FO isolation link as you both suggest. Its just that my wi-fi sounds so damned good I’m becoming very cautious in making too many moves.  Fortunately i can implement FO in parallel and can easily restore wi-fi if I’m not 100% convinced. I’ll let you know next week how the DC3/4 upgrade goes. Bear in mind that its not full-house DC4, which has an even better transformer (more screening), and RFI-proof, less resonant aluminium casework, amongst other things.  Mine are more like DC3.75s 🙄

[mikicasellas]

Hi Guys,

 

For those who are using a AMD Ryzen 7 3700X in your servers, can you suggest a Mobo for this CPU, i was using  Rog Strix X470i, but it got fried two days ago and im now considering a full ATX:

 

I see some have suggested:

Gigabyte Aorus B550 Master or Asus ROG Crosshair VII Hero, 

I honestly don't know what ingredients to look in a MoBo that be necessary as key components for an audio server.

 

Any suggestions ?

 

Regards

-Miki

[ASRMichael]

Hi just watched PS Audio latest YouTube channel video. About 230v & 110v

 

I’m from UK so i use 230v, interesting PS audio also using 230v for there system. I expected 110v. 
 

How many of you guys from the states using 230v? Are there benefits using 230v versus 110v? Just interested that’s all. 
 

PS Audio says most house in states can run on 230v, just ask electrician to make a 230v supply. Job done. 

[GMG]

Posted this on the wrong thread

 

Anyone tried or has an opinion on the low priced Finisar modules offered at Aliexpress and marked as manufactured for <XXX> 
XXX = Macroni, Ericsson, RedBack, and more

 

Are those original modules that are manufactured for network providers? Some are priced well below $40 (some used also at $10)

 

examples:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32854739380.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.c7724cc2Lzx9i7&algo_pvid=d5269e93-5aaf-4deb-a2f1-33232e82592d&algo_expid=d5269e93-5aaf-4deb-a2f1-33232e82592d-8&btsid=0b0a0ae216025962495106651ea8fc&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32854767247.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.c7724cc2Lzx9i7&algo_pvid=d5269e93-5aaf-4deb-a2f1-33232e82592d&algo_expid=d5269e93-5aaf-4deb-a2f1-33232e82592d-16&btsid=0b0a0ae216025962495106651ea8fc&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_
 

 

according to John’s reply these Finisar modules should work fine on the ER. 
So it seems like a bargain to me. 
anyone tried already?

 

my eventual plan is to get 2 such modules to connect between the ER and a 10Gtek converter (which will be replaced by Sonore OP later on)

 

thoughts?

 

[R1200CL]

Make sure you chose the correct cable 😀
(No SFP cage in 10Gtek converter)

[GMG]

8 minutes ago, R1200CL said:

Make sure you chose the correct cable 😀
(No SFP cage in 10Gtek converter)

What do you mean?

a Pair of Gigabit Ethernet Media Converter, Dual SC Fiber Connector, singlemode, 1310-nm, 20-km https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XZ6CV6W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DpHHFb1PJP9T5

[R1200CL]

15 hours ago, GMG said:

Dual SC Fiber Connector

That’s correct. According to what you’re buying. I thought you was only buying one. I can’t see how this will help SQ interfacing the ER. But I haven’t read everything in this tread. 
LC and SC is different. Those modules are LC. The FMC is SC. That was my only point. There is another thread about optical networking. 

 

[Blackmorec]

I debated where to post this. As its about upgrading a network stream to a Server I figured this was the most appropriate place. 

 

This piece is about my findings after upgrading 3 Sean Jacobs DCs LPSs that exclusively power my network stream.

 

A little background.....I’ve posted details about my system but essentially its a DC3 powered, Synergistic Research cabled, Wi-fi isolated network using a TPLink Broadcom-based tri-band router and RE650 Wi-fi to ethernet access point. 

The hi-fi has its own dedicated 5GHz band....there’s no other wi-fi in the vicinity of the hi-fi. I use an Innuos Statement so in essence, when playing Qobuz remote streamed tracks, I identify an album on my iPad....the album tracks are downloaded via a milliseconds long burst of 500Mbps wi-fi to the Statement’s RAM buffer, after which the network band is mainly inactive and the Statement networking is disabled during replay, so no network based interruptions. I don’t use Roon as the InnuOS’s player SW sounds substantially better.  My Statement uses the latest 1.4.5 SW revision. 

 

This whole upgrade exercise was initially triggered by Nenon, who noted the wholesale improvements of using the DC4 power supply and its components. 

 

So why upgrade? Frankly that was a question I asked myself very many times before this went ahead, and the final answer that came back; ‘because hi-fi, as much as music is my hobby”. Music is the driving force. If I didn’t derive massive pleasure from the music i wouldn’t bother, but for me at least, music and I would add, beautifully reproduced music dramatically enhances my already very enjoyable life, for which I’m eternally grateful. 

So this report starts with a system that’s already ticking all the boxes. Nothing I don’t like. Completely involving, indeed mesmerising,  wholly immersing, fabulously pure, beautiful music. A system that genuinely makes you say; “I have no idea how this gets any better as I’m not hearing ANY deficiencies” 

BUT; I’ve had experience before with upgrading power supplies and i know the results can be shockingly good. I did it with the original DC2, the DC3 upgrade and the additional DC3s so even though I couldn’t imagine where the improvements could be eked out 🙂, I guessed they’d still emerge. 

Also I’ve followed Nenon’s advice several times in the past and found it entirely reliable and highly rewarding.  Finally I had a long trip planned to spend time with family so what the hell; shut down the system, pack the DC3s, take them the Sean and pick up the new Custom Hybrids 2 months later. 

So what was upgraded?

I use a dual rail DC3 on my ISP Modem and TPLink AC5400 router, another 5V DC3 unit on the TPLink RE650 access point and a third 5V unit to power an AQVoxSE.  I ordered the dual rail without Mundorf caps, so that was the first omission to correct. All units were stripped and rebuilt.  The new installation comprises a ‘Statement Class’ audio-grade transformer feeding DC4 regulators. All DC wiring was replaced with Mundorf Silver/Gold, the cabinet was lagged with DC4 vibration damping sheets and DC4 footers were fitted. In essence, these are now DC3 hybrids, very similar to the DC4 except for the latter’s cabinet, taller, slightly better screened transformer and condenser board....so they’re still not DC4s, but very close. All power supplies use Nenon’s beautifully made Mundorf Silver/Gold JSSG360 DC cables. 

So how does it all sound? 

I returned to the UK on the Thursday and on the Friday UPS delivered a large box from Sean.  Much grunting and sweating later I’d managed to free 3 pristine black boxes from the grips of Sean’s packaging.....if his power supplies are as good as his parcelling skills....

With the exception of the network, which was Temporarily running on its original SMPSs, my system had been switched off for several weeks. I installed the new Power Supplies, rebooted the network, switched on the system, queue’d up a couple of tracks I’ve listened to since the 70s and hit play. 

 

After a few seconds, I thought I’d better take some notes.....I had no problem describing the sound or at least my reaction to it. Can you imagine standing about 5 fields distant from an F5 Tornado?  The awe, the rush, the adrenalin, the amazement, the power of a major force of nature?  Well obviously it wasn’t an F5er but my reaction to those first 2 tracks was still somewhere on the same scale with all the adjectives above.  

I needed to finish tidying up down stairs so I loaded another album and left it playing. 

 

My wife was downstairs and asked me what I thought. I mentioned my F5 tornado analogy and how massively impressive it was but also that i didn’t think that having SUCH a high level of arousal over several hours was going to be very relaxing.  I’m sure you’d eventually get Adrenalin fatigue.  An F5 Tornado is certainly at the top of the scale, perhaps a better analogy is a ride down a winding canyon road in a Ferrari, Porsche or BMW M-car.  The point being its both exciting and to the degree its exciting, memorable, but you wouldn’t want to drive like that all the time (or maybe you would 😈)

With the network downstairs sorted I again entered my hi-fi room to find a very different situation. The album I’d selected was something by Bob James, so cool jazz if you want a genre. The track playing had some really beautiful mid and low bass and was punching out such a hilariously catchy rhythm I immediately started dancing to the music. The initial aggression, that, “I’m going to eat you alive” feeling was gone, replaced by this “grab you and destroy any coherent thought”  music. I have never heard anything quite so ‘infectious’. 

Things like tonal accuracy, soundstage size (its as big as whatever’s on the recording), frequency extremes, PRat, rhythmic verve and energy were all SoTA but they were before and its the presentation of the music that’s changed...it has this wonderful authenticity and coherence. The music has a more solid structure....there’s simply more of it. More colour, more timbre, more natural depth definition, shape and focus. To use an old cliche, the music sounds like musicians rather than a recording of musicians. The music fills the room, leaving no trace of room or speakers.....The music is very physical...it feels like your whole body is involved in hearing it, rather than just your ears. The music is everything. It completely dominates your conscious being so your whole being just becomes music. Its a phenomenal and highly enjoyable experience 

 

The second day, I had Swiss Radio Classic playing at -40dB to help run in the system. I was finishing an e-mail as I sat down. halfway through the email the bass line caught my attention and the e-mail only got finished after the listening session...essentially rhythm that even when whisper quiet, couldn’t be ignored.  

 

The leading edge of every note is super clean, pure and highly dynamic.  One of the things that tells you you’re listening to a recording is note dynamics. It they’re at all soft, slow or muffled in any way one’s brain instantly identifies the sound as ‘not live’ or ‘not real’.  The system, with this stream of data produces sound that’s closer to a genuine live sound than it is to any recorded sound I’ve heard over the past 45 years. 

 

As the system is running in, I do detect that the system is slightly more incisive than I’d like,  with a slight tension in the presentation making it slightly uptight...always up on its toes. This will mellow in due time but its a remnant of that initial F5 Tornado scenario. 

 

So, to summarize....this upgrade has made my system a lot more thrilling and enjoyable, despite being both those things previously. Its moved in the direction of ‘live’ music. Overall the sound is more ‘solid‘ and ‘sophisticated’ 

The system portrays everything accurately but paints from a very broad palette in that regard. If the recording is hard or edgy, that precisely what you’ll get....but it will sound better from a presentation point of view than its ever sounded before. Some instruments need to feel edgy because that what the real instrument sounds like. Likewise if the sound is honey sweet and deliciously syrupy, you’ll get exactly that. There’s no editorialising that I can identify. None (although the room & speakers almost certainly do have an identity, its so benign and non-intrusive that it comes across as being absent). The system relies entirely on extracting and presenting all the natural, expressive beauty of the music. The system doesn’t wet dry recordings, warm cold recordings or make any adjustments to the sound...it plays exactly what’s in the recording and when you hear it, I’m sure you’ll agree that this degree of completeness, precision, accuracy and purity is exactly what you want.  What the system does do is to put a spring in the music’s step. The music has a joyous feel to it, a powerful ‘mood creating’ ability...its extremely atmospheric and with the right music can sound ethereal and otherworldly.  Effortless, clear, pure, unrestrained, with massive dynamics that at the same time have a complete ease about them. 

So that’s my review of the impact of trio of Sean Jacob’s DC3/4s  

 

But I’m not quite finished. Having said all the above about the impact of 3 power supplies in my network chain, I would just like to remind readers that we’re talking about playing a Qobuz file directly from the Statement’s RAM buffer, with connection to the Network temporarily disabled.  

Also, playing the same track from the Statement’s internal storage (which is also played from the RAM buffer) is exactly at the same level, sonically, so the 3 network data stream power supplies have uplifted local file replay by the same degree they’ve uplifted remotely streamed files.  An observation....no hypothesis to how or why. 

 

 

 

 

[Nsxturbo]

Blackmorec,

 

What a wonderful post to wake up to this morning! I’ve been experimenting with some home built linear power supplies and they’ve made really stunning  improvements. So I’ve been wondering, what makes supplies from the likes of Sean Jacobs LPS,s so much better? Well, I think you’ve distilled it in an amazingly eloquent way! It is not such an easy task to translate what we audiophiles hear into words, but I think you really captured the essence of the changes your DC3/DC4 LPS’s have brought to your system. Congratulations on getting one step closer to what all of us music lovers are seeking!

I also am equally intrigued at the last noted observation. That your hearing the same improvements on locally played files. I wonder if somehow there is less noise leaked back through the AC lines to your Statement? You would think that if your network were totally disconnected from your Statement and also disconnected from the mains, you would achieve a similar result? These are some of those mysterious observations that boggle our senses but all of us who have been at this a long time have experienced. Those, “What the heck” confounding observations.

 

Cheers, Todd

[Fourlegs]

@Blackmorec I am getting slightly excited having read your post as I have a Statement and also a smattering of DC3 and DC4 power supplies in my system including the 3 rail DC4 powering my Dave.

 

I am going to make a cup of coffee or three and reread your post very carefully because I am afraid I read it rather too quickly just like a child bolting down sweets.

 

cheers, Nick

[MarkusBarkus]

51 minutes ago, Blackmorec said:

...So that’s my review of the impact of trio of Sean Jacob’s DC3/4s  
 

@Blackmorec Thanks for taking time to summarize your experience and "feelings" around the changes in your system.
 

All of my gear is on "someone's" upgraded power supply, but I do like the uniformity of your approach.

 

A few of us have @Nenon to thank (blame?) for his explorations into the mysteries of networked hi-fi. The PFBuffalo is a fantastic piece of work. And in a few days, a DC4 for the DAVE conversion. What a helluva lotta fun. Thanks again for the review. It was a genuine pleasure to read with a cup of java this morning.

[lmitche]

2 hours ago, Blackmorec said:

I debated where to post this. As its about upgrading a network stream to a Server I figured this was the most appropriate place. 

 

This piece is about my findings after upgrading 3 Sean Jacobs DCs LPSs that exclusively power my network stream.

 

A little background.....I’ve posted details about my system but essentially its a DC3 powered, Synergistic Research cabled, Wi-fi isolated network using a TPLink Broadcom-based tri-band router and RE650 Wi-fi to ethernet access point. 

The hi-fi has its own dedicated 5GHz band....there’s no other wi-fi in the vicinity of the hi-fi. I use an Innuos Statement so in essence, when playing Qobuz remote streamed tracks, I identify an album on my iPad....the album tracks are downloaded via a milliseconds long burst of 500Mbps wi-fi to the Statement’s RAM buffer, after which the network band is mainly inactive and the Statement networking is disabled during replay, so no network based interruptions. I don’t use Roon as the InnuOS’s player SW sounds substantially better.  My Statement uses the latest 1.4.5 SW revision. 

 

This whole upgrade exercise was initially triggered by Nenon, who noted the wholesale improvements of using the DC4 power supply and its components. 

 

So why upgrade? Frankly that was a question I asked myself very many times before this went ahead, and the final answer that came back; ‘because hi-fi, as much as music is my hobby”. Music is the driving force. If I didn’t derive massive pleasure from the music i wouldn’t bother, but for me at least, music and I would add, beautifully reproduced music dramatically enhances my already very enjoyable life, for which I’m eternally grateful. 

So this report starts with a system that’s already ticking all the boxes. Nothing I don’t like. Completely involving, indeed mesmerising,  wholly immersing, fabulously pure, beautiful music. A system that genuinely makes you say; “I have no idea how this gets any better as I’m not hearing ANY deficiencies” 

BUT; I’ve had experience before with upgrading power supplies and i know the results can be shockingly good. I did it with the original DC2, the DC3 upgrade and the additional DC3s so even though I couldn’t imagine where the improvements could be eked out 🙂, I guessed they’d still emerge. 

Also I’ve followed Nenon’s advice several times in the past and found it entirely reliable and highly rewarding.  Finally I had a long trip planned to spend time with family so what the hell; shut down the system, pack the DC3s, take them the Sean and pick up the new Custom Hybrids 2 months later. 

So what was upgraded?

I use a dual rail DC3 on my ISP Modem and TPLink AC5400 router, another 5V DC3 unit on the TPLink RE650 access point and a third 5V unit to power an AQVoxSE.  I ordered the dual rail without Mundorf caps, so that was the first omission to correct. All units were stripped and rebuilt.  The new installation comprises a ‘Statement Class’ audio-grade transformer feeding DC4 regulators. All DC wiring was replaced with Mundorf Silver/Gold, the cabinet was lagged with DC4 vibration damping sheets and DC4 footers were fitted. In essence, these are now DC3 hybrids, very similar to the DC4 except for the latter’s cabinet, taller, slightly better screened transformer and condenser board....so they’re still not DC4s, but very close. All power supplies use Nenon’s beautifully made Mundorf Silver/Gold JSSG360 DC cables. 

So how does it all sound? 

I returned to the UK on the Thursday and on the Friday UPS delivered a large box from Sean.  Much grunting and sweating later I’d managed to free 3 pristine black boxes from the grips of Sean’s packaging.....if his power supplies are as good as his parcelling skills....

With the exception of the network, which was Temporarily running on its original SMPSs, my system had been switched off for several weeks. I installed the new Power Supplies, rebooted the network, switched on the system, queue’d up a couple of tracks I’ve listened to since the 70s and hit play. 

 

After a few seconds, I thought I’d better take some notes.....I had no problem describing the sound or at least my reaction to it. Can you imagine standing about 5 fields distant from an F5 Tornado?  The awe, the rush, the adrenalin, the amazement, the power of a major force of nature?  Well obviously it wasn’t an F5er but my reaction to those first 2 tracks was still somewhere on the same scale with all the adjectives above.  

I needed to finish tidying up down stairs so I loaded another album and left it playing. 

 

My wife was downstairs and asked me what I thought. I mentioned my F5 tornado analogy and how massively impressive it was but also that i didn’t think that having SUCH a high level of arousal over several hours was going to be very relaxing.  I’m sure you’d eventually get Adrenalin fatigue.  An F5 Tornado is certainly at the top of the scale, perhaps a better analogy is a ride down a winding canyon road in a Ferrari, Porsche or BMW M-car.  The point being its both exciting and to the degree its exciting, memorable, but you wouldn’t want to drive like that all the time (or maybe you would 😈)

With the network downstairs sorted I again entered my hi-fi room to find a very different situation. The album I’d selected was something by Bob James, so cool jazz if you want a genre. The track playing had some really beautiful mid and low bass and was punching out such a hilariously catchy rhythm I immediately started dancing to the music. The initial aggression, that, “I’m going to eat you alive” feeling was gone, replaced by this “grab you and destroy any coherent thought”  music. I have never heard anything quite so ‘infectious’. 

Things like tonal accuracy, soundstage size (its as big as whatever’s on the recording), frequency extremes, PRat, rhythmic verve and energy were all SoTA but they were before and its the presentation of the music that’s changed...it has this wonderful authenticity and coherence. The music has a more solid structure....there’s simply more of it. More colour, more timbre, more natural depth definition, shape and focus. To use an old cliche, the music sounds like musicians rather than a recording of musicians. The music fills the room, leaving no trace of room or speakers.....The music is very physical...it feels like your whole body is involved in hearing it, rather than just your ears. The music is everything. It completely dominates your conscious being so your whole being just becomes music. Its a phenomenal and highly enjoyable experience 

 

The second day, I had Swiss Radio Classic playing at -40dB to help run in the system. I was finishing an e-mail as I sat down. halfway through the email the bass line caught my attention and the e-mail only got finished after the listening session...essentially rhythm that even when whisper quiet, couldn’t be ignored.  

 

The leading edge of every note is super clean, pure and highly dynamic.  One of the things that tells you you’re listening to a recording is note dynamics. It they’re at all soft, slow or muffled in any way one’s brain instantly identifies the sound as ‘not live’ or ‘not real’.  The system, with this stream of data produces sound that’s closer to a genuine live sound than it is to any recorded sound I’ve heard over the past 45 years. 

 

As the system is running in, I do detect that the system is slightly more incisive than I’d like,  with a slight tension in the presentation making it slightly uptight...always up on its toes. This will mellow in due time but its a remnant of that initial F5 Tornado scenario. 

 

So, to summarize....this upgrade has made my system a lot more thrilling and enjoyable, despite being both those things previously. Its moved in the direction of ‘live’ music. Overall the sound is more ‘solid‘ and ‘sophisticated’ 

The system portrays everything accurately but paints from a very broad palette in that regard. If the recording is hard or edgy, that precisely what you’ll get....but it will sound better from a presentation point of view than its ever sounded before. Some instruments need to feel edgy because that what the real instrument sounds like. Likewise if the sound is honey sweet and deliciously syrupy, you’ll get exactly that. There’s no editorialising that I can identify. None (although the room & speakers almost certainly do have an identity, its so benign and non-intrusive that it comes across as being absent). The system relies entirely on extracting and presenting all the natural, expressive beauty of the music. The system doesn’t wet dry recordings, warm cold recordings or make any adjustments to the sound...it plays exactly what’s in the recording and when you hear it, I’m sure you’ll agree that this degree of completeness, precision, accuracy and purity is exactly what you want.  What the system does do is to put a spring in the music’s step. The music has a joyous feel to it, a powerful ‘mood creating’ ability...its extremely atmospheric and with the right music can sound ethereal and otherworldly.  Effortless, clear, pure, unrestrained, with massive dynamics that at the same time have a complete ease about them. 

So that’s my review of the impact of trio of Sean Jacob’s DC3/4s  

 

But I’m not quite finished. Having said all the above about the impact of 3 power supplies in my network chain, I would just like to remind readers that we’re talking about playing a Qobuz file directly from the Statement’s RAM buffer, with connection to the Network temporarily disabled.  

Also, playing the same track from the Statement’s internal storage (which is also played from the RAM buffer) is exactly at the same level, sonically, so the 3 network data stream power supplies have uplifted local file replay by the same degree they’ve uplifted remotely streamed files.  An observation....no hypothesis to how or why. 

 

 

 

 

Hi Blackmorec,

 

Many thanks for your post. I agree with you, this is exactly the "place' for a post of this type. Thanks for sharing your "novel" solution and related listening experience.

 

Out of curiosity, the Tplink RE650 sold here in the US has a built in AC power supply.  How does your SJ supply connect DC power to it?  Is there a DC power input jack, or did you hack the repeater? What did I miss?

 

Thanks again,

 

Larry

[TheAttorney]

3 hours ago, Blackmorec said:

All power supplies use Nenon’s beautifully made Mundorf Silver/Gold JSSG360 DC cables. 

 

So, is SJ now a Mundorf Silver/Gold convert? Or did he supply this only because you requested it?

 

I'm curious because this would definitely be one of my upgrade requests should I get round to ordering a DC3+ or DC4. It would be good to know if the Silver/Gold DC cables work their magic on the SJ designs as well as they do on just about everything else.

[seeteeyou]

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/30376-a-novel-way-to-massively-improve-the-sq-of-computer-audio-streaming/page/510/?tab=comments#comment-917447  

On 1/13/2019 at 11:32 PM, Blackmorec said:

Afraid I don’t have any pictures or description of how Sean attached the cable. Essentially I dropped off a unit with complete SMPS and mains plug pins removed and picked up a sealed unit with captive DC cable and 5V DC3 supply. 

 

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/55716-innuos-zenith-mk3-or-opticalrendu-separate-server/page/9/?tab=comments#comment-959334

On 5/19/2019 at 5:31 PM, Blackmorec said:

Let’s also look at pricing...a standard RE650 costs in the region of £120. The ‘customised’ or ‘modified off-the-shelf’ unit costs around £150 and several hours to modify, but that’s not the end. Add the improved PS that the extender uses, the better power cord, the anti-vibration rack for the PS and you come up to around £1220 all in.  So now, we’re comparing a £120 extender with a £1220 customised unit.....

 

Maybe adding another €1,250 with Pink Faun Ultra OCXO wouldn't be such a bad idea? Lots of pictures could be found here

 

https://fccid.io/TE7RE650/Internal-Photos/Internal-Photos-3262265

https://fccid.io/TE7RE650/Internal-Photos/Internal-Photos-3262265.pdf