The true experimental tweak thread

[Cornan]

8 minutes ago, tapatrick said:

In a few weeks time when I get everything optimised: with short cables, emi shielded etc and in a metal enclosure I will do a proper comparison with the Bluewave. 

?

 

Great! ? Make sure to use your best power supply for the BluWave Spdif output. Gophert>HPULNs>LPS-1.2 (5v) really makes BluWave shine at that spot. I might even try my last HC-HPULN there instead of using it to power my Aries Mini. ?

[lmitche]

45 minutes ago, Cornan said:

 

Great! ? Make sure to use your best power supply for the BluWave Spdif output. Gophert>HPULNs>LPS-1.2 (5v) really makes BluWave shine at that spot. I might even try my last HC-HPULN there instead of using it to power my Aries Mini. ?

Cornan, You may want to try the 3 amp lt3045s after the lps-1.2, not before. I'd add one, listen , and then add another. Larry

[ted_b]

Larry, as I read it he tried both ways...before it (in series) and after it, and liked them better in series.

[Cornan]

15 minutes ago, lmitche said:

Cornan, You may want to try the 3 amp lt3045s after the lps-1.2, not before. I'd add one, listen , and then add another. Larry

 

I did already! ⬆️ Sounds better with two pre LPS-1.2. One HPULN post LPS-1.2 sounded great but a tiny bit foggy on certain tracks. Might be better without rectifiers though? I might try the HC-HPULN after just to see if it improves further. There seem to be a lot to gain from a good feeder supply for LPS-1.2. 

[lmitche]

5 minutes ago, Cornan said:

There seem to be a lot to gain from a good feeder supply for LPS-1.2.

 

Those are very good words, reflect long and hard about them my friend!

[Cornan]

7 minutes ago, lmitche said:

 

Those are very good words, reflect long and hard about them my friend!

 

I do, I do, I do! ?

[Cornan]

Next up I decided to change out this

 

 

to this

 

 

The chain goes like this: Gophert csp-3205II 16v>HC-HPULN 15v>Aries Mini

 

Suddenly it sounds more easy going and relaxed. Less tense sort of. Shoulders down and the ears is just listening to the music and I feel less analythic about the SQ. Bass notes rounder and smoother. Feels like it needs a bit if burn-in since the higher frequencies are a tiny bit duller and less airy compared to the series LT3045s that feels crispier. I will keep on playing with it to see if the sound loosen up. I do like everything else about it! ?

[Cornan]

Since I am in the experimenting mood I thought I just quickly add a LT3045 1A/15v in series with HC-HPULN to see how that turns out.

 

 

Quite a surprice this actually sounds better than LT3045 1A in series. The dullnes is totally gone. The air is back. A more nuanced sound are emerging from the dark. Like it a lot! No need for burn-in either! ?

[sandyk]

1 hour ago, Cornan said:

Since I am in the experimenting mood I thought I just quickly add a LT3045 1A/15v in series with HC-HPULN to see how that turns out.

 

 

Quite a surprice this actually sounds better than LT3045 1A in series. The dullnes is totally gone. The air is back. A more nuanced sound are emerging from the dark. Like it a lot! No need for burn-in either! ?

 I can do exactly the same by mixing and matching the types of parallel electrolytic capacitors in the Capacitance multiplier section of the JLH PSU add-on. e.g. 2 parallel normal generic 4,700uF sound a little dull. A 4700uF normal type in parallel with a selected Low ESR 4,700uF ( the actual ESR value is critical, and a Panasonic FC works well there) can  get it almost perfect.

2 parallel 4700uF Low ESR are way too detailed, with a billowy soundstage and hard sounding. 

Adding a parallel normal10,000uF to increase the JLHs simulated capacitance to the normal + low ESR combo gives an awesome low end, but unbalances the overall tonal balance.

 

Once you have the noise gone, the types and values of the filter capacitors used at the various locations set how it will sound.

This is where the magic comes from, not the regulator itself once you are rid of the noise.

[Cornan]

15 minutes ago, sandyk said:

 I can do exactly the same by mixing and matching the types of parallel electrolytic capacitors in the Capacitance multiplier section of the JLH PSU add-on. e.g. 2 parallel normal generic 4,700uF sound a little dull. A 4700uF normal type in parallel with a selected Low ESR 4,700uF ( the actual ESR value is critical, and a Panasonic FC works well there) can  get it almost perfect.

2 parallel 4700uF Low ESR are way too detailed, with a billowy soundstage and hard sounding. 

Adding a parallel normal10,000uF to increase the JLHs simulated capacitance to the normal + low ESR combo gives an awesome low end, but unbalances the overall tonal balance.

 

Once you have the noise gone, the types and values of the filter capacitors used at the various locations set how it will sound.

This is where the magic comes from, not the regulator itself once you are rid of the noise.

 

Yes, I do suspect that the improved polymer caps of the HC-HPULN is a reason for that combo to sound better than LT3045 1A boards in series in my setup. Maybe that combo of wound aluminium and tantalum polymer caps is a winner in my setup? Hard to know really, but I will keep it this way for now! ?

[tapatrick]

15 hours ago, Cornan said:

 

Great! ? Make sure to use your best power supply for the BluWave Spdif output. Gophert>HPULNs>LPS-1.2 (5v) really makes BluWave shine at that spot. I might even try my last HC-HPULN there instead of using it to power my Aries Mini. ?

Of course Micael, I always do ...

 

[Cornan]

1 hour ago, tapatrick said:

Of course Micael, I always do ...

 

 

I know you do, but the 5v Spdif output of the BluWave is just perticularly sensitive to clean power IME. Being the last frontier to the DAC it matter much more than the input power of the BluWave board. 

[Cornan]

I can clearly say that my three HC-HPULN have contributed to truly magical music moments since last night. Just about anything I listen to now sounds plainly amazing. Any album sounds like fairy dust have been poured over it. Good or bad recording is just so much better. It is alive. It is glowing. It is kicking. It gives me goose bumps. I am drawn into the wonderful world of the music. Just the way I want it! 

 

As as soon as I have got my additional LT3045 boards from Alexey I will start comparing LPS1.2 to HC-HPULN in series. I will also make additional efforts to add LT3045s pre LPS-1.2 to see if series LT3045 will pump in some additional fairy dust. More about this later! ?

[tims]

Hi Cornan

 

I'm going to try my ISO Regen with the the Blu-Wave board but only have one decent LPS to feed both. 

Lucian, (if I understood him correctly) told me the maximum voltage I could feed the Spdif side (on the Blu-Wave board) is 5.5vdc so as you have the same setup (IR > BW), would you know if I could also supply the IR with 5.5vdc using a Y cable to feed both from my LPS?

 

Thanks

[Cornan]

6 minutes ago, tims said:

Hi Cornan

 

I'm going to try my ISO Regen with the the Blu-Wave board but only have one decent LPS to feed both. 

Lucian, (if I understood him correctly) told me the maximum voltage I could feed the Spdif side (on the Blu-Wave board) is 5.5vdc so as you have the same setup (IR > BW), would you know if I could also supply the IR with 5.5vdc using a Y cable to feed both from my LPS?

 

Thanks

 

Hi tims!

 

That’s awesome! IR>BW is a really great combo! ?

If IR is supplying USB power to the BW board 5.5v will probably not be enough for IR since it will need to supply 5v USB power to the BW. Minimum 6v is needed AFAIK. It could be worth a try, but be prepared that it might not work. You can actually power BW Spdif side with a simple power bank and IR with your LPS. It will last for a long time and will sound just great.

 

[agladstone]

2 hours ago, tims said:

Hi Cornan

 

I'm going to try my ISO Regen with the the Blu-Wave board but only have one decent LPS to feed both. 

Lucian, (if I understood him correctly) told me the maximum voltage I could feed the Spdif side (on the Blu-Wave board) is 5.5vdc so as you have the same setup (IR > BW), would you know if I could also supply the IR with 5.5vdc using a Y cable to feed both from my LPS?

 

Thanks

Maybe you could do 7V out of LPS-1 to a split Y DC cable and then one side it DC into IR and then the other side of DC use a step down regulator like the LT3045 or similar to step that side down to 5.5V for your BW ?? 

[Cornan]

4 hours ago, agladstone said:

Maybe you could do 7V out of LPS-1 to a split Y DC cable and then one side it DC into IR and then the other side of DC use a step down regulator like the LT3045 or similar to step that side down to 5.5V for your BW ?? 

 

Yes, that would surely work! Set LPS to 6v ti feed IR and add a 5v/500mA LT3045 on the BW DC leg! ???

[tapatrick]

On 16/04/2018 at 4:38 AM, Cornan said:

 

Yes, that would surely work! Set LPS to 6v ti feed IR and add a 5v/500mA LT3045 on the BW DC leg! ???

I run my IR and Bluewave both with 5V, in my system the IR sounds best with 5V..

[Cornan]

16 minutes ago, tapatrick said:

I run my IR and Bluewave both with 5V, in my system the IR sounds best with 5V..

 

Then it is probably worth a shot. I only know that my original Regen never worked with 5v when I tried.

 

BTW. Check out the post from Lucian on the DiyAudio thread. You might be interested in his test version USB isolation device!  

[tims]

7 hours ago, tapatrick said:

I run my IR and Bluewave both with 5V, in my system the IR sounds best with 5V..

Hi tapatrick

 

Do you have the IR directly before the Bluewave in your setup?  If so, no problems with the Bluewave drawing to much current (on the USB side) from the IR?

 

Thanks

[tims]

1 hour ago, tims said:

Hi tapatrick

 

Do you have the IR directly before the Bluewave in your setup?  If so, no problems with the Bluewave drawing to much current (on the USB side) from the IR?

 

Thanks

Done a bit more reading about supplying the IR with 5v.

John Swenson wrote that if the IR's VBUS supplies anything, then the voltage supplying the IR must be higher than 5v. 

So, if I wanted to use 5v to the IR, then I must use a split USB cable on the output side of the IR to feed the Bluwave it's 5v (via the split USB cable) - have I got this right?

 

Thanks.

[Cornan]

14 hours ago, tims said:

Done a bit more reading about supplying the IR with 5v.

John Swenson wrote that if the IR's VBUS supplies anything, then the voltage supplying the IR must be higher than 5v. 

So, if I wanted to use 5v to the IR, then I must use a split USB cable on the output side of the IR to feed the Bluwave it's 5v (via the split USB cable) - have I got this right?

 

Thanks.

 

That is pretty much how I would think it would be as well, but since @tapatrick have tried this IRL it might be best if he answer that perticular question. I have not tried to power my ISO Regen with 5v (yet). If I did I would use USB power injection for sure since it seems unlikely that ISO Regen powered with 5v could provide 5v to the connected device incl its own power requirements. That means yet another PSU or BPS though if you want to do it properly. Otherwise using a LT3045 at the BW DC leg is a good option since you will power IR with 6v and BW Spdif out with a clean 5v. However, if I where you I would just buy a cheap powerbank and feed the BW spdif output until you buy another LPS for it. I have tried and it sounds just great. Only bettered with Gophert csp-3205II>2x HPULN>LPS-1.2 which cost a lot more. Remember that a DC Y-split have problems of its own.

[tapatrick]

1 hour ago, Cornan said:

 

That is pretty much how I would think it would be as well, but since @tapatrick have tried this IRL it might be best if he answer that perticular question. I have not tried to power my ISO Regen with 5v (yet). If I did I would use USB power injection for sure since it seems unlikely that ISO Regen powered with 5v could provide 5v to the connected device incl its own power requirements. That means yet another PSU or BPS though if you want to do it properly. Otherwise using a LT3045 at the BW DC leg is a good option since you will power IR with 6v and BW Spdif out with a clean 5v. However, if I where you I would just buy a cheap powerbank and feed the BW spdif output until you buy another LPS for it. I have tried and it sounds just great. Only bettered with Gophert csp-3205II>2x HPULN>LPS-1.2 which cost a lot more. Remember that a DC Y-split have problems of its own.

hi @Cornan & @tims  I feed my IR with clean 5v on a split Ghent USB cable and the isolated side of the BW with another clean 5v (both with in series 7.5>5v LT3045s with added Elna Silmic Caps and ferret beads on output wires. An USPBCis between the IR and BW. Everything works well and has done for many months. IR definitely sounds better at 5v.

Cheers!

[Cornan]

24 minutes ago, tapatrick said:

hi @Cornan & @tims  I feed my IR with clean 5v on a split Ghent USB cable and the isolated side of the BW with another clean 5v (both with in series 7.5>5v LT3045s with added Elna Silmic Caps and ferret beads on output wires. An USPBCis between the IR and BW. Everything works well and has done for many months. IR definitely sounds better at 5v.

Cheers!

 

So this means that your PSU is set to something like 9v right? So you are using a DC Y-split to power both SO Regen and BW Spdif output? Will not that make BW:s galvanic isolation useless since it will share the same PSU with ISO Regen? 

[tapatrick]

1 hour ago, Cornan said:

 

So this means that your PSU is set to something like 9v right? So you are using a DC Y-split to power both SO Regen and BW Spdif output? Will not that make BW:s galvanic isolation useless since it will share the same PSU with ISO Regen? 

Sorry, to clarify I have 3 different PSUs ? IR power 5v, IR USB 5v and BW 5v...

when I said split Ghent cable I meant the USB data and power split. 

 

I keep changing my set up as I’m experimenting with other source DIY inputs. I’m so happy with my SR4 I ordered another one. And find it doesn’t need LT3045s after it as I couldn’t tell the difference.