SOTM tX-USBultra impressions

[austinpop]

3 hours ago, str-1 said:

What I am less clear about is the value of upgrading the tX-U's internal wiring (the eABS upgrade at just under £20 seems a no-brainer).  I don't suppose many will have heard both wiring upgrades (UPOCC copper and UPOCC silver).  But if anyone has some comments to offer on what they found in upgrading from standard wiring to one or other of these, I would be most grateful.  I'm wondering if the differences between the two are mostly tonal or whether there is more to it than that.  Thanks.

 

These are not the droids, er, wiring upgrades, you're looking for, but FWIW: 

 

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/30376-a-novel-way-to-massively-improve-the-sq-of-computer-audio-streaming/?do=findComment&comment=839327

 

Do you know exactly what SOtM is offering wrt wiring upgrades? Remember, there are different "wires":

1. wire from BNC reference clock connector on rear panel to the sCLK-EX board - either U.FL or MCX connectors, depending on whether you're 50Ω or 75Ω.
2. up to 3 wires from SMB connectors on rear panel to the corresponding U.FL connectors on the sCLK-EX board for the 3 available clock points on the sCLK-EX board
3. one U.FL to U.FL wire internally, from the sCLK-EX board to the tX-USB's internal clock input.

My experiment (shamelessly copying @elan120) was only to replace the existing cheap (and long) wires with new shorter, but still cheap, wires. If anything, I would expect the UPOCC silver wires to be the more likely benefit, given what we've heard with silver Habst cables from the Ref-10 to the tX-U.

 

Just curious: what is the price of the wire upgrades?

[auricgoldfinger]

3 hours ago, str-1 said:

What I am less clear about is the value of upgrading the tX-U's internal wiring (the eABS upgrade at just under £20 seems a no-brainer).  I don't suppose many will have heard both wiring upgrades (UPOCC copper and UPOCC silver).  But if anyone has some comments to offer on what they found in upgrading from standard wiring to one or other of these, I would be most grateful.  I'm wondering if the differences between the two are mostly tonal or whether there is more to it than that.  Thanks.

 

I did the eABS-200 myself in my tX-U and can confirm there is a perceptible improvement in SQ.  Given the price, it is a no-brainer.

 

I have never seen an independent comparison of the upgraded copper vs. silver upgrades.  I have silver wire in all of my SOtM devices.  I believe SOtM uses stranded copper or silver for the upgrades.  I would guess that the amount of wire involved is minimal, and I believe the AWG is high.  If cost is a concern, I would do the copper UPOCC upgrade and invest the difference in an Audio Sensibility silver DC cable.  If silver wire is an interest, I believe you will get a lot more bang for your buck with that approach.  (Audio Sensibility also makes a 16 AWG copper cable, which I have not heard.  @mozes favorite DC cable is a 14 AWG copper cable.  I am not sure of the source.)

 

Generally, I have found high quality silver wire offers a big improvement in transparency, detail, and sound stage as compared to copper wire.  I am not bothered by any changes in tonality, but I can understand how others may prefer copper.  I suppose it's a personal thing. 

[austinpop]

Also - please confirm if the wire upgrades offered even apply to the internal clock cables. I can’t dig up a reference, but I have a recollection of somebody saying the wire upgrades didn’t apply to the clock cables.

 

i could be wrong.

[auricgoldfinger]

I don't believe the wire upgrades include the internal clock cables.  They look to me like the standard generic version.

[Tommd64]

Most of the combinations are sold without the clock connection. Its an opportunity to compere with the dac clock or with rthe external Sotm 3000 dollar one. But the SQ with the sms 200 standaard transfers to high end  SQ with a Tx-usb extra as i personally noticed. The SOtM 200 ultra makes a somewhat difference. The clock of the txusb ultra is the same as SOtM 200 ultra although said, it makes a serious improvement to use both of them.

[Tommd64]

Perhaps May Park( SOtM) can react on this issue..

[str-1]

4 hours ago, austinpop said:

 

These are not the droids, er, wiring upgrades, you're looking for, but FWIW: 

 

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/30376-a-novel-way-to-massively-improve-the-sq-of-computer-audio-streaming/?do=findComment&comment=839327

 

Do you know exactly what SOtM is offering wrt wiring upgrades? Remember, there are different "wires":

1. wire from BNC reference clock connector on rear panel to the sCLK-EX board - either U.FL or MCX connectors, depending on whether you're 50Ω or 75Ω.
2. up to 3 wires from SMB connectors on rear panel to the corresponding U.FL connectors on the sCLK-EX board for the 3 available clock points on the sCLK-EX board
3. one U.FL to U.FL wire internally, from the sCLK-EX board to the tX-USB's internal clock input.

My experiment (shamelessly copying @elan120) was only to replace the existing cheap (and long) wires with new shorter, but still cheap, wires. If anything, I would expect the UPOCC silver wires to be the more likely benefit, given what we've heard with silver Habst cables from the Ref-10 to the tX-U.

 

Just curious: what is the price of the wire upgrades?

Thanks.  Yes, I remember reading your comments on the internal clock cable change.  

 

I discussed possibilities with May at SOtM back in April when I was first considering placing an order to upgrade my tX-U and buy an OCX-10, and she said they could fit the shorter 20cm cables if I wanted.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t go ahead with the order at that time.

 

As for the copper/silver wiring upgrades availabe when ordering a tX-U, this is only for the internal dc leads.  The details and pricing May sent me were as follows:

 

-      Change internal dc cables to 7N UPOCC silver wire : USD150(MSRP)

-      Change the internal dc cable to 7N UPOCC copper wire : USD130(MSRP)

-      Add eABS-200 : USD20(MSRP)

 

[str-1]

3 hours ago, auricgoldfinger said:

If cost is a concern, I would do the copper UPOCC upgrade and invest the difference in an Audio Sensibility silver DC cable.  If silver wire is an interest, I believe you will get a lot more bang for your buck with that approach. 

Thanks.  I’ve already got that side of things covered as the Paul Hynes SR4 powering my tX-U came with Paul’s silver dc cable.

[austinpop]

33 minutes ago, str-1 said:

Thanks.  Yes, I remember reading your comments on the internal clock cable change.  

 

I discussed possibilities with May at SOtM back in April when I was first considering placing an order to upgrade my tX-U and buy an OCX-10, and she said they could fit the shorter 20cm cables if I wanted.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t go ahead with the order at that time.

 

As for the copper/silver wiring upgrades availabe when ordering a tX-U, this is only for the internal dc leads.  The details and pricing May sent me were as follows:

 

-      Change internal dc cables to 7N UPOCC silver wire : USD150(MSRP)

-      Change the internal dc cable to 7N UPOCC copper wire : USD130(MSRP)

-      Add eABS-200 : USD20(MSRP)

 

 

I too use silver DC leads. Unlike analog interconnects, I don't find silver in digital cables to add brightness at all - in fact, quite the opposite.

 

Just based on our experience with silver DC cables, I'd go with the silver wire upgrade, if it were me.

 

Too bad there aren't silver cables with U.FL connectors, because our experience with Habst silver BNC cables would suggest there's value in using silver there too.

[mozes]

5 hours ago, auricgoldfinger said:

mozes favorite DC cable is a 14 AWG copper cable.  I am not sure of the source

My source is Steven from Audiosensibility

[str-1]

With a number of very highly respected CA posters attesting to the value of upgrading to Evox caps in the sCLK-OCX10 I am wondering what such an upgrade might do for the tX-USBultra.  Does anyone have experience of upgrading the caps in the tX-U?

[beautiful music]

If i have the tX-USBUltra with 50ohm can i move the U.FL connector in an internal board from 50 to 75ohm in order to use outside master clock with 75ohm?

 

Or Should i send it to SOtM to make this modification?

 

 

[johndoe21ro]

Any thoughts about ISORegen vs tX-USBUltra?

[Tommd64]

Tx usb ultra for sure, compared with the Iso more refined, better musical control. But also more expensive. Please go and cheq it yourself..

[marce]

On 10/9/2018 at 2:03 PM, beautiful music said:

If i have the tX-USBUltra with 50ohm can i move the U.FL connector in an internal board from 50 to 75ohm in order to use outside master clock with 75ohm?

 

Or Should i send it to SOtM to make this modification?

 

 

50R is best for the clock from beginning to end, you cant have a 75R cable in the middle.

[oilpaint]

I have a tXUSBUltra and one of the USB inputs has broken - the little white plastic piece inside the port broke off. There are two USB inputs so I have been using the other one without issue. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this??

[Tommd64]

No problems here..

[auricgoldfinger]

23 minutes ago, oilpaint said:

I have a tXUSBUltra and one of the USB inputs has broken - the little white plastic piece inside the port broke off. There are two USB inputs so I have been using the other one without issue. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this??

 

I had that problem with my micro Rendu (twice).  USB ports can be delicate.

[oilpaint]

Anyone know whether it is covered under warranty?

[Tommd64]

Most of the time if its a mechanical failure; it isn,t covered by warrenty unless its very recently bough. I suggest you ask your dealer what to do next or write to May Park ( SOtM S-Korea) they are very reasonable..Perhaps you can upgrade you Tx usb with better cable at the same time..

[str-1]

A question to those with some experience of taking the board out of the tX-U (for whatever reason), or any similarform SOtM device.  In putting the board back in, how have you secured it to the chassis? 

 

Looking inside my tX-U I see that the board is held securely in place with blobs of some kind of plastic material.  I am assuming these blobs are no longer usable when the board is removed so I am wondering how best to re-secure the board if I ever had reason to take it out.  Thanks in advance for any advice.

[beautiful music]

Curious to know how it looks like the Evox Caps inside tx-USBUltra?

[elan120]

3 hours ago, str-1 said:

A question to those with some experience of taking the board out of the tX-U (for whatever reason), or any similarform SOtM device.  In putting the board back in, how have you secured it to the chassis? 

 

Looking inside my tX-U I see that the board is held securely in place with blobs of some kind of plastic material.  I am assuming these blobs are no longer usable when the board is removed so I am wondering how best to re-secure the board if I ever had reason to take it out.  Thanks in advance for any advice.

The blobs of plastic material is hot glue, they can be loosened or removed by rubbing alcohal.  To remove the board, you can either carefully loosen the hot glues on the board side by soaking small amount of alcohal, but careful not to loosen them from the case, this way, board can be re-inserted back into the hot glue blobs.  The other way would be remove the hot glues altogether and then re-apply them when boards are put back.

[str-1]

On 4/7/2019 at 3:47 PM, elan120 said:

The blobs of plastic material is hot glue, they can be loosened or removed by rubbing alcohal.  To remove the board, you can either carefully loosen the hot glues on the board side by soaking small amount of alcohal, but careful not to loosen them from the case, this way, board can be re-inserted back into the hot glue blobs.  The other way would be remove the hot glues altogether and then re-apply them when boards are put back.

Thanks for the advice about the hot glue but I now realise that that you do not need to take the board out to remove the jumper to convert to 12v.  It’s there within easy reach when you remove the front faceplate.  

[johndoe21ro]

On 12/20/2018 at 7:19 PM, Tommd64 said:

Tx usb ultra for sure, compared with the Iso more refined, better musical control. But also more expensive. Please go and cheq it yourself..

Sorry but I can't check it. Can you be more descriptive? Thanks!