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Linear PSU for NAS & Router

mikeyb said:
plenty info over on Computeraudiophile regarding linear PSU's into Routers and NAS drives with reports of improvement in audio quality.
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Mikey, what would they know about the subject on that forum, they don't sell active DSP speakers... in fact if only they knew the errors of there ways they'd have enough pocket change to buy a pair of £1K stands (or the remote) for some li'll speakers with pretend big boy bass.
 
mikeyb said:
plenty info over on Computeraudiophile regarding linear PSU's into Routers and NAS drives with reports of improvement in audio quality.
Click to expand...
With similar controversy. They also have enthusIastic threads on entreq grounding boxes.
 
You made a big deal of their digital prowesss, then ckaim that the 5v line from the nas is polluting the digital data. That's a shit result then. Surely you can follow that logic.

No I don't own a nas. But I can clearly hear my mouse movements through my dac. Difference is I accept that's flawed dac design.
 
Really don't understand why it's so difficult to comprehend........ what's so difficult to understand in; if you put shit in, you'll still get shit out.
If the source is badly messed up by a shit PSU, no DAC should or could right that wrong.

Like i mentioned in post#2, the SMPS had developed a faint chirping noise, audible from 2-3m away. Maybe it was causing ripples though its own circuits affecting the result, who knows..... Point is the new LPSU is much better and has had a positive sounding result.
 
But your DAC is self powered, you could just use a split USB cable and not connect the power.

Damn site cheaper and less faff than fvcking about with PSUs for a NAS.
 
Not as far as I know, I use a split cable with the audiophilleo (and the Auralic before) without any issues but there may be some funny DACs that need the hand shake but even those you should be able to disconnect the power after.

Just looked at the one I've got and the price seems to have trebled since a few years ago when I bought it.

https://forzaaudioworks.com/en/product.php?id_product=46
 
Somebody please educate me. Is the proposed benefit from changing the PS on a router only if you use a nas? Or would it apply to streamed music as well?

I use a wired connection from my router to a distribution box that then gives wired ethernet connection in all the rooms. My streaming dac is connected to one such ethernet socket.

So for those that believe a new PS for the router improves audio quality, would that apply in my situation as well?
 
indus said:
Somebody please educate me. Is the proposed benefit from changing the PS on a router only if you use a nas? Or would it apply to streamed music as well?

I use a wired connection from my router to a distribution box that then gives wired ethernet connection in all the rooms. My streaming dac is connected to one such ethernet socket.

So for those that believe a new PS for the router improves audio quality, would that apply in my situation as well?
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Changing the PSU on a router absolutely cannot improve the sound of streamed audio.

There is an argument that changing the PSU on a NAS can make a difference as the NAS is just acting as a computer source and could inject noise on the USB bus but I doubt if that is audible IMHO.
 
I agree with TBL on that one. I powered the router via the LPSU because it has dual 12v/2.5a outputs, thus eliminating all SMPS's in the system.
 
Hi Cereal,

I agree that sorting out your power is at the heart of getting good digital sound. For me the big wins were:

Replacing SMPS with R-Core LPSUs, I also use a couple of SBoosters;
Using LT3045s btwn the LPSU and the device to be powered; and
Using CAT7 cables rather than DC cables via PoE adapters.

These things are relatively cheap in HiFi terms and need to be heard in order to be appreciated. If you want to read more:

https://www.usaudiomart.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1465&sid=63e729042989c4be4f22e650bdefad27
http://www.usaudiomart.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1449

M

P.S. I am currently toying with the idea of replacing my front end LPSUs with a three rail Paul Hynes SR7. More serious money, but good power is IME the key.
 
I agree UH, It makes a remarkable difference, and is cheap enough (£50-70) to experiment with before going the whole hog and pumping out a few ton on a decent linear power supply which i just have done! Ordered the Teddy Prado 2x12v/2a LPSU...

I emails Paul too but his lead-in was something like 200 days! and the cost for an SR5 with dual output was £850, no doubt an excellent LPSU but a bit crazy given the context of a £300 NAS which only uses 20w.

The TP LPSU should be with me in a week or so, will have to see if it improves things once again.
 
This is all very bizarre. How exactly does the music reach your DAC from the NAS? I'd assumed this was over ethernet, so are you saying that you believe the different PSU on the NAS is somehow making the ethernet packets come out differently, not wrong, but with some timing differences that make it through the switch (which BTW will receive then re-transmit them, basically re-clocked)?

This is bordering on impossible, so i'd suggest if this is the route of the trouble, powering just your switch with the linear PSU and leaving the NAS on a switched PSU will give you the same benefits (well, ignoring the odd churping sound you say the supply is generating!). It would be interesting to see if this changes things.

BTW, I presume you are running gig ethernet to the player from the switch too. Some info on what is going on wiring wise would also help.

Cesare
 
No i use USB out from the NAS to use roon. But i also use ethernet for streaming with the Audionet app (and also use this for remote duties).
I know it all seams bonkers, i wasnt expecting to hear a difference, i simply bought the LPSU as it was the same price as the genuine QNAP SMPS replacement.

And yes CAT6/ gigabit all the way. Router/switch is a TP-LINK VR900 v2 (AC1900)
 
Ok, that's sounding more complicated than I expected! Problems via USB might come down to earthing/noise on the link, which to be fair would likely change with a PSU swap. It could of course just really indicate that the old PSU was knackered, rather than the new one is better (as in, if you'd replaced it with a working SMPS it would also have sounded better) but that is just speculation.

I'm interested to see what you find if you are going to dig further
 
Ck shoot me your address and I'll make you up a certified usb cable with a switch to break the 5v line. Let me know length and sockets required at each end.
 
Thanks for the heads up on this LPS, just ordered one myself for the router and the NAS, I’ll let you know what effect it has when it’s up and running
 
And theres me planning on using a wallwart smps to power a valve phono stage... which then steps up the voltage via another SMPS inside the phono stage.. I wonder if I'll see "I replaced the wallwart with a linear supply..." from people.... Quite common for there to be multiple further SMPS point of load supplies inside of all sorts of equipment BTW...
 
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