How to upgrade your streamer/DAC

[@barlow2976]

A million thanks Tarun. I am Mr Budget, all my gear is used, or in the case of my CD, vintage. I have a WiiM Pro Plus and go coax out to my Mojo, and from there to my Denon PMA600ne.Through my Br03 speakers I could hear my shower pump, commercial freezer and the compressor in the barn come on- both are quite large old-school motors and must draw a lot of current on start up.Annoying, but liveable with, especially after switching the compressor off. I didn't realise there was other noise 'on the line' until I got my (love or hate them) Grados- my ATH M50x didn't reveal it. Just plugged in a iPower 2 to feed the WiiM PP, and wow, it has totally opened everything up, I'm over the moon, best £70 spent within my 'system'. Coming from humble beginnings I was delighted with my sound before, and can't believe it has improved it so much. I'm not even going to piss my wife off by asking her to keep switching the power lead over, so sure am I of what I'm hearing.On the strength of that I've also ordered the power strip What HiFi awarded a prize to, another cheap buy at forty quid.Now I need to ask my sparks why the barn ring is heard on my house ring, here in West Wales things can be primitive! You and Hans (who also specifically recommended my solution) are doing a great job, easy to listen to and concise. David over at AudioMasterclass is also a very amusing, but informative channel. How lucky we are.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Barlow. Great to learn about your experiences 😊👍

[@justinsugay1149]

As a scientist, I really appreciate how methodical your presentation of your arguments were in a well articulated video with timely visuals and keeping any possible bias to a minimum. It lends you to come across with higher credibility for me and sound advice (no pun intended). Well done! This is much appreciated and I found it to be both educational and helpful. Thank you!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Justin. You have pretty much summed up my approach. I appreciate you watching and your support 😊👍👍

[@alanlee2516]

Great advice Tarun. After watching your review, I decided to purchase the iFi iPower. I was a little skeptical, but for $50 I was willing to give it a shot. When I received the iPower I listened to a couple of selections before connecting it to my Topping D50s DAC. After replacing the old 5v power connector with the iPower I was astounded at the difference it made to my listening experience. Best $50 I ever spent. Thank you.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Alan, great to hear about your experiences. Thank you for sharing. It is reading comments like yours that makes doing the Is channel worthwhile. 😉👍

[@jurgenschleicher8724]

Had the same expiriences since using the ifi's for a RPi 3B+ - based streamer running volumio and an MusicalFidelity V-DAC Gen.1! More bass, more room, sound is clearer! Perfect job done!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jürgen. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@andrelevesque9758]

You are absolutely right sir. I bought the Innuos LPSU to go with my Zen Mini mk.III. Whew, what an awesome improvement! The difference is far from subtle.The music is now from "one cloth", more realistic than ever.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing your experiences André 😉👍

[@tomspanyol5532]

Great video, I have had the MCRU linear power supplies for my turntable and Chord 2qute for a while - best value upgrades to my system. Now I understand a lot more about why this is from watching your very informative video - thanks!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Tom 😊👍

[@carminedesanto6746]

Greetings from Toronto. I just picked up the Topping E50 DAC …and everyone is saying ( because it’s a usb powered unit ..5v 1A ) ..this is a very and informative video. Thank you.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 👍

[@lorindamikaela]

Hi Tarun, well done sir on your explanation of your personal experience. You are a joy to listen to because of your demeanor and well thought out and careful presentation. I am a word man, meaning I listen to every word a person says in a conversation and can pick a lie or a lack of understanding of a topic. You Tarun know and research your topics well and have the unique ability to then explain in layman terms your findings in such a way that even I can understand and be convinced to then go and spend money. Personally I do not stream music but I use a DAP [Hiby R6] which uses a micro SD card loaded with your own music although it can be used as a streamer. Keep up the great content and thank you for all your hard work behind the scenes that we do not see in recording and re-recording and editing that would take a considerable amount of your personal time to put together. Kind Regards.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Mr Australia. I do try my best to try and get the balance right between technical content and keeping things simple and understandable. Thank you for your kind words of support 😉👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 😉👍

[@charlesclifton5896]

Well done Tarun - another skillfully constructed video. Educational, interesting, and well presented.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Charles. I appreciate your support 😉👍

[@mikeconnell698]

To be clear, linear power supplies have large current pulses and switching going on too. In a linear power supply, as current is drawn, the full wave or bridge rectifiers switch on and off. Their job is in to charge the following capacitive input filter that provides the DC output voltage to the equipment. These current spikes that go thru the rectifiers can be quite high and produce harmonics which radiate into the equipment. In a switch mode power supply that is well designed, the shielding requirements can be quite a bit lower compared to a linear supply. It all depends on how well the designer has taken these factors into consideration for both types of supplies.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Mike 😊👍

[@morespinach9832]

Thanks for the science. But still have to meet a streamer that isn’t significantly improved by LPS. From Node to Lindemann to Lumin.

[@SpaceXForce]

Well said. LPS is not always better than a SMPS. I've tested this in networking with indisputable results. You also don't always get what you pay for. TESTING IS EVERYTHING. Test and retest and choose what's best for you.

[@christopherstorrier5560]

I personaly find some SWPS can work fine if designed well...i use an Ifi 5v SMPS & it made a notable improvement when compaired to the PC's 5v power feed...it is plugged in to a Tascima power supply which defo improves sound quality...£70 for the Ifi power supply & £35 for a Tascima 6 socket power strip...no point in spending £100's on a linear supply as i cannot hear any difference ...the Ifi 5v is good & the Tascima board is a hifi bargain...you've had some neat speakers lately Tarun.. nice

[@mkcraghead]

As usual, your reviews are always great and very informative. Thanks for the effort that you put into your craft.

[@ypereitsma5142]

Recently swapped my Nirvana smps for an SBooster linear power supply and its a great improvement in soundscape, far more natural sounding, less harsh and better stereo image. The streamer is an Allo Boss2. The Nirvana is still used for feeding the RPi while the SBooster delivers dedicated power to the soundcard with dac. So good advice on this channel in my opinion!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@ypereitsma5142 thank you 😊

[@IronHorsey3]

Very good job here. Was generally not receptive to this idea but then tried a battery powered device into a RME ADI-2 FS and well, wanted not to think it mattered but it really does. It amplified everything you said but the difference in my big tube monoblocks was not small. Combined with the ADI-2, the benefits are stunning and not to the small degree you described with your streamer. I think it took the RME to a whole other level. YMMV. Nice work sharing your findings. Thanks.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Roman 😊👍

[@mrpmj00]

0. Upgrade the streaming source to lossless like Apple Music (don't use compressed Spotify). 1. I upgraded my Eversolo DMP-A6's power supply to the linear supply by Beatechnik. 2. The Cardas Clear USB cable sounds even better than the already great freebie cable from my Eversolo DMP-A6. --- The Cardas Parsec RCA cable sounds even better than my already great WorldsBestCable (using Mogami 2549 and Neutrik connector). The iFi SilentPower Supanova (with noise cancelling) improved the sound quality objectively when it made the speaker buzz go away! The Micca speaker wires improved my sound quality.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thx for sharing 😊

[@lukerabin5079]

I applaud your care and consideration with maintaining standards, but it sounds to me that a better power supply might just improve the performance of a great many other mid range components. Thanks for the work, and as always, you adherence to standards is greatly appreciated.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Than, you Luke. I appreciate you watching and your support 😊👍

[@RJ_Chicago]

Tarun, I watched this video again. I very much agree with you regarding the sonic benefits of providing optimal power to our audio components. Well done.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Richard 😊👍

[@tonybalm1513]

You raise some very good points about power supplies. A lot of people think switched mode power supplies are relatively new. They have been around for a long time I remember my late father repairing them back in the 1970's he hated them. They were used inside televisions for stepping voltages up as well as down. Many of them used to go faulty quite often or disappear in a cloud of smoke!!! They were built very well considering but used to run very hot. The quality was far better than the rubbish that comes out of China now day's. Modern switched modes don't just spew crap down the mains they cause interference across the radio spectrum as well. My other hobby is amateur radio and I can tell you that most of the H.F band 0-30 MHz is full of noise generated by these modern devices. I can't hear anything below 5 MHz 60 metres because of noise!!!! You don't very often see switched mode power supplies in broadcast desks (mixers) they are linear ones in separate boxes rack mounted. The main reason switched mode power supplies are so popular is they are cheap to produce do to the high price of copper.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing your experiences Tony. My father-in-law is a Radio Am. he had to replace a number of SMPS in his house for the exact reasons you describe. He doesn’t even own a hifi system. 😉👍

[@neiltal5992]

Just upgraded my Node 2i’s power board to a custom 5v dc board (paired with a 5v battery power bank). Significant audible improvement- thanks for the tips.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing Neil 😉👍

[@benoitdugas745]

hi Neil can you please tell me what exactly you did I have the Node 2i as well and would like to upgrade also ( what did you use ) here is my email [e-mail] thanks.

[@njrumenos]

Are you using the DAC inside the 2i or bypassing to an external DAC? I specifically use the node as a steamer transport only and using an external DAC, trying to clarify if a Linear power supply is still worth while using on the node for this purpose

[@brandonburr4900]

Very professional video. I agree that power supplies do indeed make a difference with streamers, dacs, preamps etc. When making something to a price point power supplies seem to get overlooked. Like you said, the caveat is you need a resolving enough system to notice these differences. I have seen those British made power supplies on ebay for years and almost pulled the trigger a few times. I have a chance islands external power supply for my microrendu in the same price range. Their are some more pricey ones out there that will raise the performance more. Not shilling for Upton here in the states but they make some excellent supercapacitor power supplies for streamers as well. Supposed to be even better at rejecting ac noise back into the system. They offer flexibility with different voltages as well. Once you experience a good power supply you won't go back to the cheap ones again . Thanks!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Brandon, I totally agree with you. I think your experiences pretty much mirror my own. Thank you for watching and sharing 😉👍

[@Johny666EU]

ive got couple dacs including network devices like denon ns730 or pioneer n-50a which are great devices but with a time some features are come up and it makes those devices a bit obsolete (streaming services) so as a result after trying couple different usb dacs i end up with iFi V2 dac and i was happy with possibilities, but the sound still wasn’t that great as denon or pioneer mention before. thinks has change since i bought iFi iPower X power supply and im amazed how big different of the sound is. dynamics, low noise, clarity and now it become my main dac for network streaming like amazon music (premium). as i conclusion i must say any dac without decent external power supply will not work properly and good psu can shows up real dac potential.

[@Kbaum752]

Great discussion on power supplies. I added the IFI plug to my allo digione/pi that feeds my well loved dacmagic. It was like upgrading my DAC, every observation you made was spot on.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Alan 😊👍

[@BoredSilly666]

I'm 1 week into using my 1st ever Linear Power Supply. I bought a Sbooster 5v to try with my Qutest. It has made a Fantastic difference to an already good DAC. Its like having a new DAC, I'm really pleased I finally tried one after reading about them for a year or so. Great Improvement. : )

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎 thank you for sharing 😊

[@BoredSilly666]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I agree with everything you say about Soundstage, Depth, Imagining, Punch and Attack are much better. Better bass transients with better tone and realism. Next purchase is a Streaming transport like a sms-200 or Limetree bridge to pass Qobuz to my Qutest. Once I have a new streamer as Im only using my Laptop and Audivana Studio just now, I will certainly consider and LPS for my Streamer as well. Im already looking into seeing if I can get a LPS for my Nvidia Shield.

[@andrewwebb4635]

Fire on, fire off, fire on again! It seems like one video but it must have been made in at least three sessions. Very informative and interesting as usual. I’d no idea power supplies could make such an improvement till Tarun’s recent videos. I trust him more than most on KZbin who often seem to have a promotional approach. Thank you again for simply explained yet reasonable technical explanations.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Andrew, if I recall the fire went out in between takes and I didn’t notice straight away 😂 Thank you for watching. Your support is very much appreciated 😊👍

[@andrewwebb4635]

Your videos are very much appreciated! Both you and Hans Beekhuizen always provide technical background to your reviews and opinions.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@andrewwebb4635 thank you Andrew. Very kind and flattering to be compared to Hans 😊👍

[@Gabster1]

Excellent video so many audiophiles don’t put enough attention to clean power nice to bring awareness to this subject.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊👍

[@GShockWatchFan.]

Balanced advice as always especially from 14:50 onwards

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@GShockWatchFan. thx 😊

[@christophschuermann7920]

Thank you, well done (and without any snake lubricants !) The correct terms for the performance of a Regulator are line-&load-regulation and most importend is the graph over frequency, that are shown by serious datasheets from the various manufacturers.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Christoph 😊👍

[@fletchermunson6225]

Good advice Tarun. I had been using a Bluesound 3rd gun Node as a steamer into my DAC. I was happy until I tried the PD Creative modification converting it to an outboard LPS. The change in sound quality was very noticeable and gratifying. Detail retrieval, comprehension of lyrics, sound stage, overall nuance and tone improved. The internal board is about $100 and arrived in the US in a week from Poland. My 115/5v outboard power supply from China via Ebay for an additional $100 took too weeks. (If you are not on 115v, PD sells their own power supply so recommended for UK and EU users) Accomplishing the upgrade (which is reversible) was 15 minutes requiring only a Phillips screwdriver and optional needle nose pliers. The process can be seen on UTube. Initially I was skeptical as to how much things could improve but I couldn't be happier with the upgrade.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great Jim. Looking forward to you telling me more if you can make the ABA Club meeting this Sunday 👍

[@MrRAW1968]

Same here, ordered the modification as well, but with the medicalgrade switching power supply. In time I willbuya more expensive lineair power supply, it takes up too much space now. Ive had experience with the iFi ipower, great value for money.

[@christopherstorrier5560]

Take two...well explained, i upgraded my V Dac ll with the Ifi 5v power supply, Hans Beekhuzen tested it against other SMPS & linear power supplys & his tests results say it is a good SMPS...i use mine plugged into a Tascima 6-way power strip & everthing sounds better to me...Tascima boards are a bargain, they protect your hifi, TV, PC etc & are only £40...the Tascima board & Supra lo-rad, silver plated OFC mains cables & plugs make a big difference in sound quality...i had to buy an Audioquest NRG-3 figure of 8 power cord for my Cambridge Audio streamer, sounds better to me than the standard mains cable & no Tascima power board....i don't know why but using a Tascima board with quality SMPS's works fine with me ...if i really needed something with a good power supply i would save up & only buy hifi that comes with it, change the mains cable yes, i must be lucky where i live, a Tascima board with decent power cables & switchless silver plated hi-fi grade wall power sockets help...i always keep a can of D5 around, very good deoxidizing contact cleaner....

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@christopherstorrier5560 thx for sharing 😊

[@dell177]

My first DAc was the Musical Fidelity Vdac II ($179) that came with a cheap 12v switchmode supply. Having read Sam Telligs review of this DAC I knew the cheap supply they supplied was not great, he suggested a $125 power supply because it was much quieter than the switchmode unit. I ordered a Pyramid linear 12v power supply *($20 at that time), it was not as elegant looking as Sam's suggested supply but it was 5X less expensive. I worked for a power supply company for most of my life and I know what it takes to produce a quiet supply, this $20 supply does what the $125 unit does without the fancy enclosure, you really can't hear the enclosure on a power supply. That vdac II was pretty good for it's day, I've now use a higher end DAC that had a built in linear power supply, much more money but really great sounding

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing your experiences dell177 😉

[@morespinach9832]

Which one do you use now?

[@dell177]

@@morespinach9832 I bought the PS Ausio dacstream several years back and ungraded to their Mk2 version a while back. I like the way it seems to smooth out lower res tracks I'be had for over a decade. It';s expensive but better to spend it on me than whover ends up with my pike of stuff.

[@robertruff8736]

Interesting Video Tarun. I recently updated my power suppliers to Linear types on A) My PC to Teac Dac interface through the iFi Audio Micro iUSB3.0 Power Supply and B) A Network Switch suppling a Musical Fidelity Streamer. Both Updates were a definite upgrade in sound quality. I can definitely support your Video finds.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Robert. I appreciate you watching and sharing your experiences 😊👍

[@TheSujanroy]

Loved the video. "Water is poured on it".... Once a Desi always Desi :) Just got myself a WiiM Mini Streamer after running my Cambridge AXA61 with my phone all thru the pandemic. Was dilly-dallying on the power supply but you convinced me to go for an Allo Shanti.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing 😊

[@Setright]

Are you willing to share you experience with the power supply upgrade? 🙂

[@exif6839]

I have bought an used Benchmark DAC2. Blocked Mororpot and defect power supply. So corrected the housing (was a little bit out of shape), oiled the pot axis and replaced the powersupply by an external one from the web. And the result is truly amazing. Works very well and sound is perfect for relatively less money 😁

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing Walter 😉

[@Antoon55]

Running a SBooster BOTW with my Brooklyn Bridge makes a significant improvement indeed. This is no snake oil..

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing Ton R. 😉👍

[@richardcarmichael8915]

Thank you for the video. I would never have thought of upgrading my power supply until I watched this video. I actually see they make one specifically for my DAC (Furutech Stratos).

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Richard. If you upgrade the power supply. Please let me know how much difference it made 😊👍

[@treyhorn5645]

Hi Taryn I realize this is an older video but I did remember that you did this video I just bought a new ifi Zen Bluetooth and I am running my signal out through the 4.4 to RCA's and I noticed what an incredible night and day difference that it made . I am looking to upgrade the power supply I've heard only positive things about what it does for the sounds specially being Bluetooth. Appreciate the videos brother. ✌️❤️

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Trey. Please let me know how the PS upgrade works out 😉👍

[@tonyjedioftheforest1364]

Outstanding video. I viewed this wanting to upgrade the power supply to my Rega Fono MM mk5. I spoke to Rega directly to see if they did one but they only do the replacement wall wart that they use on all their other stuff. The iFi one doesn’t cover 24v dc I don’t think. I shall have a search around to see if anyone else does. Thank you very much for sharing this information. I will definitely subscribe.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Tony 👍

[@yannick930]

I'm currently using the ifi ipower and i'm thinking about a linear power supply. The ifi already made a big difference in my system, it even improved when i plugged it in an audioquest powerquest. I can't wait to see what a linear power supply will do. As always i found good information on your channel.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you yannick930. Please let me know how you get on 😉👍

[@yannick930]

@@r423fplip I don't do pseudo science but yes i have experience with the audioquest powerquest 2. It does wonders.

[@SpaceXForce]

Thorough, concise thoughts and perspectives. Thank you

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@SpaceXForce much appreciated 😊👍

[@MrSidMuff]

I upgraded the power supply for my Vortexbox streamer a while ago to an SBooster after a brief hifi show demo. It was a significant addition and really made a difference in my system - the background noise floor particularly so, and the improvement in detail and imaging was marked. One of the best 'upgrades' I've made; the synergistic benefits palpable. Do it guys, Tarun is spot on.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Sid 😉👍

[@gregorypatton360]

Ive been thinking about what to upgrade next. Thanks Tarun.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

You are most welcome basement dweller 😉👍

[@KCYT2010]

Linear power supplies are one of the latest upgrade accessories in the audiophile market. They can make a difference but in varying degrees and with widely varying return on your investment. You have to ask yourself why virtually all the major brands be offering their DACs with a power supply that cripples it ? Well they don't. They're selling components that work well if you have clean, stable power. Start with a good line conditioner that filters (cleans) the power for your entire system and then swap your switching power supply. You might still hear a difference but it will be minute by comparison to running it without line conditioning.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing your experiences.

[@210195111]

Logic.

[@abhimawa1]

Thank you for the valuable video. I always believe in decent input (clean uninterrupted power), decent processing, and decent output. Upgrades on power cord (made in Japan, they normally have the decency of not selling overrated BS) or power supply, clean electicity (polarity, grounding), then damping unwanted vibration / frequency, should do magic.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you abhimawa1 😊

[@joshuaschneck]

Thanks Tarun for this great video. I went down the rabbit hole of power supplies and upgraded streamer and - to be honest - I was skeptical that an improved power supply would have any effect on a device like a streamer. However, you're 100% right! I ordered the same MCRU power supply you profiled, feeding an ifi Zen Stream (MCRU actually has a power supply for the Zen Stream on their website). With the LPS in, I notice a bit more clarity and weight to the sound, and a darker background. The power supply costs more than the streamer, but all in all, both seem reasonably priced. Thanks for the help.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Joshua 😊👍

[@Thomas-us4wq]

Just bought a Audiophonics LPSU25 5V linear power supply to use with my Raspberry Pi 3B. At first power up I got a low voltage warning from the Pi (running OSMC Kodi). This had me worried, but adjusting the voltage screw on the back of the unit cured this. The setting was set to 5.15V using a multimeter. So if you are in the marked for one of these powersupplies, remember that the initial voltage setting may be off.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing Thomas. Glad you got it sorted 😉

[@shant981]

Great video with lot’s of helpfull information and good explanation. needed this, because i am zooming in on the Qutest, to replace the internal, dac of my Primare D.30.2, cd player and modded Sonos. Many thanks!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Felix 😊👍

[@alllemak]

Great video, could you tell me please, between mcru and pd creative power supply , which will sound better with my bluesound node and b&w 606 s3 speakers? Thanks

[@jpdj2715]

Valid and relevant. The simple (oversimplified) version is the following. Draw a capital T. Write "source" at its bottom, of it's vertical pillar. The horizontal roof: to its left side write "AC" and to its right side "speakers". Frame it and under it, write GIGO - garbage in = garbage out. Each component has at least one of these T's if you want to take some oversimplification away. Now you have a chain. But inside a component there may be several. A power amp may have a voltage section that is source to a current section. Even in digital components this plays to some extent. And digital 1s and 0s are transmitted not as 1s and 0s but as relatively analogue wave patterns - and to analogue audio this is noise and if that noise gets into the analogue section, e.g. via ground paths/loops, we are helixed. Once the oversimplification is broken down, now connect all the drawing's AC inputs with a pencil line and imagine this is where one T puts stray, rejected, noise back onto. Draw an aerial (antenna) on each T to symbolise its sensitivity to electromagnetic interference as a receptor, but also as a transmitter-criminal: vector of contamination. And even the controller that regulates your turntable motor drive could suffer, or be culprit. As cabinets are the most expensive part of any component, we, as consumers, have to wonder why developers and manufacturers do not solve these things in the first place, in the cabinet we already buy. The upfront assumption of the developers is "clean AC" and that is a dream - a very bad dream for the consumer. Most power supply upgrades are third party aftermarket, so it can't be that. Why not spend a bit more on power supply and clean power, and save a penny elsewhere? My guess is, it will sound so good that consumers have less reasons to buy more expensive. [helix = screw]

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank, you for sharing your experiences Jp 😉

[@grahamc1511]

Tarun, thanks for another unbiased and detailed review. I have been toying with the idea of adding an MCRU power supply to my Poly/Mojo for some time and you have helped me to finally decide to try it. I'll let you know how it works. I'm running the excellent EAR 834 integrated valve amp into Audio Note AN/J speakers and have been delighted so far. Upgrading from a Marantz streamer to a Poly has been a great experience allowing me to utilise Roon to far better effect. Thanks again for the excellent channel.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for your support Graham. I use the iFI iPower to charge up my Mojo. It sounds the same with the iFI power supply plugged in compared to running the Mojo off batteries. This is something I should have pointed out in my video. I don’t think you need a fancy linear power supply for the Mojo. As for my Auralic Aries Mini, absolutely! As far as I am aware the Mojo still runs from the batteries and all the power supply does it trickle charge it up. This is why I can’t here a difference between the batteries and the iFI power supply. However, get rid of any cheap switch mode power supplies as they pollute your entire hifi system with noise. I use a 5v iFI iPower. I hope this makes sense and sorry for any confusion. Good luck😉

[@djclass005]

A British Audiophile thx for clarifying this.

[@grahamc1511]

Thanks Tarun, that makes perfect sense since the batteries are not disengaged when using the power supply. Appreciate your perspective. Do you think a power conditioner a better option (for the amp in this case)? Have you any experiences in that area?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I use an iFi AC Purifier. It is a parallel mains conditioner. It does make a positive difference to the overall sound quality. 😉

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Dave, the problem is that short term auditory memory is unreliable. Much better to have two externally identical devices but one with the filter removed. Try each one in your system for a week or two and then you will notice the difference. If you provide the devices, I will do the testing. Maybe you should try it for yourself as well. You may change your mind that a mic and a recording device can capture everything we can hear.

[@yannick930]

Finally finished ! and it is amazing !!! If you still stream Tarun i have a killer upgrade for you. 1. a linear power supply on your internet box 2. a rj45 -> fiber -> rj45 set up (lpsu everywhere) 3. a switch with lpsu and a good rj45 cable to your streamer. i did this for a while and i finally finished all the lpsu for the set up. Everything is improved, even the quality of the pictures on my Tv is better. I built almost 12 lpsu, simple regulation, double regulation, double rectification, galvanicly isolated, passive regulation,.... after a year i made it and i'm confortable now. Next project : 1) building a streamer based on the raspeberry pi 4, the allo digi one signature and volumio with my own lpsus. 2) building my first amp : 1 single ended EL34 and 1 solid state class A. Now that i understand very well power supplies it feels like building a pc in my head. Rendez-vous in 1 year. Maybe i'll send it to you for a review :)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

You clearly have a passion and talent for this Yannick. You may want to consider making a career out of it. I am not joking 😊👍

[@yannick930]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 If the passion is still there after 3 years i'll try something. For now I want to challenge myself more and get a grasp on a complete system. Master all type of amplification and then i'll make a market study in my erea to see if it'll be profitable. For now i have a good job and i'm recouping on my college years lol

[@Anand.Asrani]

Hey Tarun ! Something new I have learnt , interestingly lots of your viewers have shared their personal experience confirming that a good power option makes things much better 👌👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Anand 😉👍

[@binovucinic]

I bought a SBooster for my chord mojo after seeing this. I can't believe the difference I'm hearing. Level of detail, imaging, soundstage, separation, even rhythm: all aspects improve significantly. Wow!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎 thank you for sharing your experiences 😊👍

[@binovucinic]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 it' s like having a brand new dac altogether... so much more detail; now I finally hear what the LS50 are capable of. It's funny I read online that Rob Watts advises against using these linear power units for their products.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@binovucinic a lot of manufacturers have that attitude “my product is perfect the way it is!” In my experience the power supply makes quite a bit of difference 😊

[@binovucinic]

I forgot to mention, I did detach the battery of the mojo

[@southeastgasservices]

Another excellent review. since we're talking about power supplies, anybody old enough to remember the Mission PSX power supply, I remember paying in the region of £500.00 (irish punt) for one around 1985....lunacy money when you think about it now, not sure how much that would be in today's money. Hi Taron. I'm thinking about getting a dedicated streamer now, instead of pc based streaming.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Bill. I was late jumping into to streaming myself 😊👍

[@bobb.9917]

An oldie vid…but a goodie! Thanks Tarun!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊

[@イエンスヨハンセン]

Dude - it was 35 in my neck of Britain today. What’s with the fireplace? Clean power, and just as importantly, distance between power supply and signal components is second only to speaker choice in my experience. Really good video, once again.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I know. Not so warm in the middle of the night when I film these vids.

[@patton1977]

Lol I was thinking that

[@Micke65]

Maybe he dont like cold sound 🤔😁

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

How did you know Micke? 🥶🥶😂

[@geoff37s38]

Thanks Tarun for the warning on switch mode PSU’s. i am a Ham Radio operator and confirm that many of these little power supplies produce huge amounts of radio frequency interference. I have tried 20 Amp switch mode power supplies, about the size of a paperback novel, without success. I use a large and heavy linear PSU as it does not emit interference. A suggestion for those only with the knowledge is to try powering your DAC/streamer from a suitable battery of the correct voltage. If you hear any improvement then it is worth investing in a better power supply. Again, only do this if you are confident you know what you are doing.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Geoff. My father-in-law is a Radio Am and has to replace cheap SMPS for his Tv streaming box. He doesn’t even own a hifi. 🤔

[@johncahill985]

Good to see someone talking about power supplies with regards to streaming and DACs It might be worth speaking to Dave and trying some grounding devices and see what you make off it

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for the suggestion John 😉

[@ironduke298]

Yes, I can confirm this approach, as Im sure many thousands will also attest. I fancied fiddling with this issue on my Bluesound Node, so having watched Alvins presentation over at Vinshine Audio, I fitted their linea power supply upgrade. Wow, it really was like lifting a vail from my ears. I wonder why manufacturers dont offer these upgrades themselves? $$$$$

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing. As you alluded, it come down to cost 😊

[@seymourclearly]

Thank you, that is information that I was looking for and delivered in a useful unbiased manner

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Trevor 😉👍

[@dennisstempher9684]

Great vid! Love my Auralic Mini with an SBooster LPS! As a streamer, it outperforms the MIND unit in my Moon 380D dac (and even the newer MIND2 streaming module)... Though I have to admit that the high end USB cable between the Auralic and Moon also plays a significant role in the SQ equation ;-)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing your experiences Dennis 😉👍

[@Percival1919]

Hi Dennis. Which high end usb have you gone for? I was going to get a Chord model as I have their speaker wire and their interconnect between DAC and amp. Audioquest was also a consideration.

[@dennisstempher9684]

@@Percival1919 I'm using the Audioquest Diamond USB... Kind of crazy when taking the cost of the Auralic Mini into consideration, but I wanted to make sure that if I upgrade my streaming front end in the future, the USB connection wouldn't be the weakest link. However, based upon the improvement in the current setup that the upgrade to the AQ Diamond (from the Furutech GT-2 I was using before that) has given me, the investment is well worth it :-)

[@catalinniculae5740]

but if I use the Auralic Mini only for streaming from Tidal, does the linear source bring improvements?

[@dennisstempher9684]

@@catalinniculae5740 That's how I used it too and the LPS definitely brought improvements :-)

[@sebastianpolcyn6358]

I haven't really formed an opinion on power supplies, cables etc., simply because I don't have any personal experience with them (I'll probably give it a shot sometime and surprise myself with the results; kinda openminded both ways here). On a different note: I do appreciate You not classifying these due to a lack of "data points" - shows integrity and a professional attitude 👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Very wise Sebastian. Did you watch my video on cables?

[@sebastianpolcyn6358]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I did - good deal of useful tech info in that. I actually do have some moderately expensive (100-150€ a pop) cables from Cardas and Straight Wire in my system (bought them together with my gear), but I never did any head-to-head comparisons with "ordinary" connections. I'll probably sit down and have a go at it when I have some time on my hands, been meaning to do that for a while actually.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Sebastian.

[@mat.b.]

Power supply upgrade from cheap stock wallwart to the cost effective iPower option, to my streamer, was immediately noticeable and I could probably identify it blind (and have). But the changes it made left room for improvement (or were a step back, in one area) so don't doubt that a better option could do more, depending on the system.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thx for sharing 😊

[@JCP-Ghy]

Tarun, I bought a relatively inexpensive Topping P-50 LPSU for my RME ADI-2 DAC just to tick the box. And I got much more than I paid or bargained for. Wider soundstage, more precise imaging, and for the first time I understand what “micro dynamics” means. I am kicking myself for not having heeded your advice 4 years ago 🤦🏻‍♂️ I did add the iFi iPower 2 earlier but the improvement was nowhere near the Topping’s.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@JCP-Ghy thx for the update 😊

[@markcarrington8565]

It's not surprising that, at the entry level, the external power supplies are junk. What is surprising is that many, so called, high end manufacturers are prepared to ship their products using them, including in their moving coil phono stages, which work on tiny voltages. They will then generously offer an upgrade to the power supply! My advice would be to consider all devices together with their matching linear power supply when making comparisons. Great video, and certainly NOT snake oil!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Mark. I think you are right probably even more critical with a phono stage. Thank you for watching and sharing your insights 😉👍

[@k-doggy1762]

Chord are the biggest offenders. Selling DACs worth thousands with the cheapest power supplies you can get. And having the cheek to say upgraded power supplies do not affect performance and voiding warranty if you were to use a higher quality one.

[@paulstubbs7678]

Good vid, Yes, I'll have to upgrade the supply in my Raspberry Pi based streamer, although I will be diving into my parts bins and making a nice linear job as opposed to buying one.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great. Thank you Paul 😉👍

[@angi733]

Solid advice, I recently added a linear power supply from MCRU to my Phono stage and it made a huge difference!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Angi. I can imagine that a phono stage may be even more sensitive than a DAC. Thank you for watching and sharing 😉👍

[@mmdusa]

Very well done and informative video sir. I bought the iFi to use with me Blusound 2i. I'm glad you're spreading the word on what a difference the right power supply makes. You don't know what you're missing, until you do. Thank you!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you mmdusa. I appreciate your support 😉

[@x84man]

Really well considered review, excellent stuff Tarun.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you x84man 😉👍

[@amb3cog]

I went from using my laptop, a CCA, a TV with various stuff hooked up to it, and an Nvidia Shield TV Pro for streaming (all non audiophile solutions obviously). To an audiophile solution. A Musical Paradise MP-Berry V2, which is really just a basic low power computer running Windows 10. It has no fans, uses a big, heavy, thick metal case to protect against interference from radio waves. And it is divided into two sections. One for the computer, and one for the toroidal transformer/power supply. It has some audiophile software in it, but I'm basically just using Tidal with all the direct settings that avoid going through Windows. I bought it, because it was a good deal, and I figured it was one less weak link in my signal chain. I wasn't expecting any big improvement. In fact I wasn't really expecting any improvement at all. Instead I ended up completely shocked at the difference it made. It was stunning! Total jaw on the floor moment. You read all the different people arguing about what works, and what doesn't. I decided a long time ago to not listen to them, and to just try as much at I can on my own. That way I can decide for myself. I recommend everyone else do the same. Just try stuff. If you don't like it. You can always return it, or sell it. But you'll never know for sure, until you try it for yourself. ✌️

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Excellent advice HH Scott. Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 😉👍

[@lp9290]

Hi, nice review. I suggest to consider also a battery pack which may guarantee many hours of clean power supply .

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you LP 😊

[@yannick930]

I'm challenging myself, I'm building my own linear power supply from scratch. I just finished studying how tubes and transistors work. I'm dabling into the maths. Making sure I soak all the theory, make a plan and buying an oscilloscope. By my estimation for 100 euro i can build a top notch lpsu and for 250 use fancy parts. If everything goes well, I'll custom build 10 for my différent équipements. A significant cut in cost. If i buy what i want it's more like 4k minimum. Wish me luck :)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great Yannick. I wish you all the luck but I have a feeling you won’t need it 😊👍

[@yannick930]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hello Tarun ! update : i just finished my first LPSU. (busy at work i just found the time) A solid 5.02V with no load and 5.06 - 5.07V with a load on it. 1.5 Amp at peak, this is for a small 5V dac with 0.5Amp max. A basic design just to make sure everything works. I left out the choke, too complicated for the moment. For the second round a 15V and 18V for my turntable and phono preamp. I just ordered my first oscilloscope i want to see what the waveform looks like :) the only way to have objective mesures on what is happening when i try other designs like the double regulation and a choke at the + of the rectifier or at the output. The maths are giving me headaces and no way to verify if i'm correct. I need to see it. Have you built a lpsu before ?

[@lonniefarmer7067]

Being in the States I have an advantage with the availibility of an outstanding power reformer/capacitor in the AudioQwest 5000. I have to have it anyway as lightening strike is such a common occurrence in Colorado, that it is my insurance by being able to withstand more than my power box for my house. It has performed that function once and saved my equipment. It makes a HUGE sound difference by .15db.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing your experiences Lonnie 😊

[@QoraxAudio]

If you want to eliminate noise from your PC when using a USB DAC, make sure you get a USB DAC with it's own PSU, but most importantly, a USB ground lift switch. That way noise can't get coupled into the DAC via the USB cable. If the DAC comes with a noisy wallwart supplied, open the DAC up and insert a common mode choke just behind the input connector. The final voltage regulation is done inside (or at least should be, in a good DAC), so a little voltage ripple coming from the external PSU isn't that big of a deal. However, the voltage ripple isn't exclusive to SMPS, also linear PSUs have it. It's caused by the rectification from AC to DC (see 9:50) and creates a ripple on double the power grid frequency (100/120Hz).

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing Qorax 😉

[@QoraxAudio]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 You're welcome 👍

[@AjaySharma-tt6so]

Another great informative review. Well done!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Ajay 😉👍

[@WorldView22]

The power supply is a very important component in an audio chain. I have experience with various PSUs and can attest that they make a very apparent difference, no doubt. Rob Watts from Chord himself had to admit in a recent interview that it made a significant difference on one of his designed DACs. This is no snake oil at all.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊

[@anglosaxon361]

Naim/TeddyPardo/Avondale/Class A and others offer power supply upgrades, it isn’t snake oil! Roon is also an excellent streaming application, although it is pricey, I use it with my March USB DAC, excellent sound! Runs circles around a Majik LP12

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Anglo 😉👍

[@markclancy5371]

Definitely they make a difference doesn't have to be on high end gear either.i got a linear toroidal psu Chinese 1 for my Sony bluray best buy ever and I've tried this psu on a small tpa3116 amplifier and it lowered noise floor improving sound quality of that.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing Mark

[@wardyesp123]

Hi Tarun. great videos, thanks for the detailed info and balanced opinions. I’ve just added an MCRU to my Chord Qutest, streaming from a node2i . It’s early days but I can hear increased depth of soundstage as the most immediate change and I’m v happy with it. (going into a Linn Kairn / Klout / Harbeth P3s. For me the mix of vintage and new is working well :)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great Richard. Thank you for watching, you kind words of support and sharing your experiences 😉👍

[@NickP333]

This is a fantastic video, Tarun. I bought a rather nice phono stage a bit ago, but it came with an 18VAC wall wart type transformer PSU. I replaced it with a Swagman PSU of the same value which contains a larger toroidal transformer, and the difference wasn’t subtle. I took it a step further, and covered the inside of the Swagman with adhesive copper. More attention needs to be payed to PSUs and made external if possible.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing that Nick much appreciated 😊👍

[@hamzatatta952]

Hi. Is this only only for turntable

[@NickP333]

@@hamzatatta952 Hi there 👋 No, it’s not just for a phono stage. Any piece of gear that uses an external SMPS (switch mode power supply) can be changed out for a linear PSU, which usually sound much better. A DAC, phono pre, headphone amp, etc. can be powered by a linear PSU. Check out Swagman. They’ve got a great bunch of PSU’s that use toroidal transformers. Hope that’s of some help. 🔊🎶😊

[@hamzatatta952]

@@NickP333 ok thanks , I will hope it’s not too expensive

[@NickP333]

@@hamzatatta952 What are you looking for a linear PSU for? I’ll try and look for you if ya want.

[@brown-eyedman4040]

You are indeed a brave man, to say power supplies could effect digital playback. And after saying that cables make a difference.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi brown-eyed man, there is a fine line between brave and daft. 🤔

[@beezlebub3955]

I recently bought my first standalone Dac, a Topping E50, it has a few upgraded chips that some much more expensive ones have, anyway in my research I found a comment or two talking about this topic, talking about a Jameco Reliapro, in the 5v flavor, it’s a budget option, many positive reviews on Amazon, I gotta say that the quality of the sounds are so far ahead of other things I have, if it fails I’ll get something of better quality

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing 😊

[@masterblaster8119]

hi there. were EU/UK adapters included in Jameco Reliapro psu 5v?

[@beezlebub3955]

@@masterblaster8119 No they were not, I got mine on Amazon, I don’t remember if there was an option for US or UK plugs

[@beezlebub3955]

@@masterblaster8119 also I am in the US

[@deangale4496]

I've had the Mcru for years and they are brilliant way to improve a Dac!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Dean 😉👍

[@dougieroberts7045]

Great video. The imponderables are numerous regarding streaming music. I personally use a desktop pc, reasonable spec, Asus Xonar Essence STX II internal sound card, feeding audiolab 6000a feeding audiolab 8300xp feeding Wharfedale 12.4 , I tried JRiver but did find it over complicated and found that Music Bee is the best all round media player for windows based media centre pc's. I will be looking into the Mains Purifers, specifically the audiolab ones that seem to be getting the flavour of the month attention, I will update this accordingly, keep up the videos, always interesting.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Dougie. I appreciate you sharing your experiences 😊👍

[@williemckinney2168]

Tarun thanks for the video, I hadn't thought about streamers( at one point during you're video, I have a inner voice that sounds just like the character portrayed by Red Fox, Fred Standford poncho the American TV series "Stanford and Son" when gets on his son for something in Fred's mind he's supposed to know, he says" You big Dummy" ) like that before,.and after I was telling you before, I was upgrading the components in my KEF 100's and lucky enough for me, my system is revealing enough that " better part" should translate to better sound, it measures the same but the sound is clearer more spacious much more enjoyable. So, why not the streamer" You big Dummy" lol, Tarun, you and Paul McGowan of "P.S. Audio, is my go to source when I get to sit down with my favorite beverage for the day,.with songs that I've been thinking about when it's time to unwind, listening to you guys is like sitting down with a friend,.and he's sharing something you both are passionate about, and my friend, that makes you a very cool individual in my book, so, keep up the good work and I'm still waiting on the r2r dac video. Well, you're American brother, signing off. Take care.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Willie, I always look forward to reading your comments. They are always extremely open and honest as well as you are so generous in your support of what I am doing. I am. It familiar with that show. Will have to check it out. Take care my friend and stay safe 😉👍

[@kgtan20]

Thanks for the interesting comparative review. There is a new iFi iPower X that is twice the price but I found it provided a noticeable and worthwhile improvement over the standard iPower. Perhaps for another comparative review down the road? Cheers

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Guan Tan 😉

[@richardcarden4161]

I used the ifi x on my BLURAY player and the picture on my 1080 TV looks better than the older ifi power supply.

[@MrDannydjmix2]

Very good video, linear power supply always makes sense compared to switching power supply, there are good switching power supplies out there but there is something about the way a linear power supply works in any audio device, also the bigger the better

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing 😉

[@miketierney452]

Another great Video Can't beat a good Linear PSU, I build my own but they are not easy to design. Audiophonics do a linear psu for 89 euros. Best to separate analogue & digital circuitry . I use a Rpi and the Audiophonics r2r dac based upon the philips tda 1387. The noise from the RPI was terrible until I separated the power.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing your experiences Mike. 😉👍

[@nikosdm]

Very well done I apriciate your suggestions.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊👍

[@shipsahoy1793]

Based on some more recent personal experience, I have to agree with Tarun’s thoughts in this video; my current contention is that one of the main reasons why some people think a thousand dollar dac isn’t any better than a $200 or $300 dac is because the thousand dollar dac uses a better power supply, among other things, and, if you don’t have a system that you’ll notice a difference, then you’ll think it doesn’t make a difference. A standalone external dac should probably cost about 1/7 the price of your stereo amp and pair of stereo speakers. In my mind, this would be prudent to avoid “wasting” money on a product and also to avoid being unhappy with a product bc you tried “saving” money. Like anything else in hi-fi, the components should be somewhat matched to their system companions..

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊

[@rlowes]

Another good one Tarun. I’ve used Sbooster supplies with my Sotm streamer and enjoy the improvement it brings as well.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Rick. Any new articles? Stay safe buddy 😉👍

[@beetooex]

This video is really important advice if you use a PC with a bus-powered usb dac like the Dragonfly or Soundkey. Connect them via a galvanic isolator that has an input for external power and you can now use whatever power brick you like. The noisy 5v usb power coming from the PC shouldn't ever be allowed near a dac- it can be worse than the cheapest SMPS plug.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you beetooex 😉

[@nobodyimportant2294]

Awesome video! Just recently found you, really liking your approach 👍🏻

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you NI 😊👍

[@Jack96993]

I have the Audiolab 6000N streamer and by pass it's internal DAC by going SPDIF into my Exogal Comet Plus DAC that has it's own external power supply. It all sounds pretty sweet indeed! The Audiolab 6000N DTS Play-Fi works pretty well, and has many streaming services available

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing Jack

[@Jack96993]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 No problem! Have you checked out the Exogal Comet Plus DAC? Interesting approach on designing a DAC from the people that use to work at Waldi

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I haven’t come across that one Jack. Thank you for the suggestion 😉

[@michaelreading9296]

The best reviews, clear and concise.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Michael 😉👍

[@imammarc]

Thanks for the advice. Picked up an iFi Power 2 for my Wiim Pro Plus and it really makes the background dark!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎

[@romerlaszlo]

I contacted Chord Audio asking them to advise on the possibility of upgrading my Chord Qutest PSU with a 5v iFi audio iPower Elite power supply. They think this is a bad idea because linear power supplies ‘have no RF filters at all; the designers are not cognisant of the RF noise problems. The supplied Chord Electronics PSU on the other hand, has RF filters built into the output and the mains input.’ They say that the linear power supply is likely to make the DAC sound worse. … so now I am more than a little confused.

[@ItsDextrin]

The music you listen to was probably made with ordinary xlr cables, mixers, and power supplies. For there to be significant improvement, the everyday products that musicians use should be of such quality in the first place. Only change power supplies if you can test, measure or hear hum or hiss without music playing, clipping transients at max volume (caused by insufficient power), or noise from other devices on the same power line.

[@Coneman3]

Tired old argument. Find another hobby.

[@paulschroedery6721]

Hi - great video. Really well explained and super helpful Obvious (to me) question....surely the Hugo is best when playing on battery. Why not just unplug the power supply when listening and put it back when not to charge?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Paul, you can do that with both the Mojo and the Hugo but I got fed up with constantly unplugging the cheap SMPS from my power strip so the £49 on the iFi low noise SMPS was worth it. Thank you for watching and commenting 😉👍

[@mariagiordano3902]

Ifi has a Lan galvanic isolator now , was wondering what you thought about it for the source data

[@philgee9870]

Hi, great hi fi advice. Please provide details of your system tower rack. Thanks

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Phil, I did a video some time back showing my system. You can locate it on my channel 😊👍

[@philgee9870]

Hi Tarun, I have not been able to find a review of your system tower rack. Please advise make/model. Cheers

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@philgee9870 it a Optimum Premier rack 😊 www.optimummodular.co.uk

[@vaejoviscarolinanus]

I have had the ifi power supply in my raspberry pi and recently I moved it to the wiiM mini. I have never had a problem but I have never tried the stock one so I’m going to have to order a amazon one and try it. $9 vs $69

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎

[@nathanevans6277]

Excellent video once again. I have just upgraded the power supplies for my TT, phonostage and line stage. In each case the improvements in sound quality have been significant. Why the sound quality of the phono and line stages improved seems intuitive. What I still can't get my head around is how changing the power supply for the turntable speed controller has such a big effect across the whole audio band. I have a heavy platter and very low friction bearing so speed stability could only really be improved at very low frequencies, the mass will filter out high frequency flutter. Using a stethoscope I can't hear any difference in motor noise. Where does the improvement come from? I went down a cheaper and more satisfying route and built my new power supplies myself using high quality components and discrete regulators.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Nathan, I suspect the upgraded power supply radiates less electrically noise resulting in lowering the noise floor to all the other components connected adjacently in your system. This won’t be detectable by a stethoscope.

[@nathanevans6277]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 happy Christmas. You would have thunk! Where the power supply is located doesn't have any effect. It's an origin live advance motor controller. They make several upgrade supplies and claim that upgrading the power supply makes more difference than moving up the range to the top of the range controller. It's a real head scratcher.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I have never got a definitive answer from anyone as to why upgrading power supplies makes such a difference. Of course, noise, impedance, current capability and stable voltage regulation are fairly easy to understand. But this does not account for why it is so significant IMHO 😉