Since acquiring three SOtM components, (2 x fully-loaded NH-10Gs, and a fully-loaded USBultra, then rejecting the OCX10 due to an unsatisfying audition) first introduced by fellow WBF member CKKeung after his visit to my home, to improve the quality of data streamed from TIDAL as well as the fidelity of signals fed to my MSB Technology Select II DAC's ProUSB and ProISL modules, I have been on the lookout for both DC power supplies and cables which outperform the standard SOtM offering, namely the sPS-500 and the unshielded thin-gauge copper conductor DC power cables.
Admittedly, it’s only an educated guess of mine that having an SMPS in the AC supply is deleterious to the sound of the whole system due to noise, both radiated and parasitic/transmitted, generated during the rectification and regulation process, as objective data is very scarce. But luckily, the Dutch review I will mention subsequently bares for all to see the noise spectrum measured at the output for some widely available power supplies both linear and switched-mode, suggesting that it’s the overall design and implementation, not merely characterizing them as good/bad as polar opposites; however, the toroidal transformer-based architecture seems to be the more commonly adopted baseline foundation as it's inherently better in achieving the desired performance parameters with perhaps the only downside in having less flexibility and versatility in changing output voltages on the fly.
An example of how the PLiXiR outperformed the sPS-500 when powering the OCX10 clock:
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...etwork-gadget-setup.27758/page-14#post-614769
My first acquisition was the Singaporean PLiXiR Elite BDC 12V/2A LPS, which I had made in a dual-stacked configuration to obviate the need for two AC cables, which can both be rather costly and unwieldy, when jammed into the space behind typically-crowded component racks. Due to a shockingly disappointing service from the local Hong Kong dealer, the unit sadly did not arrive at my home until well past one month after the day it landed in HK from Singapore, when I had also fully paid for it - an egregiously bad behavior which thankfully I was finally able to neutralize through massive efforts in filing a formal complain to the Consumer Council, as well as by leveraging my relationship with another passionate WBF member and the founder of PLiXiR himself. Buyer beware!
The double-stack PLiXiR Elite BDC is currently powering my two NH-10Gs via a Ghent Audio made DC cable, the Canare 4S8 StarQuad (4 x 16AWG conductors, which are thicker conductors than the 4S6 version) with JSSG 360 shielding. Perhaps I'll start separate threads on the topic of PLiXiR LPSs, and Ghent Audio DC cables, but that's for another day.
https://www.plixirpower.com/collections/elite-bdc/products/plixir-elite-bdc-2a-4a-6a
https://www.ghentaudio.com/part/dc-4s6-360.html
My bad experience with the local PLiXiR dealer was a mixed blessing, as it luckily put me on the path of considering alternative brands and products.
I was thus looking out for a different LPS which would (likely) outperform even the PLiXiR Elite BDC, to power the most critical last-mile source component, the SOtM USBultra, and was intrigued with a recently-released European unit made by Farad Power Supplies, called the Super3, mentioned by fellow WBF member Abyss Man. I did my preliminary due diligence through the Internet, and was delighted to find that the designer/manufacturer's website was not only well endowed with both technical data and design philosophy, but that the founder Mattijs was extremely helpful and friendly through my email correspondences with him.
As there were no dealers for Farad Power Supplies in Hong Kong, I ordered a fully-upgraded model directly (having the Furutech rhodium input connector, and the Synergistic Research Orange fuse). Happily, the unit arrived within ten days of ordering, and was delivered by Santa in time for Christmas, along with the most excellent Intona USB Ultimate cable, and the Ghent DC cable. The latter's connection cable collar unfortunately arrived damaged, and amidst the holiday hustle and bustle and the complexities of inbound registered mail to China, the replacement cable didn't arrive until less than a week ago. Hence, I had to delay my write-up for a couple of weeks until now, when at last, the peripheral components consisting of cables (both DC and USB), and the DC power supplies (both the PLiXiR and Farad) were sufficiently settled for me to have a good listen.
https://faradpowersupplies.com/shop/en/home/42-13151-super3-power-supply.html
Admittedly, it’s only an educated guess of mine that having an SMPS in the AC supply is deleterious to the sound of the whole system due to noise, both radiated and parasitic/transmitted, generated during the rectification and regulation process, as objective data is very scarce. But luckily, the Dutch review I will mention subsequently bares for all to see the noise spectrum measured at the output for some widely available power supplies both linear and switched-mode, suggesting that it’s the overall design and implementation, not merely characterizing them as good/bad as polar opposites; however, the toroidal transformer-based architecture seems to be the more commonly adopted baseline foundation as it's inherently better in achieving the desired performance parameters with perhaps the only downside in having less flexibility and versatility in changing output voltages on the fly.
An example of how the PLiXiR outperformed the sPS-500 when powering the OCX10 clock:
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...etwork-gadget-setup.27758/page-14#post-614769
My first acquisition was the Singaporean PLiXiR Elite BDC 12V/2A LPS, which I had made in a dual-stacked configuration to obviate the need for two AC cables, which can both be rather costly and unwieldy, when jammed into the space behind typically-crowded component racks. Due to a shockingly disappointing service from the local Hong Kong dealer, the unit sadly did not arrive at my home until well past one month after the day it landed in HK from Singapore, when I had also fully paid for it - an egregiously bad behavior which thankfully I was finally able to neutralize through massive efforts in filing a formal complain to the Consumer Council, as well as by leveraging my relationship with another passionate WBF member and the founder of PLiXiR himself. Buyer beware!
The double-stack PLiXiR Elite BDC is currently powering my two NH-10Gs via a Ghent Audio made DC cable, the Canare 4S8 StarQuad (4 x 16AWG conductors, which are thicker conductors than the 4S6 version) with JSSG 360 shielding. Perhaps I'll start separate threads on the topic of PLiXiR LPSs, and Ghent Audio DC cables, but that's for another day.
https://www.plixirpower.com/collections/elite-bdc/products/plixir-elite-bdc-2a-4a-6a
https://www.ghentaudio.com/part/dc-4s6-360.html
My bad experience with the local PLiXiR dealer was a mixed blessing, as it luckily put me on the path of considering alternative brands and products.
I was thus looking out for a different LPS which would (likely) outperform even the PLiXiR Elite BDC, to power the most critical last-mile source component, the SOtM USBultra, and was intrigued with a recently-released European unit made by Farad Power Supplies, called the Super3, mentioned by fellow WBF member Abyss Man. I did my preliminary due diligence through the Internet, and was delighted to find that the designer/manufacturer's website was not only well endowed with both technical data and design philosophy, but that the founder Mattijs was extremely helpful and friendly through my email correspondences with him.
As there were no dealers for Farad Power Supplies in Hong Kong, I ordered a fully-upgraded model directly (having the Furutech rhodium input connector, and the Synergistic Research Orange fuse). Happily, the unit arrived within ten days of ordering, and was delivered by Santa in time for Christmas, along with the most excellent Intona USB Ultimate cable, and the Ghent DC cable. The latter's connection cable collar unfortunately arrived damaged, and amidst the holiday hustle and bustle and the complexities of inbound registered mail to China, the replacement cable didn't arrive until less than a week ago. Hence, I had to delay my write-up for a couple of weeks until now, when at last, the peripheral components consisting of cables (both DC and USB), and the DC power supplies (both the PLiXiR and Farad) were sufficiently settled for me to have a good listen.
https://faradpowersupplies.com/shop/en/home/42-13151-super3-power-supply.html
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