Any Sotm 200 users in Delhi

HDPlex seems like a very good option which can power both the DAC as well as the laptop.... Will research a little more and come back to the forum if I buy it.. Any owners of HDPlex PSUs, please chip in with your feedback and opinions...
 
HDPlex seems like a very good option which can power both the DAC as well as the laptop.... Will research a little more and come back to the forum if I buy it.. Any owners of HDPlex PSUs, please chip in with your feedback and opinions...
Hello Panditji,
I have a HDplex unit and it is very good. That being said, I personally have not observed any major difference powering a music PC with this or a high quality SMPS. I have not tried on a laptop so cannot comment but I don't think there will be a major difference either. I think like Prem indicated preventing noise pollution of the power distribution is more important. Anyways since I have the HD plex unit I am powering my 19v music PC mother board, a 9V connection to the sotm usb external hub and 5 v to the ppa usb audio card in the music PC. Also since I have been messing around with computer based audio, the biggest improvement or change to sound quality that I have observed is directly related to DAC's.
Cheers,
Sid
 
I would agree Sid... that is why I am wary of investing in an an expensive LPS when I know the money can be put to buying a better DAC.. But then my Dell laptop has an average power adaptor and hence I am hoping there might just be a slight difference... Also have you tried the HDPlex with the Chord Hugo TT although I think the Hugo TT should not be affected by an LPS
 
I would agree Sid... that is why I am wary of investing in an an expensive LPS when I know the money can be put to buying a better DAC.. But then my Dell laptop has an average power adaptor and hence I am hoping there might just be a slight difference... Also have you tried the HDPlex with the Chord Hugo TT although I think the Hugo TT should not be affected by an LPS
The Hugo TT manual states explicitly that no other power supply should be used with it, other than the one supplied as it may damage the batteries. Anyways I cannot imagine any lpsu improving the TT, what I hear right now with its battery power is just top notch, and as I understand the functioning of the unit is always with batteries - as once the battery is charged it automatically disconnects AC power.
Cheers,
Sid
 
Panditji, try this

https://www.arraysolutions.com/ac-7

Irrespective of what LPS you use, the biggest problem is the digital hash that is generated and that goes back into the power line and corrupts the sound. The Array Solution AC power filter prevents this.

+1 on the Array filter cable.
Have been using them on my computers and have not looked back.

.
 
In my limited view, the following steps/actions will have a far greater impact on the SQ, irrespective of whether a Streamer, laptop, or other device is used:
1. Headlessness
2. Fanlessness
3. Good DAC
4. Exclusive usage of device for the music software, disabling all other software and functions
5. Internal storage for your local music files on the device itself, rather than a USB or other connection to external storage (I use a Mac mini with 500GB)
6. Good software running on the device (I use Audirvana Plus)
7. Good streaming service, e.g. TIDAL
8. Clean power source through a CVT, online UPS or power conditioner
9. Well recorded media

With many of the above implemented, my computer SQ compares well with my CDP and analogue sources.

Cheers!
 
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+1 on the Array filter cable.
Have been using them on my computers and have not looked back.

.
Hi Nikhil
You use with the pc which is used as music pc or other devices which may emit noise into the power lines when in use ?
 
Hi Nikhil
You use with the pc which is used as music pc or other devices which may emit noise into the power lines when in use ?

I use it on both my audio computers and a TV Screen which is near my audio rig.
The TV is not on the same circuit as the audio gear but I had an extra cable so I used it

.
 
Hi Panditji
Which USB cable do you use between the laptop and the dac ?
 
It's an inexpensive Audioquest cable..

Yesterday I tried a very well built USB cable between my laptop and dac. This was done without any usb regen in between and. The results just floored me

I had tried @jls001 DIY usb cable and comparing it with a regular printer cable , the results were very impressive

But with the use of the other cable the results were as good as one would get with a worthy dac upgrade

So either the uptone regen is doing something wrong or this particular cable is taking the sound few steps up

I will surely try the cable with the uptone regen once it's back with me and also try @jls001 DIY usb cable without the uptone regen so be sure what's changing what in the chain

The point of posting this on your thread was just incase if you were using inexpensive printer USB cable like I was too , you should try using a good USB cable before getting something like SOTM NAA in the chain

Secondly a USB cable too does make a difference in the sound. Sometimes a big positive change and sometimes not so good

I think its got to do more with the way cable is build rather then purely on the conductor used to build the cable
 
Rikhav, please share the name of the cable... I have not even used the USB cable supplied with the 2Qute DAC but I am willing to try if it is not too expensive...


It's by an Australian company called VUE cables
This is their level 3 cable where ultra-pure continuous cast Ohno silver is used for its data lines. This high-purity dead-soft annealed silver silver conductor is used for data lines
Conductive carbon-infused nylon is applied over the cable to shield it from high-frequency noise up to 3GHz.

All this information I have got from a 6moons review of the cable as the site of the company is down probably because the company does not exist any more
Co-incidentaly it's also put on sale by me, hence I was not writing it's name
Many would think that I am writing about it just to increase chances of the cable selling off.
You know how word to mouth publicity works in audio
But that's not the case.
My friend is also selling because he is not well versed with computers so he took a decision that since he has enough CDs to listen to then it's no point breaking his head over a pc for audio

Personally I would feel you should try something like curious usb cables, another Australian company and you will get a used pair from audiocircle or CA
 
Let me ask around forum members in Delhi if someone has a good USB cable for me to compare... I did compare some ICs, power cables and speaker cables on Friday with Santosh sir from Delhi and found that the Furutech power cable made a significant difference in sound while the ICs and silver speaker cables not making any difference... So it also means that my power supply is bad but my Mogami 3103 speaker cables are great and so are the Audioquest Cobra ICs...SO power supply to my amp is another area I need to focus on now...
 
Let me ask around forum members in Delhi if someone has a good USB cable for me to compare... I did compare some ICs, power cables and speaker cables on Friday with Santosh sir from Delhi and found that the Furutech power cable made a significant difference in sound while the ICs and silver speaker cables not making any difference... So it also means that my power supply is bad but my Mogami 3103 speaker cables are great and so are the Audioquest Cobra ICs...SO power supply to my amp is another area I need to focus on now...

Power supply means the actual PDU of the amp or the power lines coming to the music setup
If it's actual PSU of the amp you are talking about I dont think much can be done about it as most amps would have a linear regulated power supply inbuilt
If you can take direct power lines from the Meter , yes it does make a considerable difference but for most of us it's not feasible
 
I changed the power cord from a Luxman to a Furutech... And also added PS Audio receptors to the step down transformer...so maybe something got cleaned up on the way...The power cable and power receptor plugs made the only difference... The speaker cables were of pure silver and so were the ICs but no difference at all...
 
I changed the power cord from a Luxman to a Furutech... And also added PS Audio receptors to the step down transformer...so maybe something got cleaned up on the way...The power cable and power receptor plugs made the only difference... The speaker cables were of pure silver and so were the ICs but no difference at all...

Power cords have always made a big difference for me. And each brand seems to have its unique sound signature. At least as much difference, if not more, than ICs
 
I changed the power cord from a Luxman to a Furutech... And also added PS Audio receptors to the step down transformer...so maybe something got cleaned up on the way...The power cable and power receptor plugs made the only difference... The speaker cables were of pure silver and so were the ICs but no difference at all...

Panditji
I have no personal experience with step down transformers but if it can't provide instant current then I think that would be the bottleneck of the set-up

I understand your amp is a class A so it draws constant current but still anyone with experience can chip in about any drawbacks of the step down transformers if there are any in the first case
 
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