|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
174.84.223.215
From way back, when Japan-based Acoustic Revive first introduced their RR series of Schumann Resonance-generating devices, I was impressed with what the addition of a linear power supply did to the performance of those units. Over time, I (and many others) have become absolutely convinced: replace the stock wall wart (WW) with a QUALITY linear supply, and you're apt to be pretty impressed with the differences. More air, more liquidity, and a wider stage are among the more obvious benefits. And that doesn't just pertain to Acoustic Revive's Schumann devices. A good PSU will positively affect most Schumann units I've heard. If you're not a fan of the Schumann effect, read no further (if you've even read this far).
To make this story relatively brief, I recently did a comparison between a modified wall wart and a Taiwanese KingRex PSU MK I on my RR-777. I had been duly impressed with the WW, which had been outfitted with capacitors and LOTS ferrite beads by one of my tech-savvy buddies. Cleaner supply, better sound, right? It was a significant step up from the stock wall wart, offering easily discernable (at least to me) improvements in stage width and depth.
That said, the KingRex PSU MK I--and, after having experienced it, the MK II--just goes further. I auditioned a number of songs and albums in the pop/rock genre (my favorite genre), some heavily processed, others not, and in all cases the KingRex-powered Schumann device delivered more air, width, depth, presence, tangibility, and sense of ease than the modded WW. As good as the WW was/is, the improvements were pretty clear, at least to me. It was particularly striking on Steven Wilson's remix of Jethro Tull's Aqualung, and the recent remaster of Pink Floyd's The Wall, both of which positively expanded past the edges of my room vis a vis the wall wart.
So, to summarize, for those of you Schumann advocates who are on the fence about an upgraded PSU, I highly recommend it. Not that my opinion should count for ANYTHING, and it's been voiced ad nauseum by others elsewhere, but I offer it anyway :). The KingRex is an excellent power supply, but there are plenty of other, equally viable options. (TeraDak, out of China, is really good, and there are other eBay sellers too. Teddy Pardo PSUs are pricey, but they're really stellar.)
Follow Ups:
Going from a wall wart to a good linear ps makes less noise in your AC line since most junk these days is a switching ps. I replaced the stock ww with a linear on my Squeezebox with great results. Same for a little phono pre.
I want to try a Schumann when I get back home.
ET
using the Touch. Adding a linear reduced noise, false brightness and thus improved resolution.
I prefer linears that mirror the approach used in both my ARC preamp and DAC: R-core trannies and lots of capacitance.
I have ordered a uRendu player to replace the Touch in the main system along with an HD-Plex 100W linear that meets those criteria. Link includes pics.
Powering a digital system using a linear PSU is not something new, and maybe it was the first way to do it, before the SMPS use it took over such approach. A SMPS it have its advantages, as low costs, high efficiency, no heat dissipation, good control and regulation. It have also a big problem, especially when to use it in an audio related device: the SMPS output a quite high level HF/EMF noises. As I could see myself, there is not possible to get completely rid of these noises, and their levels are (at least in my opinion) unacceptable for a hifi device environment.
Well, the noise problem of an SMPS it should not matter so much when about to power a digital system, as a such system it is noisy by itself/definition. Complex switching processes, at huge speed in such circuitry, it generate lot of HF noises, which it goes into the power system and it propagate everywhere. I had myself this point of view about using a SMPS for a digital system, until I experimented myself with a linear PSU to power a digital stage. First I used a linear PSU to power my own Agilent scope (this quite simple mod it generate a storm on Agilent scopes forum, at that time...), and then I designed myself one to be used for Oppo players. The result it was/is very obvious: dramatic improvements for the quality of the processing, and at least for the final outputted signals.
These improvements were also noticed by others who experimented in the same field. So the conclusion here it may be clear enough: for best results when using a digital system, is to power it from a very quiet PSU, as a linear one.
Edits: 06/17/16 06/17/16
Can you give a link and model number?
Thanks
Below is a link to KingRex. The PSU MK II goes for more than $400 now, but the MK I (which, IMO, is very, very close in performance on these AR units) can occasionally be found for quite a bit less.
You can find TeraDak PSUs on eBay pretty easily.
Hope this helps!
Post a Followup:
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: