Home Computer Audio Asylum

Music servers and other computer based digital audio technologies.

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Computer Audio Asylum ]
[ Alert Moderator ]

could this be because your DAC is inside the PC on a soundcard?

Hi Audiodan,

I read your post and I’m also puzzled by the disastrous effect on Sound Quality you got in your setup.
In my setup only 3 ferrites on the P24 had no effect at all on SQ.
The effect in your setup is puzzling because most ferrites are only effective in aVHF region.
Depending on type of ferrite material used, most ferrites are effective in suppression noise in the 5 mHz too 500 Mhz region. See graphs.
Van on filtering, demping, ect

Van on filtering, demping, ect

The effect in your setup is even more puzzling since you used only 3 ferrites (with no caps added).
So there should only be very little suppression of noise in the 5 mHz too 500 Mhz region.

* Filtering the 12 Volt input of the Pico 160-XT.
As suggested by you, I made some progress in filtering the 12 V DC (from a Linear PSU) that powers the Pico.
Yesterday I already mentioned too Theo at the end of this post, the remarkable effect on filtering the 12V DC. power line too the Pico.
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/pcaudio/messages/9/93301.html
I would never have expected that this would have improved sound quality remarkably.
The simple bench linear PSU I use to power the Pico, probably produces noise in the HF and VHF region.

- 8 Ferrits on the 12V DC line. (combined with a ferrite/cap π-filter on the P24)
I placed 8 ferrits on the 12V dc power cable coming from a linear PSU too the Pico. This had no audible effect. (I haven’t experimented yet with adding caps too create a π-filter)

- 2x 6 mH ferrite based chokes. (combined with a ferrite/cap π-filter on the P24)
2x 6 mH ferrite based chokes (with caps added) on the 12V DC power line to the Pico had profound effect on SQ. I would never have expected this. Thankx too your suggestion I tried.
But I’m not ready yet testing various ways of filtering the 12 V DC line too the Pico. So I will give a complete report in a few weeks on this.

But thank you for the tip! Filtering the 12V DC line too the Pico combined with filtering the P24 with 7 flat ferrite clamps for ribbon cable with caps added, gave a really big (!) SQ improvement in my setup.

Thinking of the opposite effect you and I experienced through using Ferrite based filters.
It might also have some relation with your DAC being inside the computer on a soundcard. Your situation is extremely difficult and demands a superb quality of power supply. The performance of the DAC will suffer if not powered with superb high quality power.
May be my situation is less critical than yours, because I use an external DAC which is completely galvanicly isolated from the PC through use of a glass-toslink cable.

Mark


Edits: 08/11/11
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Schiit Audio  

Follow Ups Full Thread
Follow Ups
FAQ

Post a Message!

 Forgot Password?
Moniker (Username):
Password (Optional):
  Remember my Moniker & Password  (What's this?)    Eat Me
E-Mail (Optional):
Subject:
Message:   (Posts are subject to Content Rules)
Optional Link URL:
Optional Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Upload Image:
E-mail Replies:  Automagically notify you when someone responds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]