NAS Super-Low Noise Linear Power Supply

[TheFlash]

I also thought the same, then tried it and discovered rather differently...!

The genuinely inquisitive and openminded will always put aside what their heads think, and go with their gut instincts instead, as ultimately there is no substitute for practical experience - and furthermore if we never challenged the 'accepted norm', how would we ever discover anything new?

In my experience, audio often rewards the lateral thinkers

Marco.

You misunderstand me. I couldn't get my head around that IN MY SYSTEM where the NAS is on a separate mains radial so only packets of digital data pass from the NAS to the hifi and its dedicated mains. Cleaning up the NAS power in that situation can't possibly affect the sound unless those 0s and 1s were previously corrupted.

I think I can get my head around why a linear PSU could improve the sound IN YOUR SETUP where, unless I'm mistaken, the hifi and NAS are on the same mains circuit. There, removing a noisy switched PSU might quite conceivably make a difference because there are analogue signals to be polluted.

I hope that's clearer.

Nigel

[Macca]

You misunderstand me. I couldn't get my head around that IN MY SYSTEM where the NAS is on a separate mains radial so only packets of digital data pass from the NAS to the hifi and its dedicated mains. Cleaning up the NAS power in that situation can't possibly affect the sound unless those 0s and 1s were previously corrupted.

I think I can get my head around why a linear PSU could improve the sound IN YOUR SETUP where, unless I'm mistaken, the hifi and NAS are on the same mains circuit. There, removing a noisy switched PSU might quite conceivably make a difference because there are analogue signals to be polluted.

I hope that's clearer.

Nigel

Can you explain how 0s and 1s become 'corrupted' and what effect this will have on the sound? And why does power supply noise corrupt 'audio' 0s and 1s but not none-audio 0s and 1s?

[Smegger68]

Yes, but I don't mean 'corrupt' in the sense you're inferring, and of course I don't have the necessary technical knowledge with computers to properly debate the matter with you, so probably best if we just agree to disagree

What sense do you mean? You just said you don't have expertise in this area so what exactly is the point you are trying to make?

Some say it's "impossible" for audiophile mains leads to improve on standard ones, some say it's "impossible" for 'fancy plugs and sockets' to make a difference on signal cables and equipment, over standard ones, some say it's "impossible" for 'boutique capacitors or resistors' to improve on standard items, some say it's "impossible" for vinyl to reproduce music more 'accurately' (read as render it as sounding more lifelike) than digital, etc, etc - the effects/improvements of all of which I can hear as clear as day

All of the things you have listed are either a matter of personal preference or things that would only affect the analogue domain. None of them would affect a digital signal unless they completely stopped it from working.

Therefore, often when I'm told that something is "impossible", I simply think that perhaps it hasn't been investigated rigorously enough, in order for the *real* truth to be revealed, or the mind of the person telling me it's "impossible" is closed to accepting any view outside that of his or her academic training.

In a closed system it is perfectly acceptable to define effects as possible or impossible. These are mutable terms though - If you wish to debunk the impossible claim, you must present evidence as to why it is no longer impossible.

I'm just not someone that's predisposed to automatically accepting so-called 'facts', simply because 'accepted wisdom' deems them as such.

They are not so-called facts. This is theory that fits the facts. Theory is open to review with the presentation of evidence.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the above necessary applies to the issue we're currently discussing, simply that I'll always remain openminded to the possibility that things are not always quite as obvious, as at first they may seem

I would not disagree. Being open minded is a prerequisite of gaining new knowledge. However, at a certain point you have to agree to a concensus or you never move forward.

P.S Oh, as an aside, I must ask that you remove/change your signature (in red), as it could be offensive to some people (consider for example that I am a practising Catholic). This is a hi-fi and music forum, therefore such statements (or indeed similar ones of a political nature) have no place here.

Fair enough. Done

[Stratmangler]

Cleaning up the NAS power in that situation can't possibly affect the sound unless those 0s and 1s were previously corrupted

So how do you think those 0s and 1s are represented?

[TheFlash]

As an analogue waveform which in layman's terms gets translated back into 0s and 1s.

[Stratmangler]

So would it be fair to say that the analogue waveform of the digital representation is going to be affected by the same things as an analogue audio signal will be?

[TheFlash]

Can you explain how 0s and 1s become 'corrupted' and what effect this will have on the sound? And why does power supply noise corrupt 'audio' 0s and 1s but not none-audio 0s and 1s?

I don't believe they do get corrupted. That's my point.

[TheFlash]

So would it be fair to say that the analogue waveform of the digital representation is going to be affected by the same things as an analogue audio signal will be?

No, because a corrupted 0 doesn't become 90% of a 0, a slightly distorted 0, it becomes a 1. That's an unstable and non-compliant digital cable.

[Smegger68]

So would it be fair to say that the analogue waveform of the digital representation is going to be affected by the same things as an analogue audio signal will be?

Of course. However in the context of ethernet packets, it's completely irrelevant because of CRC error correction and transport protocol resends. Since none of this is time domain dependant it will not affect the final sound.

[Smegger68]

No, because a corrupted 0 doesn't become 90% of a 0, a slightly distorted 0, it becomes a 1. That's an unstable and non-compliant digital cable.

Exactly right.