My 2019 Update Thread - My final system I think.

[Macca]

There was once a dealer I knew who would not sell you anything unless you had heard the item(s) in question in your own system at home. You would deposit the asking price on a Friday and take the goods away to listen to over the weekend. If you liked the item(s), all well and good, you would get a recipt and guarantee. If you didn't get on with the item(s), you would return on the Monday with them and your deposit would be refunded.

The arrangement applied to used as well as new items.

So basically the exact opposite if my dealer. No wonder there's hardly any left.

[Gazjam]

Few upgrades Incoming...

I've been modding my PS Audio dac, big thread over on PS Audio forums on it?
Much success.
From my earlier post HERE:
https://theartofsound.net/forum/show...95#post1280795

Finally got around to getting these Dac upgrades done.
Dac booked into Loud and Clear Edinburgh to have stock transformers swapped out for better ones.

also,
I fitted a power controller board into my Dac, splitting the power rails between digital and analogue stages of the Dac, and allowing for use of an external linear power supply, to power the Analogue stage independently.




To power the analogue board, one of these is on its way.
Farad Super 3.
https://www.faradpowersupplies.com/#features

Initially thought about saving a bit of money here, but cleaner AC power (imo) is a major factor in final sound quality.
So decided...yeah. Go for it.
Super-capacitors apparently...

Like a battery setup, but without the downsides?

Decided "do it once do it right", maxed it out and added their optional upgrades: SR Purple Fuse, Furutech Rhodium IEC Inlet and their "level 2" silver DC cable.


Better speaker mounting on its way too?
Herbies Cone/spike decoupling gliders winging their way from the US:

.


Should all lead to a nice uptick in sound quality.
Cool.

Think that's me done?
Maxxed out the PS Audio gear, all cables done, AC power done...

Less than ideal Streamer setup tho,
PS Audio bringing out their own Q2 2023, will probably spring for that - replacing the Oppo 203, then take a deep dive building a better Roon Server at some point.

Groovy.

[struth]

Cool Gary, very cool.. all looking great

[Ali Tait]

Yeah, need a board meeting mate.

[Rush2112]

Hi Ali, Absolutely love the avatar ! Some of Spocks most famous quotes !!

"The needs of the vinyl outweigh the needs of the tape, or the CD." "I have been and always shall be your vinyl friend." "Vinyl is the beginning of wisdom ... not the end." "Live long and DJ."

[Gazjam]

Wee update,
posted about this before but finally putting it in place.

More of a tweak than putting in a new bit of gear,
but happy knowing I'm eeking more out of my speakers.

Speaker Isolation Feet
Herbies cone/spike decoupling gliders.

Ordered these months ago from the States, finally came in today.
They will be replacing the stock spike hard floor protectors that came with my Wharfedales.
Basically flat aluminium discs with a 1mm(?) layer of rubber stuck on.

(Sitting on SDS isolating plates on carpet)



Rave reviews from American forums,
Titanium disk sitting on some kind of hard but compliant material with a plastic base,
isolates the speaker foot and allows for easy repositioning/ toeing in of the speaker.





Long day at work,
bit knacked so will fit them tomorrow and have a listen.



Think they look great, and add to the look of the speakers.
Hopefully do the business in the sound department too, by all accounts (and reviews) they really do.

Good stuff.

[Ali Tait]

Hi Ali, Absolutely love the avatar ! Some of Spocks most famous quotes !!

"The needs of the vinyl outweigh the needs of the tape, or the CD." "I have been and always shall be your vinyl friend." "Vinyl is the beginning of wisdom ... not the end." "Live long and DJ."

Thanks, sorry missed this. :-)

[Gazjam]

Posties been...

[struth]

and your on beans again

much fun begins mate

[Gazjam]

Great packaging.



Ordered it fitted with a Furutech IEC inlet, SR Purple fuse and solid silver DC cable.
might as well max it out, good saving on retail fuse price when supplied fitted with power supply.



Custom "level 2" silver DC cable, GX16 termination 4 at PSU end, 2 at Dac end.



Small but very heavy unit,
large Toroidal in there, built in house too.

Lots of clever stuff going on inside the supply.
Big ticket item are the Blue caps - Supercapacitors, which I know nothing about!

The Tech-Talk section on the Farad website explains the magic sauce inside.
https://www.faradpowersupplies.com/tech-talk/




Hooked it up to the Dac's power control board I fitted,

Idea being it separates the digital and analogue output stages of the dac, allowing them to be powered separately.
I know from my Music Server building days, the advantages of separating the power rails in audio equipment.

Said it before, I'll say it again: clean power is everything.

The Farad is powering the Analogue output board.
SR Purple fuse inside the Dac feeding only the Digital board now.

New PSU, new DC cable, new fuse...
a lot of new.

Leaving it on 24/7 and not thinking about burn in, it will take a long time before it all starts running to spec but will just play music and enjoy it.

Taking the Dac in end of the Month to get the Analogue output boards signal transformers upgraded, apparently the most significant upgrade for the Directstream.
With that, I'll have hit the end of the Journey with my "last" Dac, thing sounds great stock, to be able to improve it further with mods appeals to me.

Pic of the Farad in place,
looks good with the PS Audio gear I think.



Cool.