My 2019 Update Thread - My final system I think.

[Gazjam]

Today I was mostly...





Enjoy YouTube for playing music through the system, some really great sounding concerts n video’s out there, it’s a valid music source imo if played back through a good system.

Bit of an unusual setup for that here, in that I stream YouTube (and Netflix etc) from a box hooked up to the HDMI input of my Oppo 203, into the Dac over i2s connection.
So giving YouTube n stuff a fair crack at sounding pretty good if the quality is there.

Previously used an Nvidia Shield android box for this, recently plumbed in a PlayStation 5 to replace it and from the get-go it was obvious it’s audio was better than the Nvidia box plumbed into the Oppo.
Reckon maybe the CPU grunt the thing has, and the attention paid to the audio subsystem for gaming, maybe a nice side effect?

Cool,
nice bump in quality over what I had before for enjoying tunes on YouTube.

My kit is powered from a hardwired 10KVA balanced mains transformer, two Tails coming from it: One hardwired to a Wireworld shutko mains block feeding all the main black boxes and another hardwired to a linear psu feeding my router.
Only six inputs on the Wireworld block, so all other bits n bobs, the Nvidia Shield, USB hard drives and the like were connected to a typical cheap n cheerful mains block plugged straight into the wall.
Was very impressed with the jump in audio the PS5 had over the Nvidia box, even when plugged into a cheap mains block straight into the wall.

Got thinking though...

Balanced mains really improves the systems sound, why is a digital source you enjoy a lot of music from plugged into a cheap power strip and not fed by the balanced mains??

Had a spare Wireworld Matrix star earthed mains block, so decided to remove the BMU rail feeding only the router PSU and hardwire the 2nd Wireworld mains block to it.
That done, I could power the PS5 and all the other bits, not just the Router, from the Balanced mains.
That was this afternoons fun n games, and I’ve just powered everything back up and sat down.

Very worthwhile couple of hours,
I’m all for getting the most out of the kit you own, and Sound quality’s taken another jump again, everything’s bigger, clearer and more solid sounding.
Everything you’d expect with removing mush from the power supply.

New crimped connections, in my experience of doing this kinda stuff for a while now it takes a week or so for new electrical connections to bed in properly, so just enjoying it and if it gets better great.

Using supplied “wet string” figure 8 mains cable with the PlayStation, and hearing how it responds well to clean power I’ll stick a good Fig-8 mains cable to it at some point, either DIY or something from Mark Grant.

Happy Sunday for enjoying the tunes, always nice when a plan comes together.

[struth]

sounds good... and yes, the cpu and possibly the psu will improve things..

[Ali Tait]

Agree on youtube, I play a lot of stuff too. If you have anything using a switching power supply, it may be worth trying feeding them from another socket rather than the BMU, reason being they can inject noise back into the mains which the BMU should keep away from the rest of your kit.

[Gazjam]

Agree on youtube, I play a lot of stuff too. If you have anything using a switching power supply, it may be worth trying feeding them from another socket rather than the BMU, reason being they can inject noise back into the mains which the BMU should keep away from the rest of your kit.

Tried both in the BMU and into another mains block elsewhere Ali,
Was a thought I had too, but everything just sounds better through balanced power, seems to be.

[Ali Tait]

Fair enough, go with whatever sounds best mate.

[Gazjam]

Fair enough, go with whatever sounds best mate.

Yup,

the old “Hifi on paper Theory” vs actually trying it in your own setup...
Was aware of it, and from an EE point of view it makes sense, but when was this Subjective hobby of ours ever about anything except what hits your own (subjective) ears!

Could have been the colour of my socks on the Day, but currently enjoying a very definite best sounding option.
(Sanity checked it over the next few days...and...Better sounding.)

[brian2957]

Didn't know you wore socks ( or other accoutrements ) mate

Love to hear this system

[Gazjam]

One day soon(ish) Amigo, fingers n toes crossed.

[Gazjam]

Incoming...

pics to follow tomorrow.

[brian2957]

Looking forward to this