[reynaldohm]

@Thorsten Loesch
I have the new iFi NEO iDSD 2 and I replaced the 12v Power Supply that came with the DAC with the iFi iPower Elite Power Supply 12v.
I think there was an improvement, or could it be a placebo effect?

 

[Thorsten Loesch]

@Thorsten Loesch
I have the new iFi NEO iDSD 2 and I replaced the 12v Power Supply that came with the DAC with the iFi iPower Elite Power Supply 12v.
I think there was an improvement, or could it be a placebo effect?

If the original was a proper iPower (I don't know if they still make them) then an elite would likely not provide an upgrade.

Thor

 

[reynaldohm]

iPower 2

iPowerX

iPower Elite

 

[Thorsten Loesch]

iPower 2


iPowerX


iPower Elite

I know, I was involved in the design for all of them and they are based on my tech originally developed for the first generation iPower. Performance is basically identical, due to the higher power the Plus/Elite actually is more noisy and has more common mode noise than the lower power unit, but it's not large. I also note that the iPower 2 seems to have more high grade output capacitors, which should make it perform better than X, though again the margin's are not large.

Unless the Neo 2 needs more power than iPower (X) can deliver then objectively they all perform essentially indistinguishable.

One key difference, Elite has an Earth Connection, standard and X has not. Depending on system context that can make a fair difference.

Thor

 

[sunjam]

@Thorsten Loesch Thanks a lot for your suggestion on how to improve the Zen DAC.

Here is my simple Super (capacitor) Charging solution for my Zen DAC V2.

Power Supply: DC 5v 1A (Linear Power Supply). Without load, the output is around 5.46v. There is no variable resistor in the circuit to change the output voltage
Capacitors: 5.5v 0.5F x 20
All the capacitors are connected in parallel between the power supply and the output plug.

I noticed that the output voltage of the capacitor bank is stabilized around 5.25v when it is connected to the Zen DAC (playing music).

As I just built this capacitor bank, I am monitoring the output voltage closely when it is playing music. I saw a few instances that the voltage drops slowly (around 0.01v a second) to around 5.11v and then it goes back up to 5.23v slowly (around 0.01v a second too).

The voltage values I mentioned above are not always the same values, the min voltage could be down to around 4.89v and the max could be up to 5.45v. However the behaviors are similar (i.e. drop slowly and then back up slowly to another voltage value).

Having said that, most of the time the voltage is stabilized to a value between 5.2 to 5.4v.

Just wondering if you may know what happens on my simple setup? Is it something that is expected?

Thanks a lot for your comments. Cheers.

p.s.: It just happened again. It dropped from 5.26 to 4.89v in around 30 seconds and then it went up to 5.15 again (in around 20 seconds) and seems stabilized now. Before that the voltage was stabilized at 5.26v for long time (around 20 minutes).

 

[Thorsten Loesch]

@Thorsten Loesch Thanks a lot for your suggestion on how to improve the Zen DAC.

Here is my simple Super (capacitor) Charging solution for my Zen DAC V2.

Power Supply: DC 5v 1A (Linear Power Supply). Without load, the output is around 5.46v. There is no variable resistor in the circuit to change the output voltage
Capacitors: 5.5v 0.5F x 20
All the capacitors are connected in parallel between the power supply and the output plug.







I noticed that the output voltage of the capacitor bank is stabilized around 5.25v when it is connected to the Zen DAC (playing music).

As I just built this capacitor bank, I am monitoring the output voltage closely when it is playing music. I saw a few instances that the voltage drops slowly (around 0.01v a second) to around 5.11v and then it goes back up to 5.23v slowly (around 0.01v a second too).

The voltage values I mentioned above are not always the same values, the min voltage could be down to around 4.89v and the max could be up to 5.45v. However the behaviors are similar (i.e. drop slowly and then back up slowly to another voltage value).

Having said that, most of the time the voltage is stabilized to a value between 5.2 to 5.4v.

Just wondering if you may know what happens on my simple setup? Is it something that is expected?

Thanks a lot for your comments. Cheers.

p.s.: It just happened again. It dropped from 5.26 to 4.89v in around 30 seconds and then it went up to 5.15 again (in around 20 seconds) and seems stabilized now. Before that the voltage was stabilized at 5.26v for long time (around 20 minutes).

Bad contacts on that plug board. Please don't use this, but make soldered connections.

Thor

 

[sunjam]

Bad contacts on that plug board. Please don't use this, but make soldered connections.

Thor

Thanks a lot for your reply.

I'd changed my setup from plug board to soldered connections. It works perfectly now (even with my poor soldering work). No more sudden voltage change. Here is how it looks like now:

As my 5V 1A power supply has output voltage a bit higher than 5V, the voltage of my new super capacitor bank could get up to around 5.35 V under load (Zen DAC) when it is directly connected to the 5V power supply.

Just wondering if it is ok to use the 5v power supply directly (i.e. keep the output voltage around 5.35v) or I should add a resistor between the power supply and the capacitor bank so that the output voltage under load is around 5.0 V

Thanks again for your reply.

 

[Nkam]

Thanks a lot for your reply.

I'd changed my setup from plug board to soldered connections. It works perfectly now (even with my poor soldering work). No more sudden voltage change. Here is how it looks like now:




As my 5V 1A power supply has output voltage a bit higher than 5V, the voltage of my new super capacitor bank could get up to around 5.35 V under load (Zen DAC) when it is directly connected to the 5V power supply.

Just wondering if it is ok to use the 5v power supply directly (i.e. keep the output voltage around 5.35v) or I should add a resistor between the power supply and the capacitor bank so that the output voltage under load is around 5.0 V

Thanks again for your reply.

That’s some interesting soldering. Lol

Messin

 

[sunjam]

That’s some interesting soldering. Lol

Messin

lol... that's why I wanted to use the solderless breadboard

 

[farits]

Here is my simple Super (capacitor) Charging solution for my Zen DAC V2.

Has the sound changed overall?

 

[Light - Man]

Just wondering if it is ok to use the 5v power supply directly (i.e. keep the output voltage around 5.35v) or I should add a resistor between the power supply and the capacitor bank so that the output voltage under load is around 5.0 V

A quick reply from me is that I would not add a resister until you get the view of an expert. You would have to chose carefully and ensure it could handle the amperage, etc.

BTW, do you detect any change in sound, after all i assume that is the reason that you have in mind?

 

[sunjam]

Yes, it has noticable difference in sound. Bass is stronger and deeper. For mid and high, I didn't notice much difference though.

 

[Thorsten Loesch]

Thanks a lot for your reply.

I'd changed my setup from plug board to soldered connections. It works perfectly now (even with my poor soldering work). No more sudden voltage change. Here is how it looks like now:




As my 5V 1A power supply has output voltage a bit higher than 5V, the voltage of my new super capacitor bank could get up to around 5.35 V under load (Zen DAC) when it is directly connected to the 5V power supply.

Just wondering if it is ok to use the 5v power supply directly (i.e. keep the output voltage around 5.35v) or I should add a resistor between the power supply and the capacitor bank so that the output voltage under load is around 5.0 V

Thanks again for your reply.

No need to add resistors, remember the Borg....

I would describe the soldering as "interesting". Maybe buy a big grab bag of surplus components and practice soldering a bit. And watch a video on how to make capacitor banks.



Way I do is to bend the wires over by 90 degrees and perpendicular to axis between the two points and then place capacitors flat sides next to each other. There is no heat to worry about.

Then just keep building up a "brick" secure with sticky tape, align the wires from each capacitor in parallel to make a "bus" and flow solder over it.

Thor

 

[sunjam]

No need to add resistors, remember the Borg....

I would describe the soldering as "interesting". Maybe buy a big grab bag of surplus components and practice soldering a bit. And watch a video on how to make capacitor banks.



Way I do is to bend the wires over by 90 degrees and perpendicular to axis between the two points and then place capacitors flat sides next to each other. There is no heat to worry about.

Then just keep building up a "brick" secure with sticky tape, align the wires from each capacitor in parallel to make a "bus" and flow solder over it.

Thor

Cool, thanks for your reply.

I found the idea of Super (capacitor) charging solution is very interesting. Just wondering if you know of any products that are using it? Or it is only popular in DIY world?

Without load, the voltage of my capacitor bank can go up to 5.45V. Usually, what's the maximum voltage these capacitors can handle without getting into trouble?

I am also considering a similar solution for my pre amp that use DC 12V (it comes with a DC 12V 1A power supply). Looks like most of these super capacitors are rated with 5.5V. Do you think a super charging solution for my pre amp (12V) make sense? If yes, could you suggest a way for me to built one? Thanks.

 

[Light - Man]

I found the idea of Super (capacitor) charging solution is very interesting. Just wondering if you know of any products that are using it? Or it is only popular in DIY world?

I believe the Chord Hugo TT2 uses super capacitors but is rather expensive at £3995