DaveBSC
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2009
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Quote:
The Alpha USB is $1895. The Off-Ramp 5 with Turboclock is $1999. Same price range. Using bus power for anything at nearly $2K IMO is unacceptable. It would've been quite easy for them to include a second linear supply running off of AC for the input stage. They were lazy/cheap. The Off-Ramp 5 is isolated, and uses no bus power. All of the circuitry is powered by the 12V DC power supply, and yet it still sounds better with a common mode choke that cuts the 5V bus line entirely. Bus power is lousy. There is no reason to use it for anything, and the further you can get it away from the converter or DAC, the better.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Alpha USB benefited considerably with an AQVOX, Vaunix, or Y-cable with a battery or LPS supply for the 5V line.
But OR5 and Alpha USB are not in the same price range. When people consider Audiophilleo 2, it is all about price.
There is nothing dumb about powering the input stage by the USB bus. Anedio D2 (U2) does that too. The question is how you isolate the ground in the later stages.
The Alpha USB is $1895. The Off-Ramp 5 with Turboclock is $1999. Same price range. Using bus power for anything at nearly $2K IMO is unacceptable. It would've been quite easy for them to include a second linear supply running off of AC for the input stage. They were lazy/cheap. The Off-Ramp 5 is isolated, and uses no bus power. All of the circuitry is powered by the 12V DC power supply, and yet it still sounds better with a common mode choke that cuts the 5V bus line entirely. Bus power is lousy. There is no reason to use it for anything, and the further you can get it away from the converter or DAC, the better.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Alpha USB benefited considerably with an AQVOX, Vaunix, or Y-cable with a battery or LPS supply for the 5V line.