[Lgn3]

The latest K21 has one many believe is a better power supply. It also has a USB isolator / re-clocker.

The one advantage the CX/EX has is that it separates the Player from the Server, which reduces noise. I can't say how much that matters relative to the aforementioned benefits of the K21.

I think Mark Cole of Antipodes is a straight shooter. You should run this by him. You can book a consultation: https://antipodes.audio/sales-consultation.php

Many thanks.I will do as you advise.

 

[orrman]

Hey all!

Anyone here ever had an issue where to couldn't access the server dashboard although it seems to be working in Roon? I get a 500 error in the browser. The solution main dashboard and the player dashboard work as expected.
My K50 server seems to restart randomly as well, I'm assuming the problems are related.

Thanks!

 

[Presence]

Hey all!

Anyone here ever had an issue where to couldn't access the server dashboard although it seems to be working in Roon? I get a 500 error in the browser. The solution main dashboard and the player dashboard work as expected.
My K50 server seems to restart randomly as well, I'm assuming the problems are related.

Thanks!

This morning my CX EX combo was playing fine from Roon but I was checking up on an intermittent bug where from my iPhone, I access "My Antipodes" and the Player stops.. and my CX [server] was not showing up on the web browser. I did a hard reboot from CX/EX power buttons and it came up fine.

 

[kennyb123]

Anyone here ever had an issue where to couldn't access the server dashboard although it seems to be working in Roon? I get a 500 error in the browser. The solution main dashboard and the player dashboard work as expected.

That’s an internal server error. You might want to try a restart.

 

[orrman]

That’s an internal server error. You might want to try a restart.

Tried multiple restarts and what not..
I have a remote session tonight and if nothing comes up in their logs I'll ask for a factory reset.

 

[orrman]

Problems solved, my server storage was completely full. Remote session with AP and cleaning it up (it was full from bad roon imports) and everything is back to normal.

 

[kennyb123]

Problems solved, my server storage was completely full.

I would have never suspected that. Glad you got it figured out.

 

[Presence]

I don't know if this is the same thing but, when music has been playing continuously and I start listening the following day it often sounds slightly irritable.
The previous AA support tech Tony Devitt advised to clear the system cache and it would "wipe the windshield clean" so to speak.
I do a Roon server reset from the browser and it often has this effect. FWIW.

 

[Presence]

TI - ISOUSB211 High/Full/Low Speed Isolated USB Repeater evaluation module​

https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/sbou261/s...%2Ftool%2FISOUSB211DPEVM%3Flogin-check%3Dtrue

Pure Plug N Play. Sitting between the EX Player's 5V USB output and going to the Phoenix USB Regenerator, the USB galvanic repeater immediately and unmistakably opened up the mids and treble, added Precision, a wider sphere of holography, separation and natural ease.
After about 30 minutes it sounded like confusion - then 24 hours later it was back to what I heard fresh out of the box and has remained.
I later added what I call the "G3++" power supply upgrade consisting of an iFi SMPS [in this case iPower X 12V to a TI DC-DC converter evaluation module [link below] set up to output 5V and optioned for 750KHz switching frequency to provide galvanicly isolated power to the USB Evaluation Board -
https://www.ti.com/tool/TPSM63606EVM?keyMatch=&tisearch=search-everything&usecase=hardware

In my system, at a minimum, I'd rate the SQ gain of the galvanic USB Isolator Board at 50%.

For $70 shipped from Mouser [CONUS], the USB Eval Module is worth a shot. Adding the TI DC-DC converter is another $65 and an iPower X can be bought for as little as $70 and this will also bring the SQ up significanty.

The issue as I understand it - The CX/EX ground is not referenced to earth as can be proven by seeing no internal connection to the earth ground of the IEC connector.
Or a simple continuity test [showing OPEN] from IEC inlet ground to CX/EX chassis.
I suspect when USB and perhaps EtherNet cables connect to other boxes who's chassis ARE earth grounded it creates a more significant ground loop.

The "G3++" Power Supply configuration was added to the CX and EX prior to the USB Galvanic Repeater and this also added a 50% magnitude sound quality improvement over the Ferrum Hypsos running in 4-wire Sensing Mode. In a prior post, I asserted that the Hypsos powering the CX/EX easily surpassed the G3 factory upgrade by at least 7%.
Although, the SQ gain came almost entirely from the CX. The EX power supply mod was done second, after the CX, and its SQ gain was disappointingly minimal.
I've skipped over a lot of detail to keep it simple but I recommend trying the Plug N Play USB Board if you have a CX/EX with USB Device [DAC, DDI, USB Regen] that is not Galvanically isolated.

Rich

 

[Presence]

CX and EX "G3++" power supply Pics.
- R Core transformers removed to fit iPower Elite 15VDC SMPS
- G3 Board mounting plate shifts right by ~2" to accommodate iFi Elite extended chassis length
- Elite SMPS 15VDC output connected to G3 upgrade board DC-DC Converter after [bypassing] bridge rectifier
Removed Elite negative output bond to earth ground and then earth grounded Elite chassis for EMI shielding.
Elite chassis physically isolated to CX/EX chassis.


Removing EX Hard Drive mounting HW and Cables creates space to internally mount USB Galvanically Isolated Repeater Board
- Cable converters to insert USB Eval board inline for isolated output to USB 5V Device jack on EX back panel
- Need to monitor EX heat dashboard before/after internally mounting USB Eval Board
- Fitting/shielding iFi iPower X board and TI DC-DC converter Eval Board for galvanic power feed to USB Board fully doable but not yet sorted out

 

[richardloh]

CX and EX "G3++" power supply Pics.
- R Core transformers removed to fit iPower Elite 15VDC SMPS
- G3 Board mounting plate shifts right by ~2" to accommodate iFi Elite extended chassis length
- Elite SMPS 15VDC output connected to G3 upgrade board DC-DC Converter after [bypassing] bridge rectifier
Removed Elite negative output bond to earth ground and then earth grounded Elite chassis for EMI shielding.
Elite chassis physically isolated to CX/EX chassis.


Removing EX Hard Drive mounting HW and Cables creates space to internally mount USB Galvanically Isolated Repeater Board
- Cable converters to insert USB Eval board inline for isolated output to USB 5V Device jack on EX back panel
- Need to monitor EX heat dashboard before/after internally mounting USB Eval Board
- Fitting/shielding iFi iPower X board and TI DC-DC converter Eval Board for galvanic power feed to USB Board fully doable but not yet sorted out

Hope you will lay your hands on the latest and greatest oladra to do an AB to share if efforts, expertise and $ spent had been been worthwhile apart from expectedly immense pleasure of creating this unique upgraded cx and ex stack

 

[Presence]

I always appreciate your welcoming encouragement and greeting Rich! Happy New Year!
Not sure an A/B with OLADRA will ever happen but I don't think it'd be a stretch to say that with latest implementations, the CX/EX platform will never reach the refined presentation of AAs finest. I do enjoy the hunt in discovering how to make what I have better though...

 

[Presence]

CX/EX Platform Discoveries...

Considering the CX/EX is the only AA platform not utilizing earth ground [per Mark Cole]...

- Galvanically isolating the USB to the Innuous Phoenix USB repeater using the TI USB repeater produced a noticeable SQ improvement.
I don't have the distinction as to the degree that the improvement was caused by the isolation or a stronger/regenerated USB output with dedicated power supply within the EX.

- That got me thinking that the Ethernet going through the EtherRegen which is powered by a different separate earth grounded power supply [AA S60] introduces yet another potential ground loop between the EtherRegen A-Side and the CX.
So I tapped the 15V iFi Elite SMPS within the modded CX and connected it to a DC jack on the CX back panel to feed to the EtherRegen. I have a temporary dedicated TI DC- DC converter sitting on top of the EtherRegen that converts the 15V input to 9V output to the EtherRegen.
This way the non earth-grounded common is the same for the now isolated CXs ecos system.
Actually, I also eliminated the separate power supply for the fiber repeater feeding the internet to the CX also off the CXs 15V output to a separate DC-DC converter so everything touching the CX has the same common ground.

The difference was detectable on Sarah Chang's violin where previously, on my system, certain notes/passages where certain notes and their harmonics seemed bottle-necked now opened up by about 50%.

Now I'm thinking whether the USB feed out of the Phoenix USB Regen to the SingXer DDI [which marketedly boasts a chip providing full galvanic isolation] could benefit from a second USB isolator.

Photo of the EX USB Repeater/Power Supply Rube Goldberg Special -
1) Aluminum encapsulated iFi iPower X SMPS dedicated to the TI USB Galvanic Repeater
2) Dedicated TI DC-DC Converter feeding 5V to the USB Repeater
3} USB Repeater Module

 

[Progisus]

Squeeze server > MPD w JPlay control is coming. Roon killer? Discuss

 

[kennyb123]

Squeeze server > MPD w JPlay control is coming. Roon killer? Discuss

Squeeze essentially replaces MinimServer as the server app in that scenario. Not sure much will be gained as far as sound quality over MPD backed by MinimServer. We shall see.