[RoundRound]

Hello,
I have a speaker system driver by an RPI running Jriver 20 on it and connected via optical to a Chord Hugo and then power and and B&W CM10 speakers. 
 
I wonder if replacing the stock RPI PSU with a proper leaner PSU would help SQ wise? Because I'm connecting the RPI to the DAC via optical it's supposed to be decoupled. what do you think? Will it make an improvement to the sound?
 
Another option is to replace the SMPS PSU that came with my Asus AC87 router (which is connected via an ethernet cable to the RPI) and can also inject noise? Again, would a linear PSU be a noticeable improvement?
 
Please share your thoughts - thanks you. 

 

[x_lk]

It will help. Optical cuts EMI, but not jitter pollution. Why don't you go USB? Chord Hugo supports 32bit/384kHz/DSD128 through asynchronous USB - one of the best USB interface you can get from any vendor. Asynchronous mode is immune to jitter, which can be much worse than EMI, IMO. You don't even need a liner PSU, if you use USB. 

 

[RoundRound]

  It will help. Optical cuts EMI, but not jitter pollution. Why don't you go USB? Chord Hugo supports 32bit/384kHz/DSD128 through asynchronous USB - one of the best USB interface you can get from any vendor. Asynchronous mode is immune to jitter, which can be much worse than EMI, IMO. You don't even need a liner PSU, if you use USB. 

Thanks Mate,
Ive tried USB but I find it sounding a bit harsh - even if a bit more detailed then Toslink.
Incidentally both the Hugo designer and the Schist DAC guy commented that they prefer Optical to USB - sound wise. 
 
Any other thoughts about getting Linear PSU
 
At the moment I'm thinking of getting a custom one for my Raspberry Pi (Media player, now running Jriver) and for my router.
However that still leaves my server (gaming computer) in another room and another router along the way that's also has a 'common' PSU.. I wonder if there's a way of measuring how much noise there is scientifically?

 

[x_lk]

  Incidentally both the Hugo designer and the Schist DAC guy commented that they prefer Optical to USB - sound wise. 

Are you sure they were talking about SPDIF from a computer's mother board? There are SPDIF implementations that are just as good as async USB, but definitely not from a computer's built-in sound card. The SPDIF transport itself can cost much more than a computer, not to talk about the expensive low jitter cables. And it's even harder to get optical to sound as good as coaxial.
Linux has USB Audio 2.0 driver built-in. Grab a USB cable and try for yourself - you don't even need a fancy audiophile USB cable, given the transport is asynchronous. It's easy and you have nothing to lose.

 

[RoundRound]

  Are you sure they were talking about SPDIF from a computer's mother board? There are SPDIF implementations that are just as good as async USB, but definitely not from a computer's built-in sound card. The SPDIF transport itself can cost much more than a computer, not to talk about the expensive low jitter cables. And it's even harder to get optical to sound as good as coaxial.
Linux has USB Audio 2.0 driver built-in. Grab a USB cable and try for yourself - you don't even need a fancy audiophile USB cable, given the transport is asynchronous. It's easy and you have nothing to lose.

Thanks Mate,
I've tried the USB again - still sounds harsh - to me.
It was just the stock cable that came with the Hugo - perhaps a proper cable will sound different.
 
My question is whether a leaner PSU to the router (that has 5 wifi antennas so I imagine generates a lot of RF) and the RPI will make any difference sound wise?
 
thank you

 

[Roseval]

 I wonder if there's a way of measuring how much noise there is scientifically?

 
Try this one: http://archimago.blogspot.nl/2015/05/measurements-corning-usb-3-optical.html

 

[RoundRound]

   
Try this one: http://archimago.blogspot.nl/2015/05/measurements-corning-usb-3-optical.html

Thanks!
 
Some fascinating reading!