iFi audio iPower X - The Official Thread
Apr 29, 2020 at 7:13 PM Post #49 of 505
Any owners with a voltmeter handy able to give us a real VDC? Original 12V Ifi was only 12.14V, which seemed a bit anemic compared to the OEM wall warts I upgraded from.

An ideal power supply would meet its exact rated voltage and show no change between open circuit (no load) and rated load.

Commonly the specs for higher end regulated power supplies will be +/- 2% at any load up to the rated load. For lesser power supplies often +/- 5% is accepted as adequate.

Affordable power supplies often use high resistance cables. To achieve nominal specs under rated load, these PSUs will have a higher "open circuit" (no load, just the voltmeter) voltage, which will be "eaten up" by the cable resistance.

A 12V +/-5% rated power supply with 1A rated current may have 12.6V open circuit voltage that will drop under full load to 11.4V and would remain within specifications.

I wouldn't say that iPower is anemic, but rather it has very low resistance cable and excellent regulation; its "open circuit" and "full load" voltage have minimal variation, because it is a "beefy" power supply :sunglasses:

Meanwhile the higher open circuit voltage of an OEM adapters is indicative of an anemic (read poorly regulated) power supply. One would have to test an OEM adapter at different loads to be sure exactly what is going on.

Here an independent article covering tests on a number of USB chargers:

http://www.righto.com/2012/10/a-dozen-usb-chargers-in-lab-apple-is.html

Many show debatable regulation.
 
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Apr 30, 2020 at 11:08 PM Post #50 of 505
Maybe you're right, and it's more of an update than an upgrade, but as far as I know, there aren't really any power supplies on the market that are quieter than the original iPower - maybe there is a brick wall you hit when you go down to 1uV noise-level that makes it hard to go even lower than that.
This one comes with 0.1uV ripple spec: https://ifi-audio.com/products/micro-iusb3-0/

Eagerly awaiting proofs that "iPower X is even quieter than the original iPower" as their local rep mentioned here in this thread, considering the fact that 1uV ripple spec hasn't changed.
 
Apr 30, 2020 at 11:47 PM Post #51 of 505
An ideal power supply would meet it's exact rated voltage and show no change between open circuit (no load) and rated load.

Commonly the specs for higher end regulated power supplies will be +/- 2% at any load up to the rated load. For lesser power supplies often +/- 5% is accepted as adequate.

Affordable power supplies often use high resistance cables. To achieve nominal specs under rated load, these PSUs will have a higher "open circuit" (no load, just the voltmeter) voltage, which will be "eaten up" by the cable resistance.

A 12V +/-5% rated power supply with 1A rated current may have 12.6V open circuit voltage that will drop under full load to 11.4V and would remain within specifications.

I wouldn't say that iPower is anemic, but rather it has very low resistance cable and excellent regulation; its "open circuit" and "full load" voltage have minimal variation, because it is a "beefy" power supply :sunglasses:

Meanwhile the higher open circuit voltage of an OEM adapters is indicative of an anemic (read poorly regulated) power supply. One would have to test an OEM adapter at different loads to be sure exactly what is going on.

Here an independent Article covering tests on a number of USB Chargers:

http://www.righto.com/2012/10/a-dozen-usb-chargers-in-lab-apple-is.html

Many show debatable regulation.

Makes sense.

So I take it the new Ipower X is even closer to the nominal voltage due to tighter regulation? Was the cable upgraded too?
 
May 4, 2020 at 11:53 AM Post #52 of 505
Has someone compared does ifi iPower sound better than combo of good SMPS and expensive AC Power Cable?

Im using Uptone Audio LPS-1 and Usb Iso Regen with Chord Hugo 2 DAC. I have used Uptone Audio's latest SMPS (https://uptoneaudio.com/products/uptone-branded-7-5v-4-8a-36w-smps-with-internal-ground-shunt) and it has been great.

I was thinking of investing expensive AC cable but should I instead replace my Uptone Audio's SMPS and Supra AC cable with 'cheaper' solution of buying iPower? Just if it works with LPS-1.
 
May 5, 2020 at 7:42 PM Post #53 of 505
So I take it the new Ipower X is even closer to the nominal voltage due to tighter regulation?

This is part of it, yes.

Was the cable upgraded too?

We use a much larger copper cross section in our cables (X and non-X iPower) compared to generic power supplies, which results in much lower resistance.

Compared to 'industry standard' PSUs with similar ratings, we use large value capacitors on the input and output of the PSU, which results in less ripple and better regulation. Instead of simple diode/capacitor output filters, we use diode/capacitor/inductor/capacitor/inductor/capacitor filters (that's C vs CLCLC PSUs in tube amps as reference).

We also use very advanced control loop design based on multiple control loops of various speeds. This is actually the power supply equivalent of the Cherry NDFL (Nested Differentiating Feedback Loop) audio amplifier, which results in absolute load stability and at the same time fast load transient response. These parameters are normally mutually exclusive in regulated power supplies.

To all that we add the ANC circuit at the output to lower noise further. A large cross section / low resistance coaxial cable contributes to further noise reduction. We couldn't have all that extremely stable (beefy, well regulated) power supply lost because of a high resistance cable :)
 
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May 7, 2020 at 2:12 PM Post #55 of 505
@iFi audio

Hey quick question. Interested in a power X, and wondering if it would work properly on a Mytek Liberty. The Liberty pulls 150W at 12v 1amp. Thank you!
Firstly, the Mytek Liberty does not pull 150W. It's internal power supply is only 30 Watts.

Mytek don't appear to state a minimum current capability for an external power supply, only that it should be 12 Volts.

To match the internal power supply, an external 12 Volt supply would have to be capable of 2.5 Amps (12 x 2.5 = 30).

The iPower X is rated for 2 Amps at 12 Volts, so is insufficient.
 
May 7, 2020 at 2:50 PM Post #56 of 505
Firstly, the Mytek Liberty does not pull 150W. It's internal power supply is only 30 Watts.

Mytek don't appear to state a minimum current capability for an external power supply, only that it should be 12 Volts.

To match the internal power supply, an external 12 Volt supply would have to be capable of 2.5 Amps (12 x 2.5 = 30).

The iPower X is rated for 2 Amps at 12 Volts, so is insufficient.

You speak the words of wisdom.
 
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May 8, 2020 at 7:47 AM Post #57 of 505
This is part of it, yes.



We use a much larger copper cross section in our cables (X and non-X iPower) compared to generic power supplies, which results in much lower resistance.

Compared to 'industry standard' PSUs with similar ratings, we use large value capacitors on the input and output of the PSU, which results in less ripple and better regulation. Instead of simple diode/capacitor output filters, we use diode/capacitor/inductor/capacitor/inductor/capacitor filters (that's C vs CLCLC PSUs in tube amps as reference).

We also use very advanced control loop design based on multiple control loops of various speeds. This is actually the power supply equivalent of the Cherry NDFL (Nested Differentiating Feedback Loop) audio amplifier, which results in absolute load stability and at the same time fast load transient response. These parameters are normally mutually exclusive in regulated power supplies.

To all that we add the ANC circuit at the output to lower noise further. A large cross section / low resistance coaxial cable contributes to further noise reduction. We couldn't have all that extremely stable (beefy, well regulated) power supply lost because of a high resistance cable :)

Is the voltage stable when approaching peak power? I've read from an allo representative that he heard from a dealer, who measured the iPower X, that »Of the new IFI , we got reports from dealers that at 2A voltage is 4.96V , 2.5A its 4.86 and 3A its 4.76V«. Is that badmouthing from a brand with a competing product? I'm 100% sure you made your own measurements and I'd like to know before buying more of your iPower X; or is it just normal behavior for any power supply, which can't be circumvented?
 
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May 9, 2020 at 3:47 AM Post #58 of 505
I bought a 5v version X for my Chord Qutest DAC. I certainly don’t like the color of It including the Christmas lamp. So I put black tape around it. Even more crazy is that they put black extension cables in the box. 🥴 Why not everything in black? I had the former one, but the extension cable for my Qutest was defect and I am still 😒 waiting for a new one from iFi, they promised to send me. So, I sold the old one without the extension cable.
 
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May 11, 2020 at 8:26 AM Post #59 of 505
Is the voltage stable when approaching peak power? I've read from an allo representative that he heard from a dealer, who measured the iPower X, that »Of the new IFI , we got reports from dealers that at 2A voltage is 4.96V , 2.5A its 4.86 and 3A its 4.76V«. Is that badmouthing from a brand with a competing product? I'm 100% sure you made your own measurements and I'd like to know before buying more of your iPower X; or is it just normal behavior for any power supply, which can't be circumvented?
I will speak to my team internally and get back to you on this! :)
 
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May 11, 2020 at 8:37 AM Post #60 of 505
I bought a 5v version X for my Chord Qutest DAC. I certainly don’t like the color of It including the Christmas lamp. So I put black tape around it. Even more crazy is that they put black extension cables in the box. 🥴 Why not everything in black? I had the former one, but the extension cable for my Qutest was defect and I am still 😒 waiting for a new one from iFi, they promised to send me. So, I sold the old one without the extension cable.
I appreciate that you don't like the colour and in the future we may have a look at different colour options. But for now this is all we've got :)
 
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