Portable Power Staion?

[iFi audio]

My little EcoFlow River conked out after 5 years. I took the plunge and purchased an EcoFlow Delta 2 Max LiFePo power station last night from EcoFlow's website during their Prime Day sale ($200 off + 8% off coupon code). It's the best price I've seen on this particular unit. I think this is a better investment than any more power conditioning equipment.

It's a chonky device, weighing in at 50 pounds. As it comes with 2048 Wh of capacity, it's probably overkill for my intended use. I plan to run everything in my hifi system but the amps off its battery power. In addition to six AC outlets, it has two 12-volt 3A DC outlets to power my endpoint and router. It has enough juice to be a backup generator during blackouts, as well.

I'll report back after I receive it from FedEx and slot it into my system.

I'm wondering how this battery-based device would fare against something like our PowerStation, or any other power conditioner. I look forward to your impressions

 

[Netnet]

I'll report back after I receive it from FedEx and slot it into my system.

Any updates on how the Ecoflow River is working out for you? I'm curious because I've been looking at these as an alternative to power conditioning.

 

[dcguy73]

Any updates on how the Ecoflow River is working out for you? I'm curious because I've been looking at these as an alternative to power conditioning.

I'm still experimenting and testing different permutations of my system with the EcoFlow. And I have the Delta 2 Max, not the smaller River series.

Prior to purchasing the Delta 2 Max, I watched a lot of video reviews and read through published reviews about it. Available measurements showed its inverter was around 90% efficient and consistently produced a smooth sine wave, even under heavy load. I chose it over the Delta 2 because measurements of that model showed its inverter was less efficient and it was less capable of maintaining a smooth sine wave under load.

I've used the Delta 2 Max solely in my two-channel system so far, not in my headphone setup. What I can say is that my Delta 2 Max is a game-changer for digital sources and equipment. Dead silent background with no impact on the sound of the components, unlike most power conditioners that impart some type of change. Analog components are another matter. In my system, it can easily handle two monoblock amplifiers plugged into it without effort, but I think I lose out on dynamic range when they're plugged into it. I prefer my amplifiers plugged directly into the wall, but as I said, I'm still experimenting.

The one disappointment I've encountered with the Delta 2 Max is the the two 2.5mm DC outputs max out at 3 amps, which isn't powerful enough to run my music server (it uses just over 3 amps when it boots up with its 10th-gen i5 chip), so I can't run the server directly with DC power. Also, not a disappointment but a qualifier -- you can't use "audiophile-sized" power cables with the Delta 2 Max because EcoFlow doesn't space out the AC outlets enough to allow room for them, so you have to choose between regular-sized power cables or using a power distributor/power strip to connect your components to the EcoFlow.

I don't know how EcoFlow's River series performs in comparison. Those are lower power devices and they may be better suited to a headphone-based system. I'd advise you to do some research and make sure they have relatively efficient inverters that can maintain a smooth sine wave under whatever power demands you're going to make of them.

 

[dcguy73]

I'm wondering how this battery-based device would fare against something like our PowerStation, or any other power conditioner. I look forward to your impressions

There's no comparison. In my two-channel system, the PowerStation's active power conditioning makes the sound "sharper" (meaning accentuated treble and transients) at the same time it creates a blacker background. The "sharpening" effect is even more pronounced if I connect the PowerStation to the wall with the active power conditioning SupaNova cable. In contrast, the EcoFlow gives me a blacker background without altering the sound of my system.

 

[Netnet]

I don't know how EcoFlow's River series performs in comparison. Those are lower power devices and they may be better suited to a headphone-based system. I'd advise you to do some research and make sure they have relatively efficient inverters that can maintain a smooth sine wave under whatever power demands you're going to make of them.

Thanks for sharing. I'm mostly looking to battery-power my headphone system (which is probably why I had the River product line on the brain). I've heard the iFi nano iDSD on battery and I'm sold on the concept in general.

I think putting the whole hifi rack on a battery would be VERY interesting.

 

[sajesak]

Anyone using a portable power station to power their desktop rigs?

I live in an old pre war New York City apartment building with questionable wiring. I also have a very limited number outlets, so my audio equipment is sharing a surge protector with my tv, ps5, Apple TV, and a sound bar. The other plug of the same outlet runs my Fios modem and cable, a switch, router, and a Roon core, so plenty of noise.

I was initially looking at power conditioners, but that wouldn’t help with the lack of outlets. That lead me to looking at running the audio off of battery power.

My setup is pretty simple, just two components. A Burson Conductor 3XR(3A Super Charger) and an iFi Stream (15v Sbooster) and that’s it.

Are there potential pitfalls going with the battery? I can’t imagine it being much worse than what I’m currently dealing with. I don’t think unplugging the battery when listening to music and plugging it back in would be to much of an inconvenience of portable power station. Also would be a pretty cool appliance to have around for other use cases.

Sorry if this has been brought up before. I know some people are using them, but couldn’t find much info.

One-off my sons is looking at these for him to have with him whilst out and about in the van which he is making into a very basic day van for the odd picnic and perhaps night away. I haven’t come across them before, but has anyone got any words of wisdom regarding these? Please.

 

[Monsterzero]

My little EcoFlow River conked out after 5 years. I took the plunge and purchased an EcoFlow Delta 2 Max LiFePo power station last night from EcoFlow's website during their Prime Day sale ($200 off + 8% off coupon code). It's the best price I've seen on this particular unit. I think this is a better investment than any more power conditioning equipment.

It's a chonky device, weighing in at 50 pounds. As it comes with 2048 Wh of capacity, it's probably overkill for my intended use. I plan to run everything in my hifi system but the amps off its battery power. In addition to six AC outlets, it has two 12-volt 3A DC outlets to power my endpoint and router. It has enough juice to be a backup generator during blackouts, as well.

I'll report back after I receive it from FedEx and slot it into my system.

Bumping an old thread.....

@dcguy73 have you had a chance to use this in your headphone rig yet? Wondering how much listening time you get off of a charge. Also, curious as to why you don't use your amps off of this beast?

 

[580847]

One-off my sons is looking at these for him to have with him whilst out and about in the van which he is making into a very basic day van for the odd picnic and perhaps night away. I haven’t come across them before, but has anyone got any words of wisdom regarding these? Please.

That sounds like such a good time.

I think you can get by with a heavy-duty 12V LiFePO₄ Battery, A wall charger or Solar Power and an Inverter. You can contact the linked company as they seem to have robust sales support. I have never done a major Van or Home Project, just Audio Projects. My preference is pure Ultracapacitors not Battery for Pure Audio Bliss as it is like plugging directly into a Nuclear Power Plant (Super Clean). But that's a different use case.

https://battlebornbatteries.com/product/blue-smart-ip65-charger-12-15/

https://battlebornbatteries.com/shop/products/solar-panels/

Just plug in the Heavy Duty 12V Battery on the DC Side and a power strip on the AC Side:

https://battlebornbatteries.com/product/morningstar-professional-series-suresine-120v-inverters/

For Van Kits:

https://battlebornbatteries.com/learn/applications/van-life/

But if it's just day or overnight trips, a non-kit should be fine with just charging at home on the wall outlet.

For the New York Flat / Apartment (THREAD_STARTER), you can keep it simple too with just a Battery, Charger and Inverter or a Van Kit or a whole Residential Kit:

https://battlebornbatteries.com/shop/applications/off-grid-residential/

https://battlebornbatteries.com/learn/applications/off-grid/

It's easy to incrementally scale 12V Batteries as needed. Start off with one, need to double the Amp Hours just add another one. Scaling is unlimited. Easy Peasy.

Good luck. I don't have any energy to follow any threads the first half of 2024, so just throwing out another option.

 

[Strayngs]

Hmmm I have a 2000w EGO power station with quite a few batteries. I will have to plug my entire 2 channel setup into it and see if there is a change.

 

[580847]

Sounds fun. I ain't gettin' dragged into following any threads as I need to re-charge and ful-fill NY Resolutions, but I do take great interests in anything Passive Power.

Since I try to be disciplined and read-only on this site once every few months, I stumbled upon something related on another site where I usually only focus on only well-mastered Redbook not hardware:

Portable Power Station for stereo use...Wow!

There's only 2 outlets on the Yeti so I plugged my linestage directly into the unit and a 3 to 1 adapter into the other. I'm plugging in the Node and DAC into the adapter but when it's time for records, I'll unplug the adapter from the unit and connect the phono pre directly. I decided to stream a few tracks from Tidal to start and could immediately notice larger stage height and width. After that I decided to play some CD rips from my hard drive connected to the Node and it continued for 4 more hours! I couldn't pull myself away and listen to any records, I was having too much fun. The stage height and width differences were still there, but there was more to it, the focus feels like it's been increased so it's easier to hear/follow instruments. Vocals are more distinct and lifelike, it's really awesome!

But of course, it's always YMMV.

I just don't like being a slave to the Power Company and having the Power Company dictate my listening experience.

For I, I'm the only one in the world Gaming with Soundstage Depth as I'm one of the few with the best native 5V Ultracapacitor Passive Powering a USB optical cable Off Mains. It took six weeks of Brain burn-in to happen. It wasn't a set goal, but it happened naturally because once you reduce or kill off the tiniest of anomalies in Noise Floor Modulation it let's SQ attributes of the DAC shine as your Brain no longer registers those anomalies as a thing.

So I recommend to give it time. At first, it's just lower noise and quieter but over time you may notice other SQ attributes. When someone mentions they can'ts be pulled away, it's because Passive Power is much less fatiguing so it's good for Ear Health too not just SQ reasons.

Very old post before Modern Battery Tech:

You may be nuts, but not for this reasoning.

I agree that every dc power supply in any audio amplifier strives to be a battery. A battery is a virtually perfect power supply except for one problem. They lose their charge.

I've mentioned this many times here, but once I was at a studio doing a string date and the power supply of our large Helios console went down. I sent somebody to Pep Boys for some car batteries and lashed them up to power the console. The session came off and the console never sounded better.

Why no all-battery-power-option audio systems?

But lead-acid Batteries make no sense anymore with LiFePO₄ and Ultracapacitors that are on-demand dynamic with almost zero impedance. But powering a device directly or indirectly via a inverter will differ. It depends on the use case if you just want Off Mains or you want Off Mains + Peak Performance. A New York apartment with a high variance in Mains quality or if you are scuba diving on a remote island and want to come back to quality audio, just getting Off Mains is good enough. If your device is designed to accept quality DC or designed with Passive Power in mind then Peak Performance can be a use case.

I'm just thinking what sort of Off Mains Passive Power setup Zuck is building in that $300million dollar bunker in Hawaii that's being built. Only thing I'm sure about is the Audio will be well Passive Powered and the Audio SQ is not determined by the Power Company. But for the Apartment and Van use cases, there's a different path besides AliExpress solutions.

 

[paracelsius]

Phonitor xe, like all SPL units probably, has a problem that gives me a headache. It is very sensitive to EMP (electro-magnetic pulse). EMP produces a click or pop, which is quite loud and disturbs listening to music. EMP is caused by all household appliances that have an on/off switch: refrigerators, air conditioners, dishwashers, electric stoves, etc. If the electrical network is not designed well in the house, all these impulses leak into the network and are captured by the Phonitor. Not all amplifiers have this problem, but it seems that the ones from SPL do. It probably does not have protection against EMP implemented precisely because it is more of a professional tool and in studios strong electric current filters are always installed. Unfortunately, in my apartment there is precisely this problem that I have been trying to solve for more than a month and I still have not succeeded. I bought a power conditioner but it doesn't help with this type of problem. I initially thought it was a problem with the Phonitor xe, I wrote to the people from SPL and they asked for the unit to check it. I sent it in, they ran all sorts of tests and couldn't find any problems, but they still replaced the entire DAC section. It came back a few days ago and nothing has changed.
My solution (well later I found out that others thought of this too but strangely there are not many) is to use a Portable Power Station. A friend of mine, knowing about my problem, asked me the other day why I don't try another power source if the one at home is polluted, for example a Portable Power Station. I didn't know what this was and I searched on the internet and found out that there are many models with different capacities and characteristics. But it seems that they all still produce noise, especially when charging (about 40-45 dB). This is my setup... Ferrum Wandla, Eversolo DMP-A6 (original PS), Phonitor xe (with DAC768v2) and Audeze MM-500. They consume: Wandla (DAC) + Eversolo (transport) + Phonitor xe (amp) - 48-49 Watt, Eversolo (transport) + Phonitor xe (DAC and amp) - 34-37 Watt. A 500 Wh Power Station with a consumption of 50W would theoretically last 10 hours, 1000 Wh - 20 hours, etc. It is a more stable energy source than the network and much cleaner. The only problem is with the noise. I wrote on Google - which is the quietest Portable Power Station, this came up most often...

https://www.dji.com/de/power-1000

Only 23 dB when charging and when consuming it is completely silent. Only 2 sockets, but I also ordered this...

https://www.essentialaudiotools.com/current-spyders

I received the dji Power 1000 today and managed to listen for almost 1 hour. The first impression is very good. The noise the device makes during operation exists, but it is very low. You can hear it from 1-2 meters away only if it is very quiet around and only if you know where to listen. Others say it is 23 dB. With headphones on without music I can't hear it at all. Otherwise it is incredible. The current is absolutely stable, it has never moved from 224.5 V compared to the current in the network which fluctuates continuously between 220.0 - 224.0 V. It seems that the sound is much clearer and more precise. Obviously there are no clicks. The consumption is 48-51 W (Wandla DAC + Eversolo + Phonitor amp) and 34-37 W (Eversolo + Phonitor amp + DAC). So the power has increased by 2-3 W with the battery. The manufacturer says that the battery lasts 4000 cycles, after which it reaches 70% of its capacity. Listening 2 hours a day with the Wandla as a DAC I reach 20/2 - 10 days, with the Phonitor as a DAC 27/2 - 13.5 days with one cycle. Let's say a week so as not to completely discharge the battery. So 4000 weeks - that is 71 years. Clearly the battery will not last that long, but still. I saw that you can buy additional batteries with double the capacity, and you can connect 5 more to the main device (reaching a total of 11264 Wh!!!). This is for extremists.... Now I listen and I realize how clean and vibrant the sound is, as if the veil has been lifted from it. I ordered Ferrum Hypsos for the Wandla but I realize that I don't need it anymore, it will only increase consumption. In the end, this is the only option I have left, because the Pulse Filter didn't solve anything.

Five Flexible Expansion Options​

The expansion battery can be connected to a Power 1000 unit and up to five expansion batteries, offering five flexible expansion options: 3072 Wh, 5120 Wh, 7168 Wh, 9216 Wh, and 11264 Wh.

 

[harryb]

I decided to take the plunge for my headphone system based in the discussion here. Just started listening and will report back.

Ok so I've had some time to listen to my headphone system with the battery power of the EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra. I'm a big believer in blind A-B testing and I don't have an easy way to do that. But I'm convinced that the improvement is substantial and clear. I'm just hearing with a level of clarity that wasn't there before. I anticipate others may question this. That's fine...YMMV.

I found an easy way to A-B test. I didn't understand at first, but when the EcoFlow Delta Ultra Inverter is plugged in to the wall, it basically bypasses the battery so it's the same as running power from the grid. When you fully disconnect the unit from the grid, it flips over to the batter. So it becomes very easy to listen with the system plugged into the wall, and simply unplug it while listening. Within a few milliseconds, the system is running off the battery instead of the grid. So it is very easy to do A-B testing. And battery power is substantially better than the grid.