[shuttlepod]

  Very helpful report, thank you.  Most reports with a better PSU talk about better dynamics but no one has discussed less glare or brightness and so that is very interesting.  I can't wait to get my LPSU.

Roy, as the trusted ears for auditioning quite a few components around here, and someone who is not afraid to share detailed impressions, you are going to have to fight hard to avoid expectation bias -- conscious and unconscious -- when you get your new custom LPSU. I know the LPSU you are getting is a one-off custom supply, but many of us will be reading with interest your impressions to see what kind of difference a high quality power supply makes. Of course you are not the only person to review good quality supplies with the microRendu -- there are quite a few positive reports already. All the more reason to fight the good fight on expectation bias. 

 

[motberg]

   
Yes, I have the D100 Pro (basic) which I have been using for 2 weeks now. The GUI is very simple but the SQ, for me, is the best I have heard yet so I have not used my PC and iMac since I have received this unit. I am exploring some Android apps (DLNA/uPNP) which will be the simplest and easiest to use. 

nice - are you using the i2S output? I could not quite understand the website info....

 

[lukeap69]

nice - are you using the i2S output? I could not quite understand the website info....

I am using BNC. I haven't tried I2S yet. There is a review here in head-fi if you wanted learn more details.

 

[adamaley]

My µrendu arrives today. Unfortunately my NAS and Uptone Audio JS-2 power supply arrive on Wednesday, so no play play till then.

 

[TheAttorney]

My mR arrived today )
 
Romaz was right in that it doesn't take long to get set up - if the router and all other components are already in place.
Currently burning in.
 
One question: my laptop running HQP in NAA mode is connected to the router via wifi - because my 2nd cat cable doesn't seem to work.
Can anyone comment on how the wifi connection compares in SQ to a cat connection?

 

[jelt2359]

  My mR arrived today )
 
Romaz was right in that it doesn't take long to get set up - if the router and all other components are already in place.
Currently burning in.
 
One question: my laptop running HQP in NAA mode is connected to the router via wifi - because my 2nd cat cable doesn't seem to work.
Can anyone comment on how the wifi connection compares in SQ to a cat connection?

Why should it matter? There is no direct electrical connection between your laptop and the microRendu.

 

[paulchiu]

  My mR arrived today )
 
Romaz was right in that it doesn't take long to get set up - if the router and all other components are already in place.
Currently burning in.
 
One question: my laptop running HQP in NAA mode is connected to the router via wifi - because my 2nd cat cable doesn't seem to work.
Can anyone comment on how the wifi connection compares in SQ to a cat connection?

 
Your laptop running WiFi the V2.2 of microRendu should not affect sound at all, I believe.
You should have a CAT6 ethernet cable between the microRendu and your router.
That's how mine is set up.
 
I tried running my computer both ways (WiFi or hard) and heard no difference.
 
paul

 

[romaz]

  My µrendu arrives today. Unfortunately my NAS and Uptone Audio JS-2 power supply arrive on Wednesday, so no play play till then.

Looking forward to your impressions, especially with the JS-2.

 

[romaz]

  My mR arrived today )
 
Romaz was right in that it doesn't take long to get set up - if the router and all other components are already in place.
Currently burning in.
 
One question: my laptop running HQP in NAA mode is connected to the router via wifi - because my 2nd cat cable doesn't seem to work.
Can anyone comment on how the wifi connection compares in SQ to a cat connection?

That's right, it won't matter.  I've tried it both ways also and it doesn't matter.

 

[TheAttorney]

Thank you all for the responses.
Anyway, with just 8 hours of burn in, and a no-name ancient cat 5 cable between router and mR, then to DAVE and BHSE/009, this is already the best sound I've yet heard.
 
This using HQP playing ripped FLAC redbook against my long term reference Nagra CDC CD player.
No filters set on HQP at this point. Will later try sinc and poly-sinc. With no filters, HQP uses only about 1% CPU. Adding the heaviest filter setting sinc doubles that to 2+ %, but that's stlll a tiny load on my laptop.
 
Using the basic iFi 9v power supply, so plenty of options for further improvement.
So, the future looks bright (but not for my Nagra CDC, which will finally have to be put out to pasture).
 
Many have commented on how hot the mR can get. Some of my own power consumption measurements:
 
mR on idle (not connected to DAC) consumes about 2W and is barely lukewarm to the touch
mR driving (and charging!) my iFi battery powered micro IDAC = around 8w and the mR gets hot (i.e. can grasp in hand, but gets uncomfortable after a few seconds)
mR driving DAVE = about 4w and warm (nowhere near hot) to the touch
 
BTW, isn't the mR really tiny and light? I was expecting something small, but was nevertheless taken by surprise.

 

[romaz]

  Thank you all for the responses.
Anyway, with just 8 hours of burn in, and a no-name ancient cat 5 cable between router and mR, then to DAVE and BHSE/009, this is already the best sound I've yet heard.
 
This using HQP playing ripped FLAC redbook against my long term reference Nagra CDC CD player.
No filters set on HQP at this point. Will later try sinc and poly-sinc. With no filters, HQP uses only about 1% CPU. Adding the heaviest filter setting sinc doubles that to 2+ %, but that's stlll a tiny load on my laptop.
 
Using the basic iFi 9v power supply, so plenty of options for further improvement.
So, the future looks bright (but not for my Nagra CDC, which will finally have to be put out to pasture).
 
Many have commented on how hot the mR can get. Some of my own power consumption measurements:
 
mR on idle (not connected to DAC) consumes about 2W and is barely lukewarm to the touch
mR driving (and charging!) my iFi battery powered micro IDAC = around 8w and the mR gets hot (i.e. can grasp in hand, but gets uncomfortable after a few seconds)
mR driving DAVE = about 4w and warm (nowhere near hot) to the touch
 
BTW, isn't the mR really tiny and light? I was expecting something small, but was nevertheless taken by surprise.

Thanks for sharing your impressions.  It should only get better.  John Swensen suggests 50 hours.  Of course, the iFi supposedly only brings you the tip of the iceberg of what the mR is capable of.  I hope to find out soon.
 
Should you opt for a better PSU than the iFi, consider one that puts out 7V.  Many suggest that is the sweet spot and should result in a slightly cooler mR.  I leave mine on 24/7 per John Swensen's recommendations and the hottest mine gets is 36-37 deg C but I am in a well ventilated room.

 

[TheAttorney]

The two power supply options on my list are the recently discussed (and modestly priced) MCRU against the Paul Hynes (series 5?) that I think you have on order, which should be a step or two above the MCRU, but at a higher price and possibly longer wait time. Apart from the 7v output, is there anything else bespoke about your order that affects the mR?
 
Both these power supplies are UK based, so that suits me better than any of the US options.

 

[romaz]

The two power supply options on my list are the recently discussed (and modestly priced) MCRU against the Paul Hynes (series 5?) that I think you have on order, which should be a step or two above the MCRU, but at a higher price and possibly longer wait time. Apart from the 7v output, is there anything else bespoke about your order that affects the mR?

Both these power supplies are UK based, so that suits me better than any of the US options.

My supply is being built by Paul himself while the SR5 that you can more readily buy is built by another outfit but has been licensed by Paul. Because mine is a custom build, it will incorporate my preferred Furutech FI-06 NCF IEC inlet, Paul's best "SL" DC connector that has an impedance of only 1 milliohm, annealed silver wiring in the power supply and DC leads, and the best 2.1mm barrel connectors I could find, the Oyaide gold-plated 2.1mm connectors. It will also be a dual transformer design to power my small amp. It is the best supply Paul knows how to build. Will it be better than the other offerings? I don' know.

 

[jelt2359]

  The two power supply options on my list are the recently discussed (and modestly priced) MCRU against the Paul Hynes (series 5?) that I think you have on order, which should be a step or two above the MCRU, but at a higher price and possibly longer wait time. Apart from the 7v output, is there anything else bespoke about your order that affects the mR?
 
Both these power supplies are UK based, so that suits me better than any of the US options.

What's MCRU? With the GBP the way it is these days, UK-based suits everyone better.

 

[romaz]

 
My position is that I am a little hesitant to invest hard cash on the mRendu as I was disappointed with the initial performance of the Regen (orange) that I ordered last year. Clearly my system was tweaked to the point where re-clocking the USB delivered no further improvement. That is, until I followed JKenny's experiments and replaced the regen power supply with a single lifepo and took one of the regen regs out of circuit - nice improvement from that point!
 

With the Chord DAVE, my USB Regen made no difference but the mR has made a very noticeable difference.  There is more to the mR than just a USB regenerator.  Much more.
 
With the mR, connecting a clean PSU to it is not nearly as important as a PSU with very low output impedance and therefore rapid transient current delivery.  We're not talking high peak currents, just rapid transient currents meaning the power supply has to be extremely responsive.  This is where the best PSUs excel and why you would pay several thousand dollars for a PSU above and beyond the $50 iFi PSU which already boasts noise levels in the low microvolt range (about as good as even the best linear PSUs).  Unfortunately, LiPo batteries are not known to have low output impedance until you get to the giant capacity LiPos which are very expensive.  These batteries are typically as large as car batteries and cost several hundreds of dollars.  Unfortunately, as they discharge, their output impedance will start to worsen and so these batteries sound best at full charge and degrade as they discharge.  LiPo batteries are also plagued with varying voltage.  Fully charged, a LiPo could put out 9V but by the time they have been nearly discharged, their output could be down to 5V, unless, of course, you get a battery with a voltage regulator.  The problem with these voltage regulators are they are the switching type and these are noisy and essentially defeat the benefits of using a battery to begin with.  Bottom line, LiPos are not a good option for the mR.  You're better off with the iFi.