REVIEW: Comparison of 5 High End Digital Music Servers - Aurender N10, CAD CAT server, TotalDac d1-Server, Auralic Aries, Audiophile Vortex Box

[marcus1]

Hi Romaz
 
I don't know how Paul Hynes prices his regulators but I'm wondering that, as the Mac Mini (with MMK) and the sMS-200 Ultra can both operate on a 12v supply do you think a dual rail SR7 is still required?  Perhaps a single 12v output (on the SR7) will be cheaper or do you think dual rail 12v supply will ultimately provide superior SQ?
Also, I think I read somewhere that more RAM contributes to more noise - looking for a Mac Mini do you think it's worthwhile to buy a Mac Mini with 2GB RAM rather than 4GB?
 
Thanks 
 
 

"Yes, this is what I'm saying.  During a head-to-head comparison against the microRendu, the person who owned the U1 was surprised as well.  He eventually sold his U1 and moved onto the microRendu although having now heard my sMS-200 Ultra, which we both agreed is a whole other step above the microRendu, he is waiting for the official release of this endpoint next month before moving to it.  But when I say good linear power supply, I am referring specifically to my Paul Hynes SR7.  This is what makes it all go.  I can't speak for other supplies people may try but in comparison to other supplies I have on hand from HDPlex, Teradak, Paul Pang, Kenneth Lau, a variety of battery supplies I've put together, and even my Uptone LPS-1, the SR7 leapfrogs them all.  To build an SR7-level PSU to supply a power hungry ATX motherboard would probably cost >$4k which is why I say it would be hard for most large servers to compete with a small endpoint like an sMS-200 which is so much easier to power well.  
Considering the price of a Lumin U1 ($5,900), I could purchase the new improved sMS-200 Ultra ($1.3k), a modified Mac Mini with MMK upgrade ($800), and a dual-rail Paul Hynes SR7 with his upgraded ultra low impedance connectors ($1.5k) to power both the Mac Mini and sMS-200 Ultra.  With the $2,300 I'd have left over in change compared to the cost of the U1, I could also buy the soon to be released Chord Hugo 2, a DAC I call the "mini DAVE" and is the 2nd best DAC I have personally experienced."

 

[romaz]

Romaz - where can I get the SMS-200 Ultra version? I don't see it on the web site. And does that come fully loaded with clock and all, or do I need any other product of theirs? Also, where can I buy a Paul Hynes SR7? And what specific outputs, voltage, amperage would I need? Are all the power cord umbilicals included? I see the lower SR power supplies on his web site, but not the mighty SR7. Any suggestions for specific configuration?

If the investment is not prohibitive I'd like to acquire all of this and compare to my current sources.

And out of curiosity, any experience with the Waversa Hub?

And what CAT 5/6/7 cable is currently the top choice here?

And I need to clarify regarding Ethernet network setup....

I just ordered a NETGEAR GS105NA 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch, to bring into my audio room and run the house-run grade CAT6 into it. I was intending on bringing my Mac Mini back into my listening room and running the Mini, the DAC (ODSX with built in Ethernet rendered), my borrowed Aurender N10 and the mR (or SMS-200 ultra) off of the GS105NA switch using the top tier CAT you suggest. If I do this, does the quality of the run coming into my room matter? And I know several people talk about how much better optical Ethernet is (assuming because of the additional isolation). Would I implement that in my "in-room" setup? Or do I leave my Mac Mini in my external Ethernet closet (where is is now) and keep the new switch out there as well and run 3 or 4 optical runs into my listening room?

 
The sMS-200 Ultra has not been released yet.  I have a pre-release version (probably the only one).  When it is formally released next month, it is supposed to sell for $1,300.  By definition, any Ultra will come with SOtM's new superclock, the sCLK-EX.  Otherwise, it will be identical to the standard unit except that it will be housed in a larger chassis due to the larger size of the new clock board.  Sounds like a lot of money just for a clock upgrade but if you have a resolving DAC, the improvement is not subtle with regards to a more 3D presentation.  Properly powering it will be key, however.  Without the right power, SOtM's gear can sound a bit lean.
 
Should you go this route, you will maximize its benefit if you directly connect it to your server without an intermediary router meaning you will need a server with dual LAN ports and you will want to bridge those LAN ports (not hard to do).  Should you do this, the LAN cables you use will become all the more important.  I have a hunch the SOtM dCBL-CAT7 will be the cable for me.  I have 2 on order but I don't have them yet.  Jay at AudioBacon is currently doing a LAN cable shootout that will include both of SOtM's LAN cables but also cables from Synergistic Research, Supra, Aqvox, BJC and others.
 
I have no experience with the Waversa Smart Hub.  It looks like it could be good.  Low noise is important and it looks like the Waversa does some noise filtering.  It would be ideal if this LAN and USB hub contained no noisy switching regulators and this is unclear.  Your incoming Netgear will definitely contain them.  The impedance of the PSU used to power your switch is also important with respect to dynamics and so if you can power such devices with something like an LPS-1, you would be much better off and so I would suggest you avoid 9V or 12V switches and target 5V switches if you are considering doing this. Obviously, an SR7 would be better still but in my own situation, since my SR7's rails are precious commodities, for my 5V devices, I am using LPS-1s.  I believe the clock in these switches and hubs will also make a difference as a good clock that is cleanly powered can really improve things and a bad clock can result in a step backward.  While I have no experience with it, @yellowblue 's Aqvox looks like an excellent audiophile-class switch.  In his system, it seems to be making a very nice difference and so his endorsement of this switch is a valuable insight for me, especially since we share the same DAC and have a common point of reference.
 
Regarding your last question, since you already ordered it, you will need to decide through careful listening what your Netgear GS105NA adds.  If you have a really noisy router or if the run from your router to this switch is very long, it will probably result in an improvement but because this is a 12V switch, it won't be as easy or as inexpensive to power it well.  You are always better off if you have no weak links and that includes your cabling but this is not always practical and so make sure that your best cable is always attached to the equipment that matters the most and shorter isn't always better when it comes to Ethernet cables.  I am finding that the true benefits of Ethernet cabling is their ability to filter noise and sometimes, the longer this cable, the better the filtering effect.  Ethernet cabling can also be used for tuning your sound and some are telling me that a combination of different brands of cables helps them achieve this.  For example, one person has told me their Supra CAT8 provides better treble detail while the BJC CAT6A results in better tonal body and bass and so he mixes the two with very good results.  As for optical, this seems to be hit or miss.  It made only a small difference in my system (even when powered by an LPS-1) and so I have done away with it.  There are others that swear by it.  It's not expensive to try and so you might want to give it a shot.
 
As for Paul Hynes' supplies, his website has not been updated in a while although should you wish to contact him directly, he is very good at explaining his product line.  He is also extremely knowledgeable and once he understands your specific situation, I'm sure he will offer you very sage advice.
 
Here is something he sent to me earlier this year that describes his PSUs and includes his most recent price list:
 
Paul Hynes Design
 
SR Power Supplies
 
The SR range of high performance power supplies were designed for powering both analogue and digital audio and video equipment. The same proprietary ultra low noise high performance discrete component voltage regulator circuit topology is used in the SR3, SR5 and SR7 power supplies. The SR3 uses a standard 50VA mains transformer, the SR5 uses a custom manufactured 160VA mains transformer and the SR7 uses a custom manufactured 250VA mains transformer. The SR7MR uses a custom manufactured mains transformer with up to 500VA rating depending on the overall rail requirements. The custom manufactured mains transformers use oversized grain orientated silicon steel cores and are wound to avoid core saturation in use and to operate quietly both electrically and mechanically. Schottky Barrier rectifiers are used throughout the range, as they do not generate reverse recovery transients and their associated harmonic distortions.
 
The error amplifier used in the voltage regulator modules has the following specification :-
 
Noise voltage < 0.5 nanovolts root Hz
Operating Bandwidth > 300 Mhz
Supply line rejection > 80 dB DC to 100 KHz
Output impedance < 3 milliohms DC to 100 KHz
Transient response and settling time < 100 nanoseconds
 
As the SR3, SR5 and SR7 all use the same high performance regulator circuit topology they all have a similar sonic signature musically. Moving up the range allows better quality lower impedance mains transformers and up-rated rectification and regulator output stage providing a reduction in power supply output impedance, which in turn reduces interaction with the load. The increased energy storage capacitor bank also reduces rectifier ripple noise and RFI break through from the mains supply. Another benefit of the increased energy storage capacitance is with transient response and settling time. The net effect musically is to provide progressively larger, more stable and more robust soundstage particularly where large dynamic load current swings occur, as well as, a lower noise floor and improved timbre and temporal accuracy.
 
These power supplies are available with fixed voltage output from 1.6v to 30v or variable voltage output with a 10 volt span on voltage setting, within this range, using the precision adjustment potentiometer internally situated on the regulator module.
 
Continuous power output ratings – For fixed output voltage versions the SR3 provides 25W, the SR5 provides 80W and the SR7 provides 125W and the SR7MR chassis can support up to 250W spread across the rails. The SR5 can support one 6A module and the SR7 can support one 10A module. The output voltage and output current can be specified within this power rating using the formulae :-
 
V = W/I
I = W/V
 
Where V is output voltage, W is the available power in Watts and I is the output current in Amps.
 
If you require help with power supply specification I will be pleased to help you.
 
For variable output voltage versions of the power supplies, set at the maximum output voltage of the range, the SR3 provides 25W, the SR5 provides 80W and the SR7 provides 125W. Lower voltage settings than maximum will increase the voltage across the regulator output device, which will increase the heat generated in this device. To maintain safe operating temperatures and long term reliability the current rating should be de-rated by 8% per volt when reducing the output voltage level on variable output voltage versions.
 
The SR5 and SR7 power supplies are available in Multirail versions SR5MR and SR7MR with galvanic isolation between the supply rails to avoid ground return current intermodulation (ground loops) where more than one item of equipment is powered from the same power supply. The SR5MR can support one 6A regulator module and one 3A regulator module or two 3A modules. The SR7MR can support one 10A module and up to three additional 3A modules or two 6A modules and up to two additional 3A modules.
 
XL ultra low impedance (< 1 milliohm) connectors and fine silver internal wiring between capacitor banks, regulator modules and the output connectors, can be fitted to the SR5 and SR7 power supplies.
 
The SR3, SR5 and SR7 single rail supplies are also available in DR versions where two of the high performance voltage regulators are cascaded to a give supply line and rectification interference rejection exceeding 150 dB from DC to 100 KHz. This provides lower overall noise levels than the standard power supplies.
 
Current Prices 200117
 
SR3                £300
SR3DR          £500
 
SR5                £600
SR5XL           £678
SR5DR           £800
SR5DRXL      £885
SR5MR2        £800
SR5MR2XL   £970
 
SR7                £750
SR7XL           £870
SR7DR           £950
SR7DRXL      £1080
SR7MR2         £950
SR7MR2XL    £1190
SR7MR3         £1150
SR7MR3XL    £1510
SR7MR4        £1350
SR7MR4XL   £1830
 
This is what he charges for his DC leads:
 
DC leads for PHD power supplies.
 
Current Prices 200107
 
All prices are for 1 metre lengths with a Switchcraft DC plug. Alternative lengths and connectors can be quoted for if required. Cable impedance reduces with higher current rating. XL ultra low impedance (< 1 milliohm) connectors can be fitted to the SR5 and SR7 DC Leads.
 
3A current rating :-
DC3C annealed copper with Teflon insulation                         £050
DC3FS annealed fine silver with Teflon insulation                  £085
 
6A current rating :-
DC6C annealed copper with Teflon insulation                         £075
DC6FS annealed fine silver with Teflon insulation                  £145
DC6FSXL annealed fine silver with Teflon insulation             £186
 
10A current rating :-
DC10C annealed copper with Teflon insulation                       £100
DC10FS annealed fine silver with Teflon insulation                £229
DC10FSXL annealed fine silver with Teflon insulation           £270
 
Should you wish to contact Paul directly, you can e-mail him at paul@paulhynesdesign.com.  He lives in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and is dealing with inclement weather issues at the present time that has knocked out his telecom and internet and so he may not respond quickly.  Because of the popularity of his PSUs, there is also a bit of a wait.

 

[romaz]

Hi Romaz,

How much better is the sMS-200 Ultra compared with the standard sMS-200?
Do you think if one had the latter it's worth the upgrade?

 
I think its impact will depend on the resolving ability of your DAC. The only difference between the sMS-200 and its Ultra version is a better clock.  My theory on clocking, based on personal observations, is that your very best clock should be at the very end of your digital chain and that should be your DAC's clock.  My observations are also that several reclockings can be a good thing with additive benefits but a bad clock that follows a good clock will negate the benefits of that good clock (at least partially) and so as you go down the chain, ideally, you want each subsequent clock to be better than the previous clock.  If the clock of the sMS-200 Ultra happens to be better than your DAC's clock, you may not hear much improvement at all.  
 
The irony of this is that even if your DAC already has a superior clock, it still seems to benefit significantly from a well-timed signal created by the preceding clock (as opposed to a poorly timed signal).  Whether this is because your DAC doesn't have to work as hard, I'm not sure anyone really knows but it supports the concept that if you maintain signal integrity from beginning to end, good things will happen.  All I can say is with the Chord DAVE, despite its excellent clocking scheme (pulse array DACs are inherently immune to line jitter up to a staggering 2uS), it still benefits greatly from the sMS-200 Ultra and to my ears, well worth the extra money SOtM is charging above and beyond the standard sMS-200.

 

[romaz]

 
I've been looking at the SOTM sMS-200. Can you tell me whether the Ultra is based on the same main board as the standard 200 (but obviously with the addition of the clock board). Or, whether they have re-designed the main board itself?

 
Their new clock is the only thing that distinguishes a standard sMS-200 from the Ultra version.  SOtM told me the sMS-200's board has to be modified slightly to accommodate their new clock but essentially, it's the same board.  Because of the new clock board's larger size, it cannot fit in the stock chassis and so a new chassis had to be designed.  The Ultra version of the sMS-200 is slightly more expensive than the Ultra version of their other devices (like the tX-USB Ultra or dX-USB HD) because the sMS-200 requires 2 clock replacements whereas the other devices require only 1.

 

[romaz]

  Hi Romaz
 
I don't know how Paul Hynes prices his regulators but I'm wondering that, as the Mac Mini (with MMK) and the sMS-200 Ultra can both operate on a 12v supply do you think a dual rail SR7 is still required?  Perhaps a single 12v output (on the SR7) will be cheaper or do you think dual rail 12v supply will ultimately provide superior SQ?
Also, I think I read somewhere that more RAM contributes to more noise - looking for a Mac Mini do you think it's worthwhile to buy a Mac Mini with 2GB RAM rather than 4GB?
 
Thanks 
 
 

 
You could potentially do this but Mac Minis (and any other computer like it) are extremely noisy and so its ground noise will definitely spill over into the sMS-200 Ultra.  Since it is very important that the clock in the Ultra be as cleanly powered as possible, the negative impact could be significant.  I have had this discussion with Paul in the past and he talked me out of doing it although you could choose to do it anyway and see for yourself.  However, if you did do it, I would be more inclined to do it with the sMS-200 Ultra and something more benign like a tX-USB Ultra or even an Ethernet switch that had its switching regulators removed.  Obviously, all of these devices would all need to run at the same voltage for this to work.
 
Something new that Paul told me that might be of interest to some.  I had imagined that the only advantage that the LPS-1 might have over the SR7 is that since the LPS-1 isn't connected to ground, it creates no leakage current and so, therefore, no ground loops occur between the component that it powers and another component it is connected to.  Despite this, I found it interesting that my SR7 outperforms my LPS-1 in every way and so I figured that the SR7's leakage current must be insignificant.  It turns out this is very true and here is what Paul had to say:
 
"A point worth clarifying is that only the power supply chassis are grounded for safety reasons. All the supply rails are galvanically isolated from each other and the rails are totally floating with respect to earth until connected to the equipment to be powered. Each power supply rail takes then its ground reference from the equipment under power. This completely avoids any power supply generated ground loops and the resulting inter-modulation distortions that ground loops can cause."
 
Regarding RAM noise, yes, I posted my findings on this on the CA forum.  There is an online calculator you can use that tells you the current draw of RAM and based on this calculator, the difference in current draw between 4GB of DDR3 and 16GB of DDR3 is a staggering 4A!  This is more noise than even the noisiest NVMe SSD and unless you are overclocking your CPU, it may be noisier than many CPUs.  At first, I didn't know if this calculator could be believed but having looked at the specs on some Apacer RAM modules I recently purchased, it appears to be quite true and so the less RAM that you can get away with, the better.  With the older Mac Minis, you can swap out your RAM but with the 2014 Mac Minis that I own, RAM is not swappable and so I am stuck with 4GB in these machines.  With my current PC build, I tested 2GB vs 4GB and 2GB definitely sounded better although the difference wasn't huge.  I think 4GB is very acceptable but if possible, avoid 8GB and definitely avoid 16GB.  I don't think that even upsampling with HQPlayer ever needs this much RAM.  This is possibly also one reason why some people are finding that huge RAM drives don't sound better than SSDs or hard drives.

 

[HeeBroG]

   
I think its impact will depend on the resolving ability of your DAC. The only difference between the sMS-200 and its Ultra version is a better clock.  My theory on clocking, based on personal observations, is that your very best clock should be at the very end of your digital chain and that should be your DAC's clock.  My observations are also that several reclockings can be a good thing with additive benefits but a bad clock that follows a good clock will negate the benefits of that good clock (at least partially) and so as you go down the chain, ideally, you want each subsequent clock to be better than the previous clock.  If the clock of the sMS-200 Ultra happens to be better than your DAC's clock, you may not hear much improvement at all.  
 
The irony of this is that even if your DAC already has a superior clock, it still seems to benefit significantly from a well-timed signal created by the preceding clock (as opposed to a poorly timed signal).  Whether this is because your DAC doesn't have to work as hard, I'm not sure anyone really knows but it supports the concept that if you maintain signal integrity from beginning to end, good things will happen.  All I can say is with the Chord DAVE, despite its excellent clocking scheme (pulse array DACs are inherently immune to line jitter up to a staggering 2uS), it still benefits greatly from the sMS-200 Ultra and to my ears, well worth the extra money SOtM is charging above and beyond the standard sMS-200.

Thanks Romaz. I have the Chord Dave and currently using a Mac mini which is soon to have the MMK upgrade. I am hoping the upcoming SoTM sPS-500 will be an adequate power supply for this. I am using an LPS-1 to power my sMS-200 connected directly to my Mac mini as described in another forum. I was wondering about whether I should upgrade to the sMS-200 Ultra and would be grateful if you can see if the LPS-1 would power it. The alternative is for me to get the tx-USBUltra which also has the upgraded clock but that would require another good power supply and USB cable.

 

[romaz]

 
Thanks Romaz. I have the Chord Dave and currently using a Mac mini which is soon to have the MMK upgrade. I am hoping the upcoming SoTM sPS-500 will be an adequate power supply for this. I am using an LPS-1 to power my sMS-200 connected directly to my Mac mini as described in another forum. I was wondering about whether I should upgrade to the sMS-200 Ultra and would be grateful if you can see if the LPS-1 would power it. The alternative is for me to get the tx-USBUltra which also has the upgraded clock but that would require another good power supply and USB cable.

 
Well, then I believe everything that I am hearing, you will hear just as well since we have similar gear.
 
I'm glad you've tried the direct connection between Mac Mini and sMS-200.  I found the improvement to be significant and when you get the Ultra, the benefits are even more noticeable through this direct connection.
 
It's quite possible that your standard sMS-200 followed by the tX-USB Ultra will be a very good way to go.  From Mac Mini to sMS-200 to tX-USB Ultra, your clocks will progressively be getting better and my inclination is that this could sound better than just the sMS-200 Ultra by itself even if it requires another high-quality PSU as well as another USB cable.  Should you decide to get the tX-USB Ultra to connect your sMS-200 to, since the tX-USB Ultra won't require 5V from the VBUS, you should get a USB cable without the power line.  I have done that and it results in further improvement.
 
Can the LPS-1 power an Ultra?  This remains a big question but I think the answer is yes.  For some reason, when my dX-USB HD Ultra came, SOtM told me I could power it with my LPS-1 (7V at 1A), however, when I tried to power it, it wouldn't work.  Right now, I am powering it with 9V from my SR7 and yet the draw is only 0.2A.  I'm not sure if my meter is broken but if this is accurate, an LPS-1 should easily power it.  It's quite possible SOtM didn't configure my dX-USB HD Ultra properly.  When you order the dX-USB HD, you have the choice of either 6.5-9V input or 9-12V input and even though I requested 6.5-9V input so I would have the option of using the LPS-1, I'm beginning to think the configured it for 9-12V.
 
Regarding their upcoming sPS-500, I don't know how good this will be.  It will be replacing their mBPS-d2s which is a very good battery supply but the mBPS-d2s is not as good as the LPS-1 according to Elberoth on CA and so it's tough to make any guesses.   Anyway, the sPS-500 is supposed to be a hybrid PSU and many are guessing that this will be a switching PSU with linear regulators.  What is remarkable about the sPS-500 is that it has an adjustable output voltage from 7-19V which is crazy for a single rail PSU since I'm not aware of any regulator design that has that broad of a voltage range.  Even more incredible is that it can output up to 5A at 12V and 3A at 19V meaning this single rail PSU can go from powering a microRendu to a full blown NUC or Mac Mini for only $500.  Something tells me there has to be some compromise, probably with respect to SQ, but if not, I suspect we will all want one.

 

[HeeBroG]

  
Well, then I believe everything that I am hearing, you will hear just as well since we have similar gear.
 
I'm glad you've tried the direct connection between Mac Mini and sMS-200.  I found the improvement to be significant and when you get the Ultra, the benefits are even more noticeable through this direct connection.
 
It's quite possible that your standard sMS-200 followed by the tX-USB Ultra will be a very good way to go.  From Mac Mini to sMS-200 to tX-USB Ultra, your clocks will progressively be getting better and my inclination is that this could sound better than just the sMS-200 Ultra by itself even if it requires another high-quality PSU as well as another USB cable.  Should you decide to get the tX-USB Ultra to connect your sMS-200 to, since the tX-USB Ultra won't require 5V from the VBUS, you should get a USB cable without the power line.  I have done that and it results in further improvement.
 
Can the LPS-1 power an Ultra?  This remains a big question but I think the answer is yes.  For some reason, when my dX-USB HD Ultra came, SOtM told me I could power it with my LPS-1 (7V at 1A), however, when I tried to power it, it wouldn't work.  Right now, I am powering it with 9V from my SR7 and yet the draw is only 0.2A.  I'm not sure if my meter is broken but if this is accurate, an LPS-1 should easily power it.  It's quite possible SOtM didn't configure my dX-USB HD Ultra properly.  When you order the dX-USB HD, you have the choice of either 6.5-9V input or 9-12V input and even though I requested 6.5-9V input so I would have the option of using the LPS-1, I'm beginning to think the configured it for 9-12V.
 
Regarding their upcoming sPS-500, I don't know how good this will be.  It will be replacing their mBPS-d2s which is a very good battery supply but the mBPS-d2s is not as good as the LPS-1 according to Elberoth on CA and so it's tough to make any guesses.   Anyway, the sPS-500 is supposed to be a hybrid PSU and many are guessing that this will be a switching PSU with linear regulators.  What is remarkable about the sPS-500 is that it has an adjustable output voltage from 7-19V which is crazy for a single rail PSU since I'm not aware of any regulator design that has that broad of a voltage range.  Even more incredible is that it can output up to 5A at 12V and 3A at 19V meaning this single rail PSU can go from powering a microRendu to a full blown NUC or Mac Mini for only $500.  Something tells me there has to be some compromise, probably with respect to SQ, but if not, I suspect we will all want one.

Thanks Roy,
 
As you already have the sMS-200Ultra, would it be possible to try and power it with your LPS-1 so I know of sure it will work. SoTM says the sMS-200Ultra needs 1.5A but I won't be connecting anything to its USB ports so it may infact require less than that. I am not planning to get a dX-USB HD Ultra you referred to in your post.

 

[smial1966]

@romaz
 
I have a tX-USBultra on order from SOtM and asked May Park whether my LPS-1 would power it safely and without any issues. He replied - 
 
"Yes, you can use the tX-USBultra with the LPS-1, but if you use 2 outputs of tX-USBultra at the same time, the current would be a bit short. Otherwise they would work fine".
 
- so good news for LPS-1 owners who've retained the standard 6.5V-9V of the tX-USBultra and not opted for the 12V power.  
 
Cheers,
Andy. 
 
 Quote:
 

   
Can the LPS-1 power an Ultra?  This remains a big question but I think the answer is yes.  For some reason, when my dX-USB HD Ultra came, SOtM told me I could power it with my LPS-1 (7V at 1A), however, when I tried to power it, it wouldn't work.  Right now, I am powering it with 9V from my SR7 and yet the draw is only 0.2A.  I'm not sure if my meter is broken but if this is accurate, an LPS-1 should easily power it.  It's quite possible SOtM didn't configure my dX-USB HD Ultra properly.  When you order the dX-USB HD, you have the choice of either 6.5-9V input or 9-12V input and even though I requested 6.5-9V input so I would have the option of using the LPS-1, I'm beginning to think the configured it for 9-12V.
 

 

[TheAttorney]

  Can the LPS-1 power an Ultra?  This remains a big question but I think the answer is yes.  

So many inforrmative posts romaz. Excellent!
 
On this particular question about LPS-1, I await how this pans out in practice with the production version of the SMS-200 Ultra - and also will it make the LPS-1 run much hotter (currently it runs merely pleasantly warm driving my mR). Will save me time and some money looking for the best beefier power supply.
 
OTOH, your detailed post descriptions about the Paul Hynes power supplies is making it easier to consider going down that track, i.e. spend the money and be (hopefully) forever done with it.

 

[romaz]

 

   
Well, then I believe everything that I am hearing, you will hear just as well since we have similar gear.
 
I'm glad you've tried the direct connection between Mac Mini and sMS-200.  I found the improvement to be significant and when you get the Ultra, the benefits are even more noticeable through this direct connection.
 
It's quite possible that your standard sMS-200 followed by the tX-USB Ultra will be a very good way to go.  From Mac Mini to sMS-200 to tX-USB Ultra, your clocks will progressively be getting better and my inclination is that this could sound better than just the sMS-200 Ultra by itself even if it requires another high-quality PSU as well as another USB cable.  Should you decide to get the tX-USB Ultra to connect your sMS-200 to, since the tX-USB Ultra won't require 5V from the VBUS, you should get a USB cable without the power line.  I have done that and it results in further improvement.
 
Can the LPS-1 power an Ultra?  This remains a big question but I think the answer is yes.  For some reason, when my dX-USB HD Ultra came, SOtM told me I could power it with my LPS-1 (7V at 1A), however, when I tried to power it, it wouldn't work.  Right now, I am powering it with 9V from my SR7 and yet the draw is only 0.2A.  I'm not sure if my meter is broken but if this is accurate, an LPS-1 should easily power it.  It's quite possible SOtM didn't configure my dX-USB HD Ultra properly.  When you order the dX-USB HD, you have the choice of either 6.5-9V input or 9-12V input and even though I requested 6.5-9V input so I would have the option of using the LPS-1, I'm beginning to think the configured it for 9-12V.
 
Regarding their upcoming sPS-500, I don't know how good this will be.  It will be replacing their mBPS-d2s which is a very good battery supply but the mBPS-d2s is not as good as the LPS-1 according to Elberoth on CA and so it's tough to make any guesses.   Anyway, the sPS-500 is supposed to be a hybrid PSU and many are guessing that this will be a switching PSU with linear regulators.  What is remarkable about the sPS-500 is that it has an adjustable output voltage from 7-19V which is crazy for a single rail PSU since I'm not aware of any regulator design that has that broad of a voltage range.  Even more incredible is that it can output up to 5A at 12V and 3A at 19V meaning this single rail PSU can go from powering a microRendu to a full blown NUC or Mac Mini for only $500.  Something tells me there has to be some compromise, probably with respect to SQ, but if not, I suspect we will all want one.

Thanks Roy,
 
As you already have the sMS-200Ultra, would it be possible to try and power it with your LPS-1 so I know of sure it will work. SoTM says the sMS-200Ultra needs 1.5A but I won't be connecting anything to its USB ports so it may infact require less than that. I am not planning to get a dX-USB HD Ultra you referred to in your post.

 
Sure.  My sMS-200 Ultra will not be the same as the sMS-200 Ultra others will buy.  My sMS-200 Ultra actually draws less current than what the official sMS-200 Ultra will draw because the clock of my unit is housed in the chassis of my dX-USB HD and that clock is powered by my SR7.

 

[romaz]

 

 
Thanks, Andy.  This supports my suspicion that my dX-USB HD Ultra was configured incorrectly.

 

[romaz]

  OTOH, your detailed post descriptions about the Paul Hynes power supplies is making it easier to consider going down that track, i.e. spend the money and be (hopefully) forever done with it.

 
This is how I view the SR7.  End game.  The other benefit of the SR7 is that you can power multiple devices with one supply and only one mains cable.

 

[DocSkeekmo]

Thanks Romaz. A well thought out response!!

I just read that the new Antipodes DX utilizes sotm internals and ultra clocking. Sounds like they built in an SMS-200 ultra. Do you know anything more about this?

 

[DocSkeekmo]

Also, what is the purpose of the dX-USB HD Ultra ? It looks like a USB to aes converter. Is that correct? What's the advantage of using that in addition to the SMS-200 ultra ?