FredA
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Should be 40$ or so with DHL based on what the nfb1-amp costs.
SimpleBest PSU/chassis for RPI4
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Should be 40$ or so with DHL based on what the nfb1-amp costs.
newabc
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I took a ruler on my C-2. This chassis size is near to a C-2/nfb-1amp. But it is 2kg lighter than a nfb-1amp.
Is it as big as NFB-1 case?
Whoaa..
Whoaa..
FredA
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No. Maybe half.
JaMo
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Hi guys
So, after a period of burn in and a few days of shorter test sessions I have some discoveries to share.
When the possibility to be a tester came up for a few of us, @FredA came up with the brilliant idea to have a 5.5/2.1 mm 5V output on the back. This is an option but a very good one. I don't know the cost for it when ordering but I think it is worth much to have this possibility to power another small device. The Raspberry Pi 4 draws about 600 mA on its own. (Please see: https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/hardware/raspberrypi/power/README.md )
This means that if You not hook on other loads (disks or else..) on the USB ports You will have an over capacity (current) from the Simple Best Raspberry Pi player PSU.
In my case, I am using the 5.5/2.1 output right now to power my Mutec MC3+USB and it works excellent. The MC3+USB is a relative small load with a maximum of 10 Watts. I have it stacked on top of the Simple Best Rpi PSU. The MC3+USB is short enough to not cover the ventilating slots, on the top back over the RP4 location and on the front, over the heat producing components transistors, resistors underneath.
The cooling air inlet is under the back end, under the Rpi and the box full width, so the cooling air is supposed to flow from the low back end over the Raspberry Pi and up and out. The other flow is supposed to flow over the PSU parts to pick up and evacuate the heat and transport it up and out through the front slots. It works ok under cooler ambient conditions but the heat spreads around in the whole unit so the Raspberry Pi has a bit too hot during hot summer days when it is warm, also inside. I tried yesterday by adding a primitive test thermal barrier inside the chassi to see if I could separate the airflows and get better thermal conditions for the Raspberry Pi. Yes, it works and lowered the temperature for the Pi with about 5-7 grC. (I will also suggest Simple Best to add something like this as default)
The sound.
It is a more precise presentation I get with the Class A PSU feeding the piCorePlayer software I run in my Raspberry Pi's. It is a sophisticated sound with a more resolved and balanced sound. For me, listening a lot to acoustical and classical music this ”sound profile” is the right choice. I listen to many kinds of good music of almost all genres, and it works there too. If I was a ”bass head”, the right choice had possibly been the toroid transformer version of this unit.
The most surprising thing with this unit is the fact that the WiFi work this good. I use 5G and I have full strength and can play up to DSD256 and DXD 352.8K and 384k without any issues. It is a Class A unit so it gets pretty warm (about 41-43 grC on top lid). It needs good ventilation around it and should not be stacked direct above other warm/hot equipment.
In my case, I asked for a blue led shining on the front and I think it looks nice.
To sum this up..
For USD200 including a Raspberry Pi 4, I think it is a bargain. These small one card computers are here to stay and the market is huge. This way You get an excellent PSU for it and it will be a part of Your gear rig, not a hanging "add on" on the back. This device looks good where it stands. If You are running Raspberry Pi as Your player, buy it. It does a really good job on the music played. It is professionally built and powerful to stand for a long time. Who knows what computer(player)board it has inside in a few years. Don't mind that but the potential is there. This nice Raspberry Player box with Class A PSU from Simple Best definitely stays in my rig!
/Jan
ps. A few pics.
So, after a period of burn in and a few days of shorter test sessions I have some discoveries to share.
When the possibility to be a tester came up for a few of us, @FredA came up with the brilliant idea to have a 5.5/2.1 mm 5V output on the back. This is an option but a very good one. I don't know the cost for it when ordering but I think it is worth much to have this possibility to power another small device. The Raspberry Pi 4 draws about 600 mA on its own. (Please see: https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/hardware/raspberrypi/power/README.md )
This means that if You not hook on other loads (disks or else..) on the USB ports You will have an over capacity (current) from the Simple Best Raspberry Pi player PSU.
In my case, I am using the 5.5/2.1 output right now to power my Mutec MC3+USB and it works excellent. The MC3+USB is a relative small load with a maximum of 10 Watts. I have it stacked on top of the Simple Best Rpi PSU. The MC3+USB is short enough to not cover the ventilating slots, on the top back over the RP4 location and on the front, over the heat producing components transistors, resistors underneath.
The cooling air inlet is under the back end, under the Rpi and the box full width, so the cooling air is supposed to flow from the low back end over the Raspberry Pi and up and out. The other flow is supposed to flow over the PSU parts to pick up and evacuate the heat and transport it up and out through the front slots. It works ok under cooler ambient conditions but the heat spreads around in the whole unit so the Raspberry Pi has a bit too hot during hot summer days when it is warm, also inside. I tried yesterday by adding a primitive test thermal barrier inside the chassi to see if I could separate the airflows and get better thermal conditions for the Raspberry Pi. Yes, it works and lowered the temperature for the Pi with about 5-7 grC. (I will also suggest Simple Best to add something like this as default)
The sound.
It is a more precise presentation I get with the Class A PSU feeding the piCorePlayer software I run in my Raspberry Pi's. It is a sophisticated sound with a more resolved and balanced sound. For me, listening a lot to acoustical and classical music this ”sound profile” is the right choice. I listen to many kinds of good music of almost all genres, and it works there too. If I was a ”bass head”, the right choice had possibly been the toroid transformer version of this unit.
The most surprising thing with this unit is the fact that the WiFi work this good. I use 5G and I have full strength and can play up to DSD256 and DXD 352.8K and 384k without any issues. It is a Class A unit so it gets pretty warm (about 41-43 grC on top lid). It needs good ventilation around it and should not be stacked direct above other warm/hot equipment.
In my case, I asked for a blue led shining on the front and I think it looks nice.
To sum this up..
For USD200 including a Raspberry Pi 4, I think it is a bargain. These small one card computers are here to stay and the market is huge. This way You get an excellent PSU for it and it will be a part of Your gear rig, not a hanging "add on" on the back. This device looks good where it stands. If You are running Raspberry Pi as Your player, buy it. It does a really good job on the music played. It is professionally built and powerful to stand for a long time. Who knows what computer(player)board it has inside in a few years. Don't mind that but the potential is there. This nice Raspberry Player box with Class A PSU from Simple Best definitely stays in my rig!
/Jan
ps. A few pics.
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FredA
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Nice feedback, Jan!
IMO, the SimpleBest is excellent because it is very fast. Class-A regulation, over-specced transformer, so all in all, a very simple and efficient approach, hence the name of the cie. You don't see any inductance at the output to remove noise. These can help with high-freq noise but also make the PSU slower. I like simplicity and based on the sound i hear, it sure works!
IMO, the SimpleBest is excellent because it is very fast. Class-A regulation, over-specced transformer, so all in all, a very simple and efficient approach, hence the name of the cie. You don't see any inductance at the output to remove noise. These can help with high-freq noise but also make the PSU slower. I like simplicity and based on the sound i hear, it sure works!
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JaMo- how about the power filter-- any thoughts??
JaMo
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I will come back on the Power Filter. I am not ready to comment with useful precision yet. It is a massive forth and back testing to be fully clear of the result...and this with a rested and peaceful mind, not to let the "feeling that day" make You speak. I will take the needed time to be able stand for my opinion. It is important to be honest. Simple Best is new for the western market and we should do our best to give them a fair chance. Their gear is well designed, works fine and looks good.
What I can say about the Power Filter at this state is: It is working all right. My testing is how to use it to get the best combined result. It is a multifunctional filter.
I have pretty clean power delivery where I live so filter is not the best way to go on every function in the chain. But it is here where I live. When I will write a sort of review on it I will describe how and why I chose to use each part/component inside and outside the filter. Please be patient. The weather here have been too nice to be too much indoor for a period.
/Jan
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DACLadder
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The Simple Best Rpi power supply runs on the warm side. Simple Best says the supply is biased hot for best sound and performance. It needs some space to radiate the generated heat. Stacking in a rack will need care as the front bottom of the chassis is the warmest and will transfer heat to equipment below. A reply from Simple Best states "It is too hot to place other equipment below".
The sample supplies that were sent recently are prototypes. So some tweaks may be expected. Simple Best says, "It is common that this type of power supply remain relative high temperature when it is working. It is for maintaining the sound quality... Thanks again for your comments on our products, we will try our best to make it better!"
JaMo, in the pictures above, installed a simple heat shield (white foam) to separate the power supply from the rpi mounting area. This seems to reduce rpi temps 7-8 deg C. Good job!
The sample supplies that were sent recently are prototypes. So some tweaks may be expected. Simple Best says, "It is common that this type of power supply remain relative high temperature when it is working. It is for maintaining the sound quality... Thanks again for your comments on our products, we will try our best to make it better!"
JaMo, in the pictures above, installed a simple heat shield (white foam) to separate the power supply from the rpi mounting area. This seems to reduce rpi temps 7-8 deg C. Good job!
JaMo
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Thanks, the thermal barrier has to be in a radio wave allowing material to maintain the WiFi function. I will replace the test barrier with a more suited plastic material, but an inner wall will be there. It is effective.
DACLadder
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@JaMo Good point about metal shielding blocking Wifi radio signals.
FredA
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The SimpleBest PSU with the usbridge on top of it at the optimal position to avoid blocking the heat evacuation openings.
I yet have to compare the usbridge to the rpi4b.
I yet have to compare the usbridge to the rpi4b.
jimmychan
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Like to know the usbridge vs rpi4b. How much is the source affecting the SQ with the DI20 already regenerating the data.The SimpleBest PSU with the usbridge on top of it at the optimal position to avoid blocking the heat evacuation openings.
I yet have to compare the usbridge to the rpi4b.
FredA
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I will try it. Soon enough. But i am sure the usbridge will be on top, by how much is the question.
I bought the simplebest filter and am enjoying it.
Certainly a very inexpensive piece of equipment considering how dramatically it effects the sonics.
I definitely need more time to experiment with this new toy but one thing is immediately clear: The more components I connect to the "-70dcb" outlets the more transparent the outcome and the leaner the sound. The less I connect to it the less transparent the sound and the meatier the sound. "-50dcb" has the exact same effect as the "-70dcb"- just less so. Combining use of both -70dcb and -50 dcb with different components results in transparency somewhere in the middle. It is all a matter for more or less of the same thing IMHO.
I could see how one may not want all their components hooked up to the "-70dcb" as even though it results in hyper transparency, things are pretty lean. It is a matter of balance. I have no idea where I will end up yet as I need to give my ears time to adjust to all the options.
At minimum I for certain like my mac mini plugged into the "-70dcb" even if none of my other components are plugged into the filter at all---- and just for my mac mini this filter was worth the money for the sonic improvement.
Certainly a very inexpensive piece of equipment considering how dramatically it effects the sonics.
I definitely need more time to experiment with this new toy but one thing is immediately clear: The more components I connect to the "-70dcb" outlets the more transparent the outcome and the leaner the sound. The less I connect to it the less transparent the sound and the meatier the sound. "-50dcb" has the exact same effect as the "-70dcb"- just less so. Combining use of both -70dcb and -50 dcb with different components results in transparency somewhere in the middle. It is all a matter for more or less of the same thing IMHO.
I could see how one may not want all their components hooked up to the "-70dcb" as even though it results in hyper transparency, things are pretty lean. It is a matter of balance. I have no idea where I will end up yet as I need to give my ears time to adjust to all the options.
At minimum I for certain like my mac mini plugged into the "-70dcb" even if none of my other components are plugged into the filter at all---- and just for my mac mini this filter was worth the money for the sonic improvement.
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