[rsbrsvp]

OK. I just found the problem. I was plugging my power distributor into the Topaz. This is what damaged the sound.

I put in a regular power-strip instead and now it sounds fantastic. Dynamic, transparent, crisp as ever....

 

[oneguy]

@rsbrsvp I’m glad everything worked out. Happy listening!

 

[rsbrsvp]

Now- the Topaz does get warm and it does hum- even in balanced mode.

It certainly is not boiling hot and neither is the hum severe-- but both issues are there.....

 

[Zenvota]

Whats plugged into the topaz? Are there any components in the audio chain not plugged into the topaz? and for the things on the topaz are they directly into the topaz or are you using extra power distribution?

 

[Zenvota]

OK. I just found the problem. I was plugging my power distributor into the Topaz. This is what damaged the sound.

I put in a regular power-strip instead and now it sounds fantastic. Dynamic, transparent, crisp as ever....

O woops didnt see the next posts. I wonder if this is an example of being able to hear the impact of the noise from raising the impedance of the leakage current loops due to the per outlet filtered power distributor. Using filterless distribution reduces the impedance and the level of noise. And that being masked before by the effect of the high common/normal mode line noise.

 

[oneguy]

Now- the Topaz does get warm and it does hum- even in balanced mode.

It certainly is not boiling hot and neither is the hum severe-- but both issues are there.....

How bad is the hum?

 

[rsbrsvp]

Hum is mild. I can only hear it if I get within about a meter of the transformer and it is mild. Any further and I hear nothing.

It is warm by touch- not "cool" at all- but not boiling either.....

I do have my entire system- plugged into a non filtered power strip which is connected to the topaz output.

When I used my power distributor with additional filtering in it instead of the power strip- it HARMED the sonics noticeably...

 

[Zenvota]

Hum is mild. I can ionly ear it if I get within about a meter of the transformer and it is mild. Any further and I hear nothing.

It is warm by touch- not "cool" at all- but not boiling either.....

Probably better to be over a meter away from their electromagnetic field as well =/

 

[rsbrsvp]

I believe my power filter distributor is going to garbage soon now that I got the Topaz.

It did wonders for transparency- but it lost the meat on the bones and I was not thrilled about the compromise.

With the Topaz- I get stunning transparency with extra full bodied sound.....

 

[Zenvota]

I do have my entire system- plugged into a non filtered power strip which is connected to the topaz output. When I used my power distributor with additional filtering in it instead of the power strip- it HARMED the sonics noticeably...

I believe my power filter distributor is going to garbage soon now that I got the Topaz.

It did wonders for transparency- but it lost the meat on the bones and I was not thrilled about the compromise.

With the Topaz- I get stunning transparency with extra full bodied sound.....

Gotcha, 5 components right? thats alot of leakage a per outlet filtering component would definitely increase noise from those loops. I really like the improvements from just the topaz, filterless distribution, and quadrapole power. Simple cheap and incredibly effective. I used to really roll off the treble due to the source audio, but after adding the signal/power improvements I can use wasapi/asio or a less rolled off OOYH, really fantastic how much all this improved treble performance.

How are you setup, usb out from the mac to the mutec, 10mhz from the mutec to the di20? Id be curious if an ultracap powered iso regen to break the loop from the mac would improve your audio quality, maybe even compared to mac directly to the di20, something to consider maybe, as well as the etherregens. I go pc to iso regen + amanero with an i2s isolator so both are powered by a single ultracap, i havent been able to drastically improve on it, but im also using an old nfb7 with an es9018 with a tcxo, if the dac had dual es9038(or r2r) +the as318 xos i think id notice a difference then.

@oneguy you did some power cable comparisons? What was your conclusion? I found the kimber cables or anything with braiding or a center ground to mask alot of detail on the dac, the low inductance of the standard quadrapole geometry with a counterspiral ground worked really well, vh audios flavor 4 is a good example of the wire geomtry and its very simple to make yourself.

 

[rsbrsvp]

I have mac mini by USB (data line only- no V-Bus connected) to DI20HE. DI-20HE by way of HDMI to R-7HE DAC. R-7HE by way of ACSS to HE-9. HE-9 to Abyss, Susvara, and LCD-4. All connecting cables in this sequence are 100% OCC silver.

The Mute Ref 10 SE-120 is connected by 50 ohm cable to both DI-20HE and R-7HE.

My Power cables I got from eBay from a company in Croatia named "NIMAK". Their effect on the sound was STUNNING..

I have tried th REGEN ISO before the DI-20 and so not like the results.......

 

[Zenvota]

My Power cables I got from eBay from a company in Croatia named "NIMAK". Their effect on the sound was STUNNING..

wow that looks intense, have you ever seen a cross section of the cable? that geometry sounds very interesting, twisted pairs in a quadrapole around a center ground?

The Mute Ref 10 SE-120 is connected by 50 ohm cable to both DI-20HE and R-7HE.

oh! right, im dumb

I have tried th REGEN ISO before the DI-20 and so not like the results.......

With the stock meanwell smps or an ultracap+star quad dc cable? even with the usb regen a cheap lps + low inductance starquad dc cable made a big big difference. Is the usb reciever in the di20 powered by usb bus power or the di20s power supply? Theres an isolation mote between the usb to i2s chip and the fpga and the clocks, right?

Youve gotta try room impulse response binaural rendering with that system, a Smyth Realiser, Impulcifer, or Out of Your Head with headphone compensation(a must or it sounds too bright).

 

[oneguy]

Gotcha, 5 components right? thats alot of leakage a per outlet filtering component would definitely increase noise from those loops. I really like the improvements from just the topaz, filterless distribution, and quadrapole power. Simple cheap and incredibly effective. I used to really roll off the treble due to the source audio, but after adding the signal/power improvements I can use wasapi/asio or a less rolled off OOYH, really fantastic how much all this improved treble performance.

How are you setup, usb out from the mac to the mutec, 10mhz from the mutec to the di20? Id be curious if an ultracap powered iso regen to break the loop from the mac would improve your audio quality, maybe even compared to mac directly to the di20, something to consider maybe, as well as the etherregens. I go pc to iso regen + amanero with an i2s isolator so both are powered by a single ultracap, i havent been able to drastically improve on it, but im also using an old nfb7 with an es9018 with a tcxo, if the dac had dual es9038(or r2r) +the as318 xos i think id notice a difference then.

@oneguy you did some power cable comparisons? What was your conclusion? I found the kimber cables or anything with braiding or a center ground to mask alot of detail on the dac, the low inductance of the standard quadrapole geometry with a counterspiral ground worked really well, vh audios flavor 4 is a good example of the wire geomtry and its very simple to make yourself.

My power cable quest stopped at my naked 8 awg magnet wire. I haven’t had much time due to work recently to construction a starquad version of the 8 awg magnet wire with. Plus I need to find a new source for the wire. The place that I bought my current stock from ran out.

That being said, I am completely happy with the 8 awg magnet wire. It has surpassed everything I have heard so far and at A very reasonable cost.

 

[rsbrsvp]

With the stock meanwell smps or an ultracap+star quad dc cable? even with the usb regen a cheap lps + low inductance starquad dc cable made a big big difference. Is the usb reciever in the di20 powered by usb bus power or the di20s power supply? Theres an isolation mote between the usb to i2s chip and the fpga and the clocks, right?

The DI-20HE power the USB as I only need data line from my mac mini USB to the DI-20HE. With the Regen I need to use the v-bus from my mac or it will not work- and I do not like the results. Detail is being rounded off with the regen

 

[Zenvota]

The DI-20HE power the USB as I only need data line from my mac mini USB to the DI-20HE. With the Regen I need to use the v-bus from my mac or it will not work- and I do not like the results. Detail is being rounded off with the regen

But what power supply were you using with the Regen? Just the stock supply that came with it?