Topaz Low-Capacitance Isolation Transformers - for Affordably Clean Power
Jun 2, 2019 at 10:56 PM Post #301 of 568
Looks like I spoke a bit too soon as only certain things seem to work with the isolator.
Plugs into the wall fine, draws power from it. Power strips and the Transparent Isolator work fine with it. Even plugged a Nintendo Switch dock into it (though that works with a wide range of voltages), a home phone, all fine (only one with the voltage requirements listed on it though. Other things not so much, plugged in my XBR 960 crt and it was rapidly shutting on and off, tested it with the cable box and that doesn't even turn on, tried it with my main system, no power, so the multimeter will tell me what is up.
 
Jun 3, 2019 at 8:37 PM Post #303 of 568
So I had to come back to report that I've had much success having just my project horizon tube amplifier connected to the ISO > connected to one socket of the wall outlet. And the other outlet I have my blue circle puck filter attached to it via 6" uninex grounded ext. cable with my ART PB 4x4 PRO power distributor connected to one socket of the Puck and a iPurifier connected to the top receptacle of the Puck. My Khadas DAC is connected to the first port on the ART PB.

If I connected both lines to the 2 receptacles of the ISO there seems to be better instrument seperation, but great loss in dynamics. I prefer the other way.

Now I'm wondering if I should get another Topaz just for my DAC line or get the ar2p for the DAC line.
 
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Jun 4, 2019 at 2:05 AM Post #304 of 568
Tested my isolator with the multimeter, going in it's getting 117 volts. The output though is only 65/66 volts, which is the problem. I'm assuming this is due to the isolator needing a full 240 volts to run properly.
 
Jun 4, 2019 at 2:11 AM Post #305 of 568
Tested my isolator with the multimeter, going in it's getting 117 volts. The output though is only 65/66 volts, which is the problem. I'm assuming this is due to the isolator needing a full 240 volts to run properly.

Can you get a clearer picture of the outputs wiring?
 
Jun 4, 2019 at 6:19 AM Post #306 of 568
I'll snap better pictures later today.

I also have a Liebert pure sine wave output regenerator coming today, I think it has voltage regulation, but I'm not positive. If it does, maybe I can get this to work.
If the isolator is 240 volts strict it's going to be a pain to re-sell.
 
Jun 4, 2019 at 7:59 AM Post #307 of 568
Tested my isolator with the multimeter, going in it's getting 117 volts. The output though is only 65/66 volts, which is the problem. I'm assuming this is due to the isolator needing a full 240 volts to run properly.
Makes sense. 2:1 step down from 117v is 58.5 so 65-66 volts sounds like it supports that theory. My 1:1 transformer outputs a voltage slightly higher than 1:1.
 
Jun 6, 2019 at 9:15 PM Post #308 of 568
Today I happened to listen to a video by Paul from PS Audio concerning isolation transformers and one bit of information stuck out. That high impedence is created from the use of transformers especially when added to the line. There is a specific video, I don't want to post the link here but can somebody with more technical knowledge follow up on this? If this is the case what exactly does high impedence do to the sound? How does it affect our audio and is this the case with our Topaz units?

I'm wondering if this is a negative impact on both DAC and amplifier? In what case is high impedence either good or bad?
 
Jun 15, 2019 at 4:50 PM Post #309 of 568
Can anyone tell me if this is the fuse or is it a part of it? When my topaz was sjipped to me the circular black plastic piece was broken off, this being there. 0615191343.jpg
 
Jun 15, 2019 at 5:04 PM Post #310 of 568
Can anyone tell me if this is the fuse or is it a part of it? When my topaz was sjipped to me the circular black plastic piece was broken off, this being there.

That's part of the locking cap, you push in and twist and it pops off, then you slide the fuse in. The actual fuse looks like this, ceramic slow blow 6x30mm
31MEh29fYBL.jpg
 
Jun 15, 2019 at 7:07 PM Post #312 of 568
I wonder if there are audiophile fuses? xD
zero knowledge of audiophile fuses here I just used whatever, but its in the input side, and I couldn't tell a difference with cabling on the input side, regular 14/3, 10/3 cryo, 12/2 twisted cryo with counter spiraled ground(vh flavor 2), and 12/4 quadrapole(vh audio flavor 4).

I did drop the amperage down to 2a for a 250va model, 5a for a 500va model, per John Swensons and One and a Halfs instructions
 
Jun 15, 2019 at 7:08 PM Post #313 of 568
Jun 15, 2019 at 8:06 PM Post #315 of 568
So of course this will differ from user to user, but I bought a kill-a-watt to find out the wattage that my PC was using. Since I run a 1080Ti I was worried that wattage usage would be over what my 91095-32 can give out. Luckily it only peaked just under 400W so I decided to take my DAC off the ISO and put my PC and Iso Regen on it and while the difference is hard to describe being that my DAC kind of took a hit on sharing the outlet with my tube amp, there was another clarity and dynamic boost with my PC and IR on the topaz. Now I'm VERY curious to see how Topaz'ing my PC along with a Topaz'd DAC line would sound... Just need to keep my eyes out for a good deal!
 

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