2. tech-talk
  3. 180124-170745

Don’t over power condition!

Recently I bought the Aurender W20SE. Sounded incredible first day, just everything you’d expect from a 22k streamer, jaw dropping. But then I started getting dropping and smearing, sounded like CD skipping. Frustrated I lost the original bliss of the finest sound I’ve ever heard, I began having regrets of dropping the cash on the piece. I worked with the excellent Aurender customer service through their great app, they wanted to download some new software into the W20SE after sending them an audio clip of the dropping and smears that were irregular, maybe one every other song.

 

But do you know what the actual problem was? Over power conditioning! I had the Puritan PSM 156 hooked into the Audiowise RF Stop, and as soon as I got rid of the RF Stop and plugged it in directly into the Puritan problem solved. One of the wildest lessons I’ve learned thus far in my young HiFi journey, over power conditioning can destroy your sound.

128x128brandonhifi
brandonhifi's avatar
brandonhifi OP
69 posts
 

Factor in the LIFEPO4 batteries in the Aurender W20SE, this setup would work fine on most streamer but is not compatible with the W20SE power system, sell it to you guys if you’re interested. Audiowise AC RF Stop. 50% off.

mrskeptic
262 posts
 

If there was such a thing as "overconditioning" you could stop the flow of electricity with x number of conditioners. Baffling what people will believe.

brandonhifi's avatar
brandonhifi OP
69 posts
 

An AC powered DAC requires power free of transients and RF noise—filtering is required well into the MHz range. For DAC's with an integrated switch-mode power supply, its worth doing the modification to change it to a linear (transformer-based) design. RF•STOP™ AC Filter adds proper RF noise filtering to the input AC mains. Power supplies with upgraded fuses or improved wiring offer only a nominal level of additional RF filtering. RF•STOP AC Filter uses a two-stage design with inductors of highly permeable core material for excellent attenuation of common-mode and normal-mode noise. Wideband filtering extends from 10kHz up to the critical RF frequency of 500MHz.

For best performance, locate RF•STOP AC Filter very close to the component AC input - ideally with an option short patch cable. Use RF•STOP on amplifiers and monitor speakers to prevent capacitive/inductive coupling of RF noise and conduction along galvanic signal paths to your DAC. AC inlet connection is IEC C14; outlet connection is IEC C13. 

https://audiowise-canada.myshopify.com/collections/rf-stop-and-accessories/products/rf-stop-ac-filter

elangley01
90 posts
 

Power conditioning does not affect audio quality 

yoyoyaya's avatar
yoyoyaya
598 posts
 

It is easy to get carried away with power conditioning devices on the basis that more is better.

More is not always better especially if devices from different manufacturers are used.

More to discover