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

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

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.

WOW, I see so many unsupported Comments here, Questions Unanswered, and pure NONSENSE. And I am not taking any side YET on the original topic. I have a cancered view of most professional power conditioners. To start with they have the ENTIRE feed going through a tiny trace on a circuit board. My own conditioner that I MADE, doesn't use such circuit traces but actual wire.
Next, I have great surge protection but most people don't even know if the MOVs in their order unit are still viable as they can be destroyed by a surge and you will never know it.
Then I use some commercial power conditioning modules that are as good as far as the schematic goes as most useful in other high-end models.
Finally, I DO utilize a couple of external pieces the 'Nordzt Qkoil' which should counter what one person commented here "If a power conditioner is squeezing (throttling) the power then it demands to be removed."

and

 the ifi 'Ac ipruifier'!

My entire box is capable of 20 watts but of course, I only use a 15-amp circuit from the Wall. The only improvement I might like to have is a better quality of COPPER in my box, end to end, BUT it is no worse than the wiring in my walls so, I doubt that it causes much of a negative effect.

Good grounding Good quality sockets, having the type and number of sockets desirable for my usage is a priority, and you can never get that from a commercial box.
I realize that not every Audiophile has an Electronic Eng degree but you don't have to have one if you can look stuff up on the web and ask a few questions from people that DO KNOW. Then all you need is a little skill in constructing a box and being able to handle a screwdriver and a few other hand tools.

What if the over conditioning is causing a voltage or the amperage to drop in the system. 2 conditioners run is sequence and the device (streamer) is making a power demand that the conditioners cannot provide. Kind of like a voltage drop on a fuel pump this cause the motor to over heat and fail.

Voltage drop testing compares the battery or charging voltage to the voltage at the component. The voltage drop occurs because of resistance in the circuit that supplies the pump. The resistance could be in the connectors, grounds or harness.

TESTING VOLTAGE DROPS
A voltage drop test is the only effective way to find excessive resistance in high-amperage fuel pump circuits. With the right leads and back-probes, it’s possible to do the test (if you have access to the top of the tank) without any disassembly. The results are immediate as to whether you’ve got a good connection or a bad one.