Upgrade power supply for Auralic Mini


What is the best upgrade power supply for an Auralic mini?
drambuie1
Search on Linear Power Supply here and over on Audio Asylum. Quite a bit of discussion on the topic. Duster on AA had identified some affordable and good looking units from China. I went with an iFi iPower bought from Music Direct. It’s a heavily filtered switching power supply. Low cost compared to some of the LPS. There’s discussion about that one over on Computer Audiophile.
I have an Aries Mini. I bought an IFi 15 volt power supply shortly after purchasing the Mini. The improvements in the sound of the Mini were amazing with the IFi PS. Bass presence/ response in the 50 - 100 Hz octave increased dramatically. Overall, imaging and placement became much wider, deeper, and more precise. Placement of individual instruments In 3-D space became much more clearly defined. The characteristic sound and tonality is precise and accurate; neither overly warm nor “clinical.” These sonic improvements are not subtle. 

The $50 investment in the IFi is a no- brainer, in my experience. Auralic themselves make a $300 LPS. It may be even better than the IFi, though I have not heard it. I think a lot of the sonic potential of the Mini is obscured by the stock wall wart. 


Some additional comments about the iFi iPower using the 15 volt adapter for the Aries Mini.  I have a Freya pre-amp on the same side of the equipment console.  Soon after getting the iPower I did notice a low level sort of "warbling" noise when the Freya was on mute or passive mode.  Heard nothing at all in JFET mode which is what I use most often.  Hadn't noticed it using the tube mode. Didn't do anything about it as a result.  The other night, wanting to listen in tube mode and before tubes were installed, I noticed left channel warbling could be heard from the listening position.  Decided to investigate a bit.  The noise definitely was being generated by the iPower when plugged into wall outlets shared or on a separate circuits from the one the Freya is on.  Even when the Freya is off, the speakers were picking up the noise.  Maybe through the unshielded cable on the powered sub?  It seems the noise is primarily associated with the adapter plug at the end of the iPower's DC wire run.  I substituted back in the stock switching power supply that came with the Aries Mini.  Warbling gone.  AND to my surprise, sound quality improved markedly.  Was NOT expecting that.  Wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience?  Maybe I have a defective unit?  I will write iFi to inquire though I'm out of warranty.  See what they might suggest.  Is it possible to buy flexible EMF shielding and wrap a small amount around the end of the iFi wire??  Your comments appreciated.