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Re: Tinker, Tailor, Streamer, Pi.

Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2021 2:16 am
by antonio66
No real surprises there CN, don't suppose many E30 owners are powering theirs with a ps costing double the price, all I've got is an ifi one used with my D30 :crying-yellow:

Re: Tinker, Tailor, Streamer, Pi.

Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2021 8:09 am
by CN211276
The E30 is sounding better in pre amp mode than it did in DAC mode with the power bank, by some margin. I have read some good things about power banks but am now convinced a quality PS is superior. There is bass depth and definition which was not there before. For their deminutive size the Cubettes can go quite low and they are not ideally positioned. It is making me more aware of how good the Sbooster is as it put the MCRU some what in the shade in the main system.

Re: Tinker, Tailor, Streamer, Pi.

Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2021 2:42 am
by antonio66
Came across another music player yesterday, it get's great write-ups, but would seem a little complicated computer wise for me to install
http://www.wtfplay-project.org/install.html
Anyone heard of this, if so is it as good as others say, also how easy would it be for a computer numbty like me to install and uninstall if it wasn't liked?

Re: Tinker, Tailor, Streamer, Pi.

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 7:20 pm
by CN211276
CN211276 wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:29 am I am planning to get the 15/16v one for my Mscaler. Should be a big improvement on the one which came with it.
The effect the Sbooster has had on the Mscaler is not far short of a car changing from third gear into top gear. The sound stage has expanded, particulary in depth. As with its effect on the MicroRendu the bass lacked control to begin with. Whilst with the streamer it took a few hours to settle down, with the Mscaler it took a week. What surprised me was a slight change in the frequency balance. To compensate for a new thinner rug I needed to activate the warm filter setting on the Qutest. Now the sound is best with a return to incisive neutral. I think it could be down to better shielding cutting out RF which the Chord PS was letting in. I am over the moon with the improvements the Sboosters have brought about. :grin:

I had previously under estimated the importance of quality clean power to digital sources. Now I beleve they are just as important, if not more so, than filtering. Although improved bass is the most immediately noticable, it is accross the board and a more enjoyable music experience. The Sboosters are no longer connected to the BMU as mains conditioners are not recommended according to the Sbooster website, although the instruction manuals do not say anything. They also run cooler when plugged into my MCRU extension block.

It has recently been commented, by Stu, that the transparancy of NVA kit shows up failings in the source. The opposite side of the coin is that it magnifies improvements to the source, resulting in the credit card taking a bashing. :lol: This transparancy also applies to the second far more modest NVA system where upscaling does not come into play. I was taken aback by how much the displaced MCRU PS has transformed the Topping E30, particulary the bass. From what I remember the E30/MCRU sounds better than the Chord Mojo did when I used it in the second system. (Not a great difference in cost to be fair).

Re: Tinker, Tailor, Streamer, Pi.

Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2021 12:31 am
by antonio66
I think you're spot on regarding power supplies CN, wish I could treat myself to three or four of them SBoosters :lol:

Re: Tinker, Tailor, Streamer, Pi.

Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2021 11:18 am
by CN211276
There is a recent thread on Wam where it is reported that a Qutest with a 4K PS sounds better than the 8K Chord Dave. I would not be surprised. In the real world I do not think a Topping E30 with Sbooster could be beaten by DACs costing £500 and probably a lot more.

Re: Tinker, Tailor, Streamer, Pi.

Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 2:51 am
by antonio66
An article I came across yesterday, some may find it interesting: He has also done some other good reviews you might also want to check out https://audiobacon.net/2021/03/17/hqpla ... -upscaler/

Re: Tinker, Tailor, Streamer, Pi.

Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 10:20 am
by savvypaul
I've been looking at HQPlayer but every comment I've read suggests that you need Roon in front of it to make it bearable to use. Not sure I want another monthly subscription on top of the HQp licence fee.

Re: Tinker, Tailor, Streamer, Pi.

Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 10:35 am
by CN211276
I would never consider Roon and have come across reports that it degrades SQ. That would make sense from the less is more stand point as I fail to see what Roon could add to SQ. I would not want to subscribe and pay a fee anyway.

I came across the review some time ago and am convinced that upscaling is a huge advance in music reproduction, combining the best of digital and analogue. As with all reviews it is one persons opinion and I would not agree with the comments about upsampling reducing warmth. To these years it is the opposite.

Re: Tinker, Tailor, Streamer, Pi.

Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 10:47 am
by savvypaul
I'm tempted to put together a PC capable of running Room and HQP to output 512 DSD, but for that Roon subscription.

The Mscaler price is way beyond what my brain will tolerate for a medium that involves me far less than vinyl