Linear psu on the unitiserv
Posted by: MangoMonkey on 25 February 2014
Would the linear psu make a difference if it he unitiserv is in a different room as the rest of your gear?
Yes, it does make a difference MM.
My US is upstairs, and my SuperUniti downstairs (running hard wired to the network).
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I saw an interesting comment in a H-Fi + article from Ken Christianson (Promusica owner, Naim True Stereo Engineer) about his own streaming system - he uses a linear supply for his US.
Naim 24/192 True Stereo Article (a very good read) here -
http://files.meetup.com/121253...%20Hi%20Fi%20%2B.pdf
Chris Bell uses linear supplies on both his US and NAS. Murray Harden uses a linear supply onto a USB drive into US and disconnects his master NAS from the network for listening. Other reports by NDS owners report the significance of supplies.
I have a linear supply on my US. Recent tests with music on USB in the back (my "gold standard") can clearly hear successive and significant degradation as other network segments, the NAS PSU, and the NAS itself are powered up and/or Ethernet-connected. Even disconnecting the phone line onto the ADSL router 2 segments away is quite noticeable. This is with 2 linear supplies on my switch & router, 10m CAT6 between each.
Music-impacting noise does seem to ripple through the network and accumulate - "no network" is quite magical. Noise through network connectivity seems more significant than the mains. Enough to cause me to reconsider my whole approach.
Even disconnecting the phone line onto the ADSL router 2 segments away is quite noticeable. This is with 2 linear supplies on my switch & router, 10m CAT6 between each.
I suggest you look at ferrites - we have another thread that includes the use of ferrites - https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...87#37891025315814387
Phone lines are know to be RFI carriers & I use one on each of the phone & broadband lines close to each of the devises - the cables are passed thru the ferrite core 3 times to maximize effectiveness
Indeed, if your internal phone wiring is not using and applying the appropriate 8 core twisted pair wiring which most professional installers or even quality DIY stores will use it may well radiate the ADSL frequencies horribly if not master socket filtered and also be far more prone to interference itself and drop your ADSL sync speed down.
I saw an interesting comment in a H-Fi + article from Ken Christianson (Promusica owner, Naim True Stereo Engineer) about his own streaming system - he uses a linear supply for his US.
Naim 24/192 True Stereo Article (a very good read) here -
http://files.meetup.com/121253...%20Hi%20Fi%20%2B.pdf
Hi James, nice little article.
Unlike some that own the uServe, I have not tried a linear PSU on mine but follow those that have with interest. It is highly regarded as an upgrade from those that tried it on the Forum and from various articles documenting experiences with it.
At some point in the future this will be at the top of my next upgrade path.
Jason.
Come on Jason, $399 and it's yours. Well worth it.
Come on Jason, $399 and it's yours. Well worth it.
I know, it's feindishly close 
Jason.
I put an inexpensive linear psu ($80, fleabay from China) on my switch and modem and that took care of what I was calling a micro-buzz that seemed to populate everything but esp the highs. Most people (my wife fro one) probably wouldn't notice it but once you start down the slope....
It is worth remembering some SMPS can provide noise back into the mains, and you can hear noise that way, rather than via any connected signal.. However a quality well designed and filtered SMPS should be mostly benign. However alas if you ever delve into the world of EMC (electro magnetic compliance) it can be quite disappointing to see what is out there in the consumer space.. Failed or absent filter capacitor(s) in a SMPS won't necessarily stop it from working, but it can make it very noisy.
Simon