I've bought an ifi Audio iPower SMPS for my Netgear GS105v4 switch.
With its active noise cancellation & 12 element output array its claimed the iPower SMPS has an exceptionally low noise floor @ ~1uV, compared to a low noise linear power supply with ~20uV & a consumer grade SMPS that's typically 1000uV.
My present LAN set up is a bit OTT w.r.t. to suppressing RFI, switching & other random electrical noises; I've tried to reduce it as much as possible with screened cables, ferrite & correct LAN grounding.
The power to the LAN switch SMPS is via an APC 350 UPS that includes an isolation transformer & common mode choke. Its plugged into a four way power strip together phone & broadband SMPS's & a Russ Andrews Silencer, the short power strip cable has a ferrite clamp on each end. I have assumed the UPS isolation transformer & choke, plus the clamp & ferrite should go some way to reduce the power supply switching noise feeding back into mains power. This new SMPS is intended to reduce noise on DC power to the Netgear GS105v4 switch.
Measuring the iPower in comparison to the Netgear SMPS showed the Netgear voltage varied & the iPower was very stable to >0.01VDC. I also used my little hand held 'scope & that was not able to show much more than the voltmeter other than see a mV-AC element, but am not sure what that is showing other than question the iFi claim of better than 1uV noise floor.
I first measured VDC & Hz with no load & then loaded the output with a 22ohm resistor, that's 6.5watt & 63% more than the Netgear switch max.
iPower
No Load – 12.22VDC 6 .6mVAC 0Hz
6.5w Load - 12.18VDC 6.6mVAC 0Hz
Netgear
No Load - 12.14/12.16VDC 9.9/15.3mVAC Hz started as 50Hz & settled at 0Hz
6.5w Load - 11.70/11.78VDC 10.1/18.2mVAC 0Hz
OK that's the numbers, what about the SQ.
First impression is something has changed, not at all sure what, its subtle & not easy to define other than its different. It will probably need a few hours concentrated listening, so I will do that this evening & post again tomorrow.
Posted on: 20 January 2016 by Mike-B
Listening was not in question Nigel, it was more like you are not always getting what you paid for, it was a marginal pass for 500mHz Cat6a so would not pass 600mHz Cat7 (if a Cat7 standard existed), the point was the Cat6a bettered the performance so why pay mega bucks for Vodka when a cheap as chips Cat6a beats it, but like I said, listening was not in the question. Thing is tho' the Naim end will only accept 100mHz which only needs Cat5, so it might be a bit like a nonsense anyway.
I might be a dyed in the wool techie-nerdish objectivist, but I have some pretty good ears & I'm not too bothered if its a damp string or soggy Cat that my digits arrive on, whatever, if it sounds good it is good ............... this Meicord is good tho' , I had more NAS albums playing all evening & found a new textured grainy feel that I had not heard before, on one of our favourite atmosphere albums, John Hulling's "Mesa Sunrise" , it has a new texture that I hear in the big drum skin material & the big thick stick that was hitting it, & the pan pipes resonate in your neck. Mrs Mike picked that up in seconds.
All good fun .......
Posted on: 21 January 2016 by hungryhalibut
My dealer was trying to get me interested in the Vokda cables, but as I need 8m to get from my switch, the cost is too much. Anyway, they are much fatter than my Cinnamon, so won't fit under the door. Before settling on Cinnamon I tried a couple of others and they do all sound different. I still don't understand it; whether it's the special plugs, the construction, the shielding, too much wine or what I don't know, but they work very well for quite a reasonable price in the scheme of things.
Posted on: 21 January 2016 by nigelb
Glad you have arrived at a good place Mike and it seems your frustrations (over broken clips) have been rewarded with a significant uplift in SQ with a modest investment in the iFi iPower and modestly priced ethernet cables.
Say no more, job done.
Thanks by the way for the iPower tip, I too am still discovering new things from my music. Mind you I have just had my ears syringed (the Doc calls it irrigated) which is better that any black box (or SMPS) upgrade but that is a different story.
Health warning - ear syringing can damage your hearing and is not be be contemplated unless absolutely necessary.
