NAS - SMPS or Linear PS?

Posted by: ChrisH on 08 August 2014

Does anyone have any views  regarding whether/ how much changing the SMPS supplied with a NAS to a linear power supply would make?

I have a QNAP NAS on which I store my Hi Res downloads and back up my Unitiserve, but I always feel (maybe imagining it?)something is being held back streaming from it to my Superuniti, in contrast to when streaming from the US.

 

Ive seen a few people mention linear power supplies on their NAS's and am interested to hear peoples thoughts.

 

By the way, I have the 1TB US version which does not allow downloads to be stored on it. I could always send it back to Salisbury to get it changed to latest version, that could be another option I guess.

Posted on: 08 August 2014 by ChrisH

My hi fi is also now on its own circuit Wat.

NAS and Unitiserve on house ring main, also in another room.

But would the NAS SMPS not still be impacting the data transfer through the wired network somehow?

 

Im probably getting my electrics and network confused and thinking too deeply for a Friday night.....

Posted on: 08 August 2014 by ChrisH

Thanks Wat

I was obviously thinking too much about 'stuff'....

Posted on: 09 August 2014 by Huge

You could also clip ferrites over each end of the Ethernet cables (usually recommended to do all of them).  They work surprisingly well at removing common mode RFI.

Posted on: 09 August 2014 by ChrisH

Yes Huge, that's done already too!

Think my tweakery pokery is done as far as it can go within the constraints of my network and system.

Will do a few with/without comparisons to make sure I prefer the changes, and then I will settle down to relax and enjoy the music.

 

Posted on: 09 August 2014 by charlesphoto

Mind me asking what's a good standard size ferrite clamp for ethernet cables? I have mostly Audioquest Cinnamon but a few other bog standard cat6/7 as well. They all seem pretty close in thickness. Will putting them on all of the other misc A/V cords laying about the stereo system help as well? Just interconnects or main cables on the others as well? (don't plan on choking my Tibia's or SNAIC or Prodac cables)

 

Thanks!

 

Charles

Posted on: 09 August 2014 by Huge
Originally Posted by charlesphoto:

Mind me asking what's a good standard size ferrite clamp for ethernet cables? I have mostly Audioquest Cinnamon but a few other bog standard cat6/7 as well. They all seem pretty close in thickness.

...

Hi Charles,

 

It's best to have the hole in the ferrite as close a fit as reasonably possible around the external sheath of the cable (but don't squash the cable).

 

 

Originally Posted by charlesphoto:

...

Will putting them on all of the other misc A/V cords laying about the stereo system help as well? Just interconnects or main cables on the others as well? (don't plan on choking my Tibia's or SNAIC or Prodac cables)

 

Thanks!

 

Charles

This depends on the level of EMI in your environment.  In my case I have a lot of interference, so I have ferrites on all my power and audio cables as well.  I get a detectable degradation of the sound if I remove just one of them.  However I think my situation is unusual. 

 

Unfortunately, unless you have the necessary instrumentation, the only way to test this is to put ferrites everywhere and then try removing some of them.