If the core runs in different room far away from the audio gear then I wouldn’t care about the PSU of the core. This is how I have my core setup and it runs on stock SMPS.
But I wouldn’t want to connect the core, being it an NUC or similar, and its cheapo SMPS in the same power strip as my audio gear. I have experienced changes in sound quality when changing from SMPS to LPSU with streamer and switch, which are connected in the same power strip as rest of the setup. I’ve never had core connected to same power strip as the audio gear.
4 Likes
Torben_Rick
(Torben - A Dane living in Hamburg - Roon Lifer)
837
Would the IFI Elite Power Supply 15V work for the Nucleus (not Nucleus+)? I have the original (not the newer Rev. B?) version of the Nucleus.
The specs 15V/2.5A for the IFI unit suggest it would. But perhaps someone here probably knows the answer?
And do you know if it would be better than the stock PS? And other comparable PS options?
Thank you
Bill_Janssen
(Wigwam wool socks now on asymmetrical isolation feet!)
848
I’d use the power supply that came with the Nucleus.
After all, you trust Roon to choose the right components to build the Nucleus with, right? And the power supply they give you is one of those components, right?
In any case, it’s pointless to add a “better” power supply to a computer (which is what the Nucleus is). See this post for details.
1 Like
Torben_Rick
(Torben - A Dane living in Hamburg - Roon Lifer)
849
If you are concerned about noise from the Nucleus SMPS going back into the powerlines, than there is a cheap solution. You can use ferrite bead placed before IEC connector - see below. Make sure to pich the right size based on the power cables that you are using.
These ferrite clamps usually have effective damping capabilities within a comparatively narrow frequency band around the range of about 100MHz, while SMPS switching rates are about three orders of magnitude lower in frequency, thus are not very effective in fixing much belabored ‘noise problems’.
Manufacturers are forced to meet EMI emission and immission limits, thus usually implement respective counter measures right at the source, where they really are most effective.
It’s always very entertaining on the one hand, and saddening on the other, to read about tweak-o-phile recommendations, that completely lack any sound engineering background, yet seem to deliver highly in removing veils and noises on a subjective basis…
Only two things can be going on here. First, the Farad may be introducing a ground loop into your system. There are a few devices on the market that claim to interrupt and correct a ground loop. Second, the Farad may be faulty and introducing noise into your system. It seems unlikely that line interference can move from the Farad into the Nucleus through the DAC/Amp and to your speakers. More likely the Farad is putting out RF interference that your amplifier is picking up and sending to your speakers.
For the Nucleus the iFi will work. You don’t get anywhere the 65 watt rating on an i3 and so long as it isn’t fully loaded with internal and external storage and trying to do heavy DSP it will work without issues. I won’t get into the discussion about wether you actually need to replace the standard supply. But if you do the iFi will work.
Thank you Henry. I am using a 2TB internal SSD. Some DSP - bass attenuation, slight treble lift. And I pretty much don’t use the upsampling features of Roon.
I am assuming it should work for what I do. I believe I will give it a try.
Hi again Henry and anyone else who might have knowledge. I haven’t yet picked up the IFI Elite which is available from MusicDirect. I read about this other power supply on AudioBacon - this one an LPS from Plixir in SIngapore:
I wonder if this Plixir Elite BDC would be better than the IFI Elite (both models named Elite but different mfgrs of course!). Audiobacon rates the Plixir Elite BDC higher than the SBooster. And I have seen from browsing blogs that the SBooster is viewed perhaps as in the ballpark of the IFI Elite although some people may rate the IFI Elite a bit higher.
I understand some people don’t believe that an upgraded PS helps at all. I am inclined to go with the view that it may well be of benefit in my case though will decide for myself eventually. But that still leaves open many choices of course and I am trying to zero in to what my trial should consist of.
Thanks for the ideas/opinions/etc!
Bill_Janssen
(Wigwam wool socks now on asymmetrical isolation feet!)
859
The mistake is thinking a linear power supply is an upgrade. A linear power supply is an obsolete and inefficient means of powering a computer like the Nucleus – a downgrade. Surely if Roon thought it would help they would have included one.
