Posted this elsewhere but maybe someone can help me here:
Just got a microRendu with iFi PS and I’m already amazed at the difference I can hear in my system.
My current setup is the microRendu connected to an Airport Express Wi-Fi extender.
I know this can be controversial, but here it goes: does the quality of the Ethernet cable from the Airport Express to the MR influence sound quality? How about the one connecting my NAS to my router?
Or is a different power supply a better investment?
From having owned a microRendu: I’ve not used with the iFI PS, but I found improvements when I went from the original SMPS to a Teddy Pardo LPS, and some further improvement when I went to an UpTone LPS-1. The LPS-1 blocks some important electrical noise paths that even a good LPS (like the Teddy Pardo) does not.
That’s an additional twist, but the original LPS-1 + garden variety SMPS already blocked some noise paths. Since then, I moved away from USB for my DACs so I don’t need to keep tweaking USB sources, so I missed that high-impedance ground leakage improvement.
Yup, otherwise the high impedance leakage ‘sails right through’ - as John S described…
And before someone asks about just using any SMPS which has an AC earth pin - finding an SMPS who’s DC output ground is continuous with AC earth (even if you see an earth pin) is not so easy… so the Uptone SMPS is the easier one to get.
I am not a believer in megabuck Ethernet cables. I know some folks are, but from my electrical engineer background, as long as all conductors in the cable are intact and there is a decent connector on each end then the cable should work just fine.
There are differences in jacket construction that make cables easier or harder to bend. Also, very long cables should have larger (smaller AWG) conductors. BTW, the limit on Ethernet runs between devices is 100 meters.
On the subject of AWG numbers, be aware that some manufacturers use the term “gauge” instead of AWG. Please stay away from those since there is no standard for “gauge.” I made the mistake of purchasing 12 “gauge” speaker cable and in reality they were about the size of AWG 18. So, stay with AWG rated cables so that you know what you are getting.