Power supply

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lejonklou
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Re: Power supply

Post by lejonklou »

tokenbrit wrote: 2020-08-06 18:43 Can the single input switch on the Sagatun Mono help at all with regard to the ground via the Gigaport's RCA outputs? If a phono stage is plugged in to the single source input, and the preamps switched to single source only, does that break the loop from a Hakai plugged in to IN1-4? At least when listening to LPs...
Hi tokenbrit!

Sorry, it makes no difference as the grounds are all connected. The Single Source input and IN1-4 all share the same ground.
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Re: Power supply

Post by David Neel »

It would be nice to find a cheap and musical class II power supply to replace the Nano 160. Failing that, does anyone know whether the Streacom ZF240 is class II? It is not cheap, nor are the Streacom cases into which it fits. But in the context of my system, it's not completely unaffordable and would eliminate the black brick on the floor.
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Re: Power supply

Post by FairPlayMotty »

David Neel wrote: 2020-09-09 19:01 It would be nice to find a cheap and musical class II power supply to replace the Nano 160. Failing that, does anyone know whether the Streacom ZF240 is class II? It is not cheap, nor are the Streacom cases into which it fits. But in the context of my system, it's not completely unaffordable and would eliminate the black brick on the floor.
There are plenty of candidates around. Although the one in the attached link has a four pin connector, barrel adapters are around £3.

https://www.sunpower-uk.com/product/160 ... er-supply/
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Re: Power supply

Post by David Neel »

Thank you - under investigation.
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Re: Power supply

Post by FairPlayMotty »

There are others David. I'm searching as I listen.

https://www.enrgtech.co.uk/buy/product/ ... 50012B-12A

I'll chase my brother tomorrow, he heads up a large hospital laboratory amongst other things like buying the electronics - he may well have a discount with vendors. And he's a nerd so he'll know more candidates.
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Re: Power supply

Post by FairPlayMotty »

The Mean Well GSM160B series has a likely option. There's one in the U.S. eBay for £15.
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Re: Power supply

Post by lejonklou »

Update: I have tested the RGeek 200W adapter, model number is LD120180 (meaning of model number is likely 12 Volts and 18 Ampere, which is the rating).

It gives a high pitched noise through the speakers, regardless of whether the power cord is grounded or not. Not sure if it's a faulty specimen or a bad product.

Still have the Z2-ATX-200 plug-in board to test.
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Re: Power supply

Post by FairPlayMotty »

lejonklou wrote: 2020-09-11 14:24 Update: I have tested the RGeek 200W adapter, model number is LD120180 (meaning of model number is likely 12 Volts and 18 Ampere, which is the rating).

It gives a high pitched noise through the speakers, regardless of whether the power cord is grounded or not. Not sure if it's a faulty specimen or a bad product.

Still have the Z2-ATX-200 plug-in board to test.
I don't have that issue - perhaps you got a faulty one Fredrik.
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Re: Power supply

Post by David Neel »

David Neel wrote: 2020-09-09 19:01 does anyone know whether the Streacom ZF240 is class II?
I now have an answer from Streacom tech support: the ZF240 also ties the output ground to the mains ground, so it will have the same issue as the Nano PSUs.
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Re: Power supply

Post by FairPlayMotty »

David Neel wrote: 2020-09-14 10:15
David Neel wrote: 2020-09-09 19:01 does anyone know whether the Streacom ZF240 is class II?
I now have an answer from Streacom tech support: the ZF240 also ties the output ground to the mains ground, so it will have the same issue as the Nano PSUs.
I had a chat with tech support at QuietPC - their guy is going to pass on to Streacom that they might want to offer a class II option. And QuietPC now know there's a market opportunity.
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Re: Power supply

Post by lejonklou »

FairPlayMotty wrote: 2020-09-11 16:27
lejonklou wrote: 2020-09-11 14:24 Update: I have tested the RGeek 200W adapter, model number is LD120180 (meaning of model number is likely 12 Volts and 18 Ampere, which is the rating).

It gives a high pitched noise through the speakers, regardless of whether the power cord is grounded or not. Not sure if it's a faulty specimen or a bad product.

Still have the Z2-ATX-200 plug-in board to test.
I don't have that issue - perhaps you got a faulty one Fredrik.
I have been in contact with RGeek and they were completely unwilling to help me with my apparently faulty 200W adapter.

Avoid RGeek!
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Re: Power supply

Post by springwood64 »

I am comparing the following AC to DC power supplies:

For Hakai
  • RGeek 120W (12v 10A) adapter
  • Friwo DT50M (12v 3.8A) adapter
For Tinkerboard S
  • Raspberry Pi 4 (5v 3A) USB
  • Allo Nirvana (5v 2.8A) USB
I'll post recordings once the burn in is complete, after a couple of weeks
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Re: Power supply

Post by springwood64 »

I realise I completely forgot to post recordings

In the meantime I have paused my Tinkerboard project and sold the Allo power supply, and I no longer have the recordings.

I'll just have to summarise my findings

Hakai
The Friwo sounds very poor compared to the Rgeek: dull and lifeless

Tinkerboard
Wow! The Allo Nirvana is strikingly better than the RPi power supply. However, the combination is still a long way behind the Hakai, so I've dropped the project for the time being.
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Re: Power supply

Post by tokenbrit »

lejonklou wrote: 2020-05-21 13:32 .. the adapter supplied with Nano160 also ties the negative barrel of its 12 Volt output to mains ground. This causes your entire HAKAI (and the same thing applies to your HAKAI NAS, if you have one) to be tied to mains ground. And this ground is then transferred to the Gigaport DAC and it's RCA outputs, and also to the ethernet cable connected between your HAKAI and Ethernet switch. This creates multiple ground loops in the system and the result is both a significant loss of musicality and the possibility of high pitched noise from the HAKAI and/or HAKAI NAS to be heard faintly in your speakers. Not optimal.
Did anyone find a musical, reliable solution to this? I have the HAKAI hardware sitting redundant, and thought about repurposing it as a HAKAI NAS, but not without resolving the ground loops...
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Re: Power supply

Post by fatjulio »

I've taken to the earth pin on the power plug with a hacksaw to cut it off. Works brilliantly. Before doing this I got a double adaptor plug and did the same thing, to test it without harming my power cable. This was used as a pass though with the power cable, to remove the earth connection.

I know it's not proper, but there doesn't seem to a power supply to purchase that ticks all the boxes. If you have the parts lying around, why not.
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Re: Power supply

Post by tokenbrit »

fatjulio wrote: 2022-06-12 04:16 I've taken to the earth pin on the power plug with a hacksaw to cut it off. Works brilliantly...

I know it's not proper, but there doesn't seem to a power supply to purchase that ticks all the boxes. If you have the parts lying around, why not.
Thanks. I was hoping for something a little more 'elegant'; a little less... 'drastic', but I'll keep this in mind as a shortcut.
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Re: Power supply

Post by springwood64 »

tokenbrit wrote: 2022-06-11 13:30 Did anyone find a musical, reliable solution to this? I have the HAKAI hardware sitting redundant, and thought about repurposing it as a HAKAI NAS, but not without resolving the ground loops...
I use the RGeek case, power supply and adaptor. I know that Frederik had a bad experience so the caveat is that quality control and customer service from RGeek is not reliable. No ground loop issues with these though.
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Re: Power supply

Post by tokenbrit »

springwood64 wrote: 2022-06-13 07:41
tokenbrit wrote: 2022-06-11 13:30 Did anyone find a musical, reliable solution to this? I have the HAKAI hardware sitting redundant, and thought about repurposing it as a HAKAI NAS, but not without resolving the ground loops...
I use the RGeek case, power supply and adaptor. I know that Frederik had a bad experience so the caveat is that quality control and customer service from RGeek is not reliable. No ground loop issues with these though.
I don't fancy rolling the dice on that one after Fredrik's experience, but I do appreciate the suggestion.
I was hoping for a simple power supply solution; one that's plug & play (musically) without the need to change adapter (& case?) or compromising the protective ground... It doesn't seem like there is one.
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