Custom PSU to improve your DAC

[Hieukm]

I have used Chord Dave DAC and Mscaler combination for quite some time and decided to stick with its sound signature because i felt its more musical than other DAC i have heard. But the audiophile itch to upgrade keep pushing me to find new way to improve my DAC.

Upon hearing information on a custom cost no object PSU designed specifically by Sean Jacobs for my Chord Dave DAC and Mscaler and consulting with @romaz, i have decided to pull the plug. Much to my satisfaction, even though i only have the custom PSU for Chord Dave, the improvement was so substantial that my Chord Dave DAC + Mscaler combination would much surpass my friend's MSB Ref with power base option.

Today, i was reading the thread where @QuadDiffusor was using PLiXiR Elite BAC400s to mono power his MSB Select DAC. I was wondering how the performance would compare to MSB design.

It leads to much thought about:

1/Spending more to upgrade the current PSU of your current DAC or spend more to upgrade to a better DAC?
2/Has the current top end DAC like MSB/Wadax/CH Precision/Aries Cerat really using cost no object PSU design? I know for sure that DCS used sub-par PSU.
3/How much PSU matters in DAC design?

 

[dgale]

Second day with Sean Jacobs DC4 ARC / DAVE (+ HMS/Teddy Pardo LPS)

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
Sean Jacobs DC4 ARC6 Linear Power Supply

I’ve never written a review before and claim no insight or expertise beyond what my ears tell me. However, Sean Jacobs’ DC4 ARC6 LPS is such a remarkable addition to my system that I wanted to share my initial impressions. With thanks as well to Vassil for a wonderful afternoon of listening and audio chat while he installed the DC4 ARC6.

Right out of the box…

Big bass! Punch and grip.
Had to turn down my REL S/812!
Bass is cleaner & more present. “Foundational”. Palpable. Visceral. And remember, I turned down my sub.
My room (15’x21’) is now pressurized. Was unable to achieve this before.

More detail and clarity of inner voices, but not hyper-delineated, which I find “hyper”/unrealistic.
Simply more music and more musicality.
More present and yet somehow relaxed.
No fatigue whatsoever. Just music.

Imaging is somehow more precise without “laser-like” placement - which again to my ears often sounds unrealistic.

No edginess or glare on vocals. Again, relaxed. (As a classically trained singer I am very sensitive to vocal presentation.)

Streaming more analog-like? I don’t have enough experience with high-end analog to say.

Doesn’t alter the sonic character of my system. Simply enhances what I like most about my system.

Though a subjective value, DAVE/DC4ARC6 easily brings 30% more to my system. So much for “chasing the final 10%”.

Before purchase, I put Sean on the spot by asking him to suggest what impact the DC4 ARC6 might have on my system. I asked him to use my my subjective and totally arbitrary homegrown scale for judging system changes. Sean was modest in suggesting a rating of “Incremental 5” - the highest incremental rating - rather than the highest “Exponential” grade. (See * below.) Right out of the box, the DC4 ARC has had an exponential impact on my system.

My next move may be Nick Bacon’s ferrite treated BNCs to replace my current Wireworld Silver and Gold Starlight 7s. Since I need two pair for OPTO DX it’s another big add so, thinking…Happy to entertain suggestions.

Vassil says it will only improve with time. I’m a believer.

(*) Dan’s Homegrown System Audio Scale:
*Negative impact
*Incremental improvement (from 1 - 5)
*Exponential improvement

My system:
Pathos InPol Heritage Hybrid Integrated
Innuos Zenith MK3/PhoenixNET/PhoenixUSB
Chord M Scaler
Chord DAVE with SJ DC4 ARC6 LPS
OPTO DX Galvanic Isolator
Tannoy Kensington GRs
REL S/812
QOBUZ/Tidal
Feliks Euphoria HP amp
Sennheiser HD800s HP
Transparent Gen 5 PowerIsolator
Cabling mostly Transparent, with selected SOtM, Curious Cable, WireWorld, Synergistic Research and Wywires

 

[thomask]

Audiogon Discussion Forum

I had been using Chord Dave and Mscaler for 3 years. I installed linear power supply by Farad which cost me around 3k Euros including three separate...

forum.audiogon.com

I also have nice results with Farad Lps.

it is not certain how much better Sean Jacobs over Farad.

But I am happy with Farad mod after 6 weeks.

I dont claim that modded Dave is better than Ideon Absolute which I had done home audition.

But it got close to Absolute around 90%.

I also added other LPS to Mscaler which improve the sound little bit more.

 

[dgale]

Audiogon Discussion Forum

I had been using Chord Dave and Mscaler for 3 years. I installed linear power supply by Farad which cost me around 3k Euros including three separate...

forum.audiogon.com

I also have nice results with Farad Lps.

it is not certain how much better Sean Jacobs over Farad.

But I am happy with Farad mod after 6 weeks.

I dont claim that modded Dave is better than Ideon Absolute which I had done home audition.

But it got close to Absolute around 90%.

I also added other LPS to Mscaler which improve the sound little bit more.

High praise, indeed. Do you run HMS with DAVE?

 

[thomask]

High praise, indeed. Do you run HMS with DAVE?

Yes I had run HMS and Dave for 4 years.

 

[antigrunge]

I run both my Antelope Zodiac Platinum and a modified Audiophile 10m clock off a Sean Jacobs DC3/4. The result is a very substantial improvement over Antelope’s own Voltikus PSU. In particular the imression of space, positioning in the sound stage and leading and trailing edge as well as overall dynamics is far from subtle.

 

[dgale]

Custom LPS suggestions for CHORD HMS:

I’m interested in others’ experience adding an LPS to the M Scaler.

At this point I am looking at Sean Jacobs, Plixir and Farad.

(I recently added the SJ DC4/ARC6 with new capacitor boards to my DAVE to outstanding effect. See my impressions above).

Thanks for any feedback.