MSB Reference and Select DACs, The Icing on The Cake?

DC Power Cables, Why They Matter

By Angus Leung
Founder, WestminsterLab

There are significant advantages to having the power supply separated from the main chassis of electronic components, especially those containing digital circuitry. In addition to a more robust power supply, an outboard supply allows you to locate noise-generating transformers away from sensitive electronics handling the music signal. With a discrete setup, this all sounds good, doesn’t it? You get the best of both worlds with one chassis of noisy components doing the dirty work of delivering clean power and then connecting the supply to the second chassis containing delicate, noise-sensitive elements. Yet, one significant drawback of this arrangement is that the connecting cable is exposed to the environment.

A DC cable connecting the external power supply and the main chassis is critical to a system's sound quality. A less-than-perfect connection can introduce unwanted noise and negatively affect power delivery. Think of the power supply as the heart of your engine and the brain as the electronics. No matter how good your heart is, the brain won’t get the energy it needs if the connecting vessels are not clean and wide open. Most DC cables carry low voltage and high current power delivery. Low voltage noises are relatively large compared to the higher current ones, so resistance plays a significant role. Basic parameters of the DC cable, e.g., resistance, impedance, and capacitance, contribute to the overall power supply output characteristics. By improving the link between the power supply and the unit's control chassis, we can unlock more of the true potential within your system.

Our DC cable set for MSB is calibrated precisely for each pin, including the rated voltage, current, power supply, and overall output characteristics. As with all Westminster cables, our DC power cables use our proprietary Autria solid-core alloy twist construction. The alloy is hand polished, coated, insulated, finished to exceptionally high standards, and finished with a unique carbon fiber noise shielding sleeve.

Aiming high:
MSB Reference and MSB Select 2 models are among the best of today’s super DACs. Their class-leading performance and use of a robust external power supply led us to create a DC cable made specifically for these exceptional components. The goal was to make an already statement-level product even better.

So naturally, we will let MSB owners judge our success for themselves. Home demonstrations of the Westminster DC cable for MSB in North America available from Hear Contact Gary Leeds at: gary@hearthis.us, or (949)467-9808.

Supplied with two cables per unit we are offering What’s Best Forum members a 20% discount on the DC cable set for MSB Reference and Select DACs through March 15, 2023

 

DC Power Cables, Why They Matter

By Angus Leung
Founder, WestminsterLab

There are significant advantages to having the power supply separated from the main chassis of electronic components, especially those containing digital circuitry. In addition to a more robust power supply, an outboard supply allows you to locate noise-generating transformers away from sensitive electronics handling the music signal. With a discrete setup, this all sounds good, doesn’t it? You get the best of both worlds with one chassis of noisy components doing the dirty work of delivering clean power and then connecting the supply to the second chassis containing delicate, noise-sensitive elements. Yet, one significant drawback of this arrangement is that the connecting cable is exposed to the environment.

A DC cable connecting the external power supply and the main chassis is critical to a system's sound quality. A less-than-perfect connection can introduce unwanted noise and negatively affect power delivery. Think of the power supply as the heart of your engine and the brain as the electronics. No matter how good your heart is, the brain won’t get the energy it needs if the connecting vessels are not clean and wide open. Most DC cables carry low voltage and high current power delivery. Low voltage noises are relatively large compared to the higher current ones, so resistance plays a significant role. Basic parameters of the DC cable, e.g., resistance, impedance, and capacitance, contribute to the overall power supply output characteristics. By improving the link between the power supply and the unit's control chassis, we can unlock more of the true potential within your system.

Our DC cable set for MSB is calibrated precisely for each pin, including the rated voltage, current, power supply, and overall output characteristics. As with all Westminster cables, our DC power cables use our proprietary Autria solid-core alloy twist construction. The alloy is hand polished, coated, insulated, finished to exceptionally high standards, and finished with a unique carbon fiber noise shielding sleeve.

Aiming high:
MSB Reference and MSB Select 2 models are among the best of today’s super DACs. Their class-leading performance and use of a robust external power supply led us to create a DC cable made specifically for these exceptional components. The goal was to make an already statement-level product even better.

So naturally, we will let MSB owners judge our success for themselves. Home demonstrations of the Westminster DC cable for MSB in North America available from Hear Contact Gary Leeds at: gary@hearthis.us, or (949)467-9808.

Supplied with two cables per unit we are offering What’s Best Forum members a 20% discount on the DC cable set for MSB Reference and Select DACs through March 15, 2023 View attachment 103550

Any cables for MSB Premier?

 

bryans, no I'm sorry the current cable is for the Reference and Select models only at this time.

 

Angus is a good friend of mine.
I visited his listening room in Hong Kong last week.



A close-up of the Quest preamp and what do you see?
Angus said that it would be launched very soon!



But the best reward of the visit was that Angus lent me for home-trial a set of dc cables made by Westminster Lab for MSB Select DAC !



My Eisteddfod 840 poweramp is receiving a free upgrade and I will post my comments about this set of dc cables asap.
Thanks Angus!

 

So for those of us not as smart what is the arrow pointing to

 

So for those of us not as smart what is the arrow pointing to

I thought it was just me.

What is the new card with the arrow point to it?

 

Are those the se and balanced end phono stage slots

 

I thought it was just me.

What is the new card with the arrow point to it?

That's the coming MM/MC card for the Quest preamp.

 

So I’m not so dumb

 

I see no reason to pass a vinyl signal through a DAC. Not unless your a purist with a minimalistic system and want to avoid a preamp. And you have no other means to input and adjust the vinyl volume than in your DAC.

Now, on a private group I chat in, people have been running vinyl through DSP and with a blind group of 6 people, when the system was in bypass, no one could tell if the vinyl was passed through the digital processor or through the all analog path. They were all much happier when the vinyl was processed through the DSP with the room correction mode on.

They also said the "Magic" of the vinyl is still there, even though it went from A to D to A in a 32x96 processor.

 

I have a friend with the Rei and Quest. He ordered the phono card

 

The quest is a preamp not a DAC

 

Correct, Steve. The phono card CK pointed to is pure analog MM and MC. The new card is now available for Quest owners. The first such unit will be installed in Mobius system next month once his new turntable lands stateside. There will be further phono amplification products from Westminster launched

I have a request, anyone wishing to discuss phono developments please reply in the turntable forum. This thread is devoted to a discussion of improved DC cables and the new Westminster for MSB Select and Reference DC cable now available from Westminster Lab.

Thanks CK for a terrific post of Angus reference system!

 

Correct, Steve. The phono card CK pointed to is pure analog MM and MC. The new card is now available for Quest owners. The first such unit will be installed in Mobius system next month once his new turntable lands stateside. There will be further phono amplification products from Westminster launched

I have a request, anyone wishing to discuss phono developments please reply in the turntable forum. This thread is devoted to a discussion of improved DC cables and the new Westminster for MSB Select and Reference DC cable now available from Westminster Lab.

Thanks CK for a terrific post of Angus reference system!

Angus please shares more info about this phono card in the Vinyl Forum.

He told me several unique features of the phono card but he is the right person to start a thread in the Vinyl Forum.

 

Ahhh. I thought this was a MSB DAC thread.

 

Ahhh. I thought this was a MSB DAC thread.

It’s actually a thread on DC cables made by Angus specific for MSB Select and Reference DACs

 

Its amazing how fast threads loose their bearing.

 

I first became aware of Westminster Lab when via Steve William, Gary Leeds, US importer for Westminster Lab asked me to evaluate the MSB Reference digital and analog cables.. My system was then totally VAC power core, Taiko, MSB and Bergmann. I liked the MSB Reference when used with my VAC AB tube design electronics because I like the SS/tube balance. Yet, I found it to be a bit digital sounding.

To my astonishment, putting the Westminster Lab umbilicals between the MSB power supplies and the audio chassis, made a massive difference in the MSB's sound top to bottom, and a huge improvement in the soundstage. Now my electronic core is Westminster Quest and a pair of REI's which I really enjoy, but now I have a SS system instead of a tube one and appreciate the umbilicals for providing what sounds like Lampizator Golden Gate or better.

The Westminster Lab products all sound the same (I mean absolutely the same), extremely quiet with ultra low noise floor and lightening fast rise and decay times. I also love the Class A sound of the amps.

 

The MSB digital director is suppose to give you a more analog like sound. If you had the director you may not need those expensive cables.

 

Hi,
New to the forum. This DC cable is just phenomenal ! It took my already excellent Lumin X-1 into another level of performance.
I really recommend investing in it. What you get in return is something out of this world!