Super3 - a supercapacitor LPS, by Farad Power Supplies

[jasond]

Check the reviews on Farad's website. My memory is foggy but I recall one that looked at both the Farad and another from Keces.

Well I guess on the Farad website they publish what’s in favour of them ;-)
I guess the Super3 is better than the P8 but others have mentioned the P8 is emphasizing mids a bit more. Apart from that there is an excellent overview of leading LPS at https://audiobacon.net/2021/08/06/the-worlds-best-audiophile-linear-power-supplies/
(Unfortunately missing iFi iPower Elite and Keces P8)

 

[kennyb123]

Apart from that there is an excellent overview of leading LPS at https://audiobacon.net/2021/08/06/the-worlds-best-audiophile-linear-power-supplies/

I was just skimming that again. I have owned as many as three Super3s though I'm now down to one. I thought each of them delivered a big bang for the buck. I have no doubt there is better but if I had to do it over again I would still go with a Super3.

 

[jasond]

I was just skimming that again. I have owned as many as three Super3s though I'm now down to one. I thought each of them delivered a big bang for the buck. I have no doubt there is better but if I had to do it over again I would still go with a Super3.

Why are you down to one in the meantime?

 

[kennyb123]

Why are you down to one in the meantime?

I was using the other two for a Chord MScaler and TT2. I sold both.

 

[jasond]

Seems the Super3 with Purple fuse and Furutech inlet really needs some burnin time.
When did you reach a stable / best performance ?

 

[Rocoa]

I'm affraid that only burn in the Furutech NCF inlet implies some weeks.

 

[Rocoa]

has anyone compared the Super3 to the iFi iPower Elite or Keces P8?

I have many power supplies and with the Farad Super 3 the sound is more rounded.
On the other hand the sound of iFi Power Elite is more exciting, faster if possible.
Both are good options. Perhaps the iFi is more appropriate for digital devices like the router.

 

[kennyb123]

On the other hand the sound of iFi Power Elite is more exciting, faster if possible.
Both are good options. Perhaps the iFi is more appropriate for digital devices like the router.

For digital gear, the most important power supply consideration is low impedance. The lower the impedance, the better the supply will do at meeting instantaneous current demands. Noise is generated inside the component when those demands cannot be met.

What I look for when assessing a power supply is some mention by the manufacturer of regulation or of low impedance. Farad mentions this as do all the better audiophile power supply manufacturers.

Some manufacturers aim instead for low noise. The more affordable power supplies like the Sbooster supplies is an example. It looks like this iFi Power Elite is another. These can be and usually are a clear step up from an SMPS. That’s usually exactly what they are aiming for. I’m dubious though that these can be competitive with power supplies that aim to be both low in noise and low impedance. But as I have no experience with this power supply, it wouldn’t be right for me to render judgement. It does look like a good option for routers as they don’t really put up demands for instantaneous current. As such I appreciate you mentioning it.

 

[jasond]

But as I have no experience with this power supply, it wouldn’t be right for me to render judgement. It does look like a good option for routers as they don’t really put up demands for instantaneous current. As such I appreciate you mentioning it.

It would be very interesting if you could get your hand on one of these and compare.
I had the same listening impression as @Rocoa when using it on a streamer.

 

[Superdad]

It looks like this iFi Power Elite is another. These can be and usually are a clear step up from an SMPS.

Hi Ken:
I agree with everything else you wrote, but to be clear, all the iFi Audio iPower models (including the Elite) are SMPS units.
[With attendant significant leakage (that’s common-mode AC passed onto the DC cable connections), owing to the required ‘Y’ capacitor directly across the transformer—from primary to secondary.]

 

[kennyb123]

I agree with everything else you wrote, but to be clear, all the iFi Audio iPower models (including the Elite) are SMPS units.

That’s an important clarification. Thanks for that. I was at a loss to understand how it could sound “more exciting, faster if possible”, but that could explain it.

 

[_Alchemist_]

Anyone experimented with different power cords on the farad?
What are your guys using and happy with?

 

[jasond]

I tried a lot and can recommend the Audioquest NRG-Z3, if you would like to step it up the Monsoon is really amazing. That's what I use. Though I even use one Audioquest Dragon for Super3 on the streamer - that it quite freaky :-D

 

[Rocoa]

I’m using Furutech DPS 4.1 with FI-50 NCF plugs.
Very happy with the performance.

 

[_Alchemist_]

I’m using Furutech DPS 4.1 with FI-50 NCF plugs.
Very happy with the performance.

I recently built one for my dac and I like it a lot too
I'm trying to justify buying one for the farad

 

[kennyb123]

Anyone experimented with different power cords on the farad?
What are your guys using and happy with?

I tried 3 different cords with the Farad that had been powering my TT2. There were clear improvements at each step.

1. Shunyata Venom V12NR
2. Shunyata Alpha NC
3. Shunyata Delta v2 NR

For my Farads that power digital devices (no analog stage), my favorite is the Shunyata V14 NR.

 

[_Alchemist_]

I ordered Furutech DPS 4.1 with FI-50 NCF plugs since I was quite impressed with the result on my dac.
@taww also reported good results with his LPSU for the Nucleus

Power cord on my Roon Core LPS...

I admittedly have been a total bum when it comes to my streaming setup - An Intel NUC8i3 running ROCK, using the stock switching PSU, sitting in my basement connected to my main Ubiquiti router (Unifi Dream Machine Pro) which then connects to my audio system network via a run of CAT6 and a small...

www.whatsbestforum.com

It's double the price of the farad...
Like we say in french, la sauce est plus chère que le gigot...meaning the sauce is more expensive than the meat

 

[_Alchemist_]

Anyone tried the Farad Super 10 yet?

 

[jasond]

Just a handful of users so far out there.

 

[thomask]

I had great results of Dave with Farad 3 LPS.

Dave without Farad Lps never sound this fast and dynamic.

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