Sound quality comparison

[Stephane]

I can admit that a good power supply (linear or not) can affect the analog part (DAC output stage) but how can it make the digital part any better ?

[Discovery]

Hi Ian,

"He mentions testing with a Bob Dylan track 'Man with the long gray coat".

I saw this report, and was intrigued to hear what Hans was describing. I felt it was a great song, and the whole album (Oh Mercy) is very good.

[Discovery]

Hi Stephane,

Research 'jitter'. It's not the whole answer, but it's a starting point.

Or visit one of us who has a modified power supply and let your ears decide.

[brucehuang55]

Appreciate all your comments, but seems to focus on the arguments on the sound improvement by the location where linear power supply powers to Pi or digi+. Is there any comment on my original problem "If you run Raspberry Pi with external USB DAC, no need to mount digi+ because of not much sound quality difference between music from USB port of Pi or coaxial of digi+ to DAC"

[Discovery]

Hi brucehuang55,

ls the USB port on your external DAC asynchronously controlled? If so, this favours the USB connection over a coax or optical connection so the Digi+ has no advantage.

This view was advised to me by the award-winning designer of my DAC.

[brucehuang55]

Hi Discovery,
According to the DAC manual, It says it takes the "XMOS asynchronous transfer solution". I just translate from Chinese. I am not sure if it is same as you said. Anyway for me, there's no much sound quality difference of the music from USB port of Pi or from digi+'s coaxial to my DAC. In this case, I might dismount digi+ and power Raspberry Pi from 2&6 GPIO pins by linear power supply. I'm not sure if it'll be better sound quality than power digi+'s P3 holes without dismounting digi+. Thanks.

[Discovery]

Make sure you get the polarity right - pin 2 is 5v, pin 6 is ground.

Let us know how you get on.

[DomieMic65]

As far as I know only quite old DACs are not "Asynchronous".
Also many people in local forum comment that the USB is preffered conection over the i2s/spdif of the Raspberry!


And a question about LPS.
As I understand it from the comments here and on the "3x PS" thread... is it prefferable to conect it to the GPIO than the mini USB port?
I am asking because I do not have the skils to modify the rpi board and I want a simpler solution!

[Discovery]

Hi DomieMic65,

Yes, those of us who have tried it have found that the Pi sounds better powering it through the GPIO pins than the mini USB port. Try it and decide for yourself. Then update us...

[DomieMic65]