[lucianpescaru]

5V USB voltage filtering or external PS? For dacs that use 5V from the PC USB directly.
 
Here it is:
 
http://www.audiophonics.fr/en/hi-fi-power-supply/elfidelity-axf-100-internal-usb-power-filter-for-pc-p-9056.html
 

 
 
Anybody using this? If so what are your impressions?

 

[lucianpescaru]

Well, ordered one for my Benchmark DAC2 and I'll write down my impressions (if any .

 

[lucianpescaru]

It works as intended, nice detail increase on my Benchmark DAC 2. Suppose it will do the same for dacs/DIs that use 5V USB for the receiver part.

 

[dukefx]

The DAC2 is self-powered and does not use USB power, it's also super tolerant. You could feed it some incredibly crappy signal and still wouldn't notice any difference. Try a DAC that doesn't have a power cord.

 

[lucianpescaru]

  The DAC2 is self-powered and does not use USB power, it's also super tolerant. You could feed it some incredibly crappy signal and still wouldn't notice any difference. Try a DAC that doesn't have a power cord.

 
No it's not self-powered, at least the XMOS USB receiver... it still shows up in device manager with the power off and the power cord removed, and the device still plays like nothing is wrong. At least mine which is dec 2013.
I'll ask support at Benchmark.

 

[dukefx]

The DAC part is powered by a low noise SMPS. The USB controller may also transmit power. It will show up if there's power going to the PC USB port through the green wire which can come from the wall socket or the PC. The point is, the DAC has a great power supply, so why would you feed it anything that comes from inside a noisy PC? I highly doubt that USB card would provide cleaner power than the DAC2's SMPS.
 
If you want to test it try a powerless USB cable or USB port. You can DIY both. Kill the red and black wires of a USB cable, or use a rear USB extension bracket and don't connect the red and black wires to the motherboard. Make sure the DAC2 gets AC power. If it works, it is indeed self-powered.
You can do A/B tests with AC + no USB power (DAC2's PSU) and no AC + USB from your new card. This way you could really compare the two.

 

[lucianpescaru]

I got a reply from Benchmark support stating "Yes, the USB subsystem is powered by the computer."
 
I rest my case.

 

[dukefx]

Meaning: USB controller, not DAC. It would be funny if you used TOSLINK or SPDIF and you'd also needed a USB cable for the sake of power.

 

[rafabro]

  It works as intended, nice detail increase on my Benchmark DAC 2. Suppose it will do the same for dacs/DIs that use 5V USB for the receiver part.

I am also user that card couple months now. Happy to hear wider and deeper sound stage. Sound is more soft/natural than directly from motherboard.
 
I'm planning to test external power supply to check SQ difference.

 

[dukefx]

Care to do a noise test with RMAA (regular USB vs this)?

 

[dougms3]

5V USB voltage filtering or external PS? For dacs that use 5V from the PC USB directly.

Here it is:

http://www.audiophonics.fr/en/hi-fi...-internal-usb-power-filter-for-pc-p-9056.html




Anybody using this? If so what are your impressions?

I have seen quite a few reviews and people that have built $3k+ music servers using their products so I thought I'd give their products a twirl.

I had minimal expectations but was pleasantly surprised with the noise reduction.

I didn't get that particular card, the axf-100 because I already had a jcat femto card. However, I did purchase 3 fan filters, the sata filter and the pci power filter card.

https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/pc-h...wer-filter-for-pc-4-pin-connector-p-9062.html
https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/pc-h...supply-filter-for-sata-hard-drive-p-9063.html
https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/pc-h...lter-pci-express-pci-express-16x-p-14182.html

Unfortunately, I could not find the axf-106 sata power filter which would have been interesting.

I installed the fan filters first on all the fans connected to the motherboard. The fan filters I was most skeptical about but surprisingly they offered quite a bit of noise reduction.

Then the sata filter which also offered improved noise reduction.

The pci card filter effect was not immediately evident as I'm sure it needs time to burn in all those capacitors but after about 4-5 days its really started to open up. These items are well worth what I paid for them. They work unbelievably well for the price. Unfortunately due to all the haters and whiners that trash these products without ever testing them, they aren't more popular.

I wanted to also try out a better quality sata cable as well since I play music off a 2.5" ssd but really don't want to shell out over $100 for such a cable.

Since the sata cable is in such close proximity to other devices that emit EMI, I thought it might benefit from a bit more shielding. To test my theory, I took my thickest gauge sata cable which is 26awg and spiral wrapped in 3m copper tape then teflon tape over it. Since I have these in my collection already it cost me nothing except 5 minutes of my time. This yielded quite a surprising improvement as well.

It always seems when I've reached the ceiling of what my system can attain, I've discovered another floor to climb before reaching the summit. As John Wick's tattoo says, "Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat". Happy listening.

 

[OCC7N]

I have seen quite a few reviews and people that have built $3k+ music servers using their products so I thought I'd give their products a twirl.

I had minimal expectations but was pleasantly surprised with the noise reduction.

I didn't get that particular card, the axf-100 because I already had a jcat femto card. However, I did purchase 3 fan filters, the sata filter and the pci power filter card.

https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/pc-h...wer-filter-for-pc-4-pin-connector-p-9062.html
https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/pc-h...supply-filter-for-sata-hard-drive-p-9063.html
https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/pc-h...lter-pci-express-pci-express-16x-p-14182.html

Unfortunately, I could not find the axf-106 sata power filter which would have been interesting.

I installed the fan filters first on all the fans connected to the motherboard. The fan filters I was most skeptical about but surprisingly they offered quite a bit of noise reduction.

Then the sata filter which also offered improved noise reduction.

The pci card filter effect was not immediately evident as I'm sure it needs time to burn in all those capacitors but after about 4-5 days its really started to open up. These items are well worth what I paid for them. They work unbelievably well for the price. Unfortunately due to all the haters and whiners that trash these products without ever testing them, they aren't more popular.

I wanted to also try out a better quality sata cable as well since I play music off a 2.5" ssd but really don't want to shell out over $100 for such a cable.

Since the sata cable is in such close proximity to other devices that emit EMI, I thought it might benefit from a bit more shielding. To test my theory, I took my thickest gauge sata cable which is 26awg and spiral wrapped in 3m copper tape then teflon tape over it. Since I have these in my collection already it cost me nothing except 5 minutes of my time. This yielded quite a surprising improvement as well.

It always seems when I've reached the ceiling of what my system can attain, I've discovered another floor to climb before reaching the summit. As John Wick's tattoo says, "Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat". Happy listening.

We are walking the same path. JCAT now Elfidelity. I am thinking of ordering the 107 card there. I have also my jcat furthest away from GPU, and planned to do the same as you did with the 107. Im not gonna bring Linus into this, because I dont think he has ears, so you know my question.

Like what you did with the SSD there, nice!

Elfidelity is not snake oil prices so I wonder if it honest company

___

If I have not bought a single elfidelity for my computer, what is the first you want to recommend?


EDIT: Hmmm actually thinking of connecting the 107 to the x16 port instead closer to the JCAT now...

 

[kingoftown1]

Haven't used the fan filters, but I have the pcie & sata filters in my audio pc, and the usb card in a general purpose computer. The pcie filter is such an easy recommendation, but it's all cheap enough on audiophonics that i'd recommend just getting everything you need for your setup.

 

[OCC7N]

Haven't used the fan filters, but I have the pcie & sata filters in my audio pc, and the usb card in a general purpose computer. The pcie filter is such an easy recommendation, but it's all cheap enough on audiophonics that i'd recommend just getting everything you need for your setup.

I ordered the 107, I have not yet any ideas for my future build because Im thinking of splitting the power delivery to the motherboard 24ATX pin and the CPU power/12pin

or maybe just pick this: https://fr.aliexpress.com/i/4000811321048.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2fra

 

[OCC7N]

While the card is on the way Im diving

Ordering two of these when I have funds

____

Because JCAT USB XE Does a good job Im thinking of trying this.

Purpose for this usb card is:

1. for connecting a usb thumb drive with SLC memory 512-2GB. Buying two of these. One for the audioplayer(portable/JCAT) and Files(Elfidelity AXF100)

2. Will use external psu for the card. I have great success with iFi Elite on the JCAT. Might buy one more....or the shanti maybe