Test WIIM pro+ with different power supplies

[Rudivanb]

Yes, I agree, great fun and not a ton of money, even better
I will be using an outboard DAC once I get a problem fixed on my temp system and certainly on our higher end system once I get it up and running but not ready to install it yet, still remodeling. For now testing the digital out only as that part of my system is working fine(Martin Logan Vision X soundbar, dang fine unit, listed for around $1700, bought it used for $225) I picked the Pro Plus though going to use an outboard DAC (Topping E70 Velvet) I wanted to take a listen to it with the analog outputs and I got it on sale for $175.

Same here, I am using the digital output only of the Wiim Pro, into Topping DX90 DAC / Headphone amp. Hopefully I will have the new LPS by the end of this week.

 

[RAAM]

Just a quick simple test so far and quite a noticeable change, everything seems just a bit crisper and cleaner, more detailed.
System, for now.
Pro Plus using their app on Android phone to control it.
Feeding optical to surprisingly good Martin Logan Vision X sound bar
Steely Dan Goucho from Qobuz, 24/192, 1st two tracks, Babylon Sisters and Hey Nineteen.
OEM PS and iFi iPowerx

I went back and forth twice each track and with the two PS units
I can hear a pretty significant difference so far as mentioned above, it is with the iFi PS though the OEM still sounds dang fine.

I will do a lot more testing with a lot more differing music but all very good tracks, some from my limited high end CD's but sold my main player Oppo 83SE as no longer fit in the space I have for a player so using a really decent Panasonic BD player.

I will try the batter bank next.

 

[Musician]

Just a quick simple test so far and quite a noticeable change, everything seems just a bit crisper and cleaner, more detailed.
System, for now.
Pro Plus using their app on Android phone to control it.
Feeding optical to surprisingly good Martin Logan Vision X sound bar
Steely Dan Goucho from Qobuz, 24/192, 1st two tracks, Babylon Sisters and Hey Nineteen.
OEM PS and iFi iPowerx

I went back and forth twice each track and with the two PS units
I can hear a pretty significant difference so far as mentioned above, it is with the iFi PS though the OEM still sounds dang fine.

I will do a lot more testing with a lot more differing music but all very good tracks, some from my limited high end CD's but sold my main player Oppo 83SE as no longer fit in the space I have for a player so using a really decent Panasonic BD player.

I will try the batter bank next.

Interesting ! Maybe Im gonna buy the ifi power X later, to see If its even better than the iPad charger and the lm317 board, - for my listening preferences.

 

[RAAM]

I wish I had my real system setup, which will be some time from now and take at least 3 if not 4 or 6 different speaker typologies to get the best results in our RV which I have done considerable work on to even have a decent system. Horns, OB, Bass Reflex, Single Driver......

Just having a sound bar hanging from an 8' ceiling right over my head is obviously far from optimal. I can still hear quite a few detail changes and I can step back incrementally as far as 40 ft and be in line of sight. The SB has a surprising amount of decent bass output, can live without a sub and though might end up with sub(s) they would be small and not dig too deep, we have neighbors not far from us. Once our main system is done we will still use the SB as background music, watching a decent video, etc, actually very nice on movies since the center is much better for vocals than a stereo system.

No just chilling and listening to some HD Bill Withers, we listen to many varieties of music, blues, jazz, limited rock, classical, R&B, funk.....

Then I went outside in 37 degree weather and finished the custom ducting for the evap cooler into the AC ceiling vents, added fire stops to the framing and cut and fit the 2" R13 Insulation boards, just finished at 5:10, to dark to see any longer.

 

[Musician]

Regarding the ifi power supplies, measurement is few on the internet but I found a very interesting review with real measurements here :

Power Supply (8+) Group Test, LPS and SMPS

Original from here: Part 1 Part 2 I asked the author for the permission to translate into English, so here we are. Beware that most of the translation was done by google, I didn’t fix the grammar (which I wasn’t that good neither), I just amend it so some totally meaningless phases now become rea...

audiophilestyle.com

The original ifi power supply seems to be really good .

 

[Vangelo51]

I have always used external power supplies as it was proved to me long ago they made a difference.
I have several in my armoury, including HDPlex multi output LPS, Cheap Chinese ORDO fixed voltage LPS, Temple Audio Supercharger (Capacitor), Ifi iPower (SMPS) & various and various PowerBanks.

More recently, though, after following YouTube tests which were all very favourable, I have been using this from AliExpress:


This is a Chinese SMPS Bench Power Supply, very stable, low noise & ripple. The voltage can be set & locked up to 32V.
I use a pair of these for my Analogue setup, one to control the motor, and the other for my Puffin digital phono stage. This unit punches way above its weight at a ridiculous price compared to LPS supplies, and is worth considering.

 

[Achim1811]

I have always used external power supplies as it was proved to me long ago they made a difference.
I have several in my armoury, including HDPlex multi output LPS, Cheap Chinese ORDO fixed voltage LPS, Temple Audio Supercharger (Capacitor), Ifi iPower (SMPS) & various and various PowerBanks.

More recently, though, after following YouTube tests which were all very favourable, I have been using this from AliExpress:

View attachment 4013
This is a Chinese SMPS Bench Power Supply, very stable, low noise & ripple. The voltage can be set & locked up to 32V.
I use a pair of these for my Analogue setup, one to control the motor, and the other for my Puffin digital phono stage. This unit punches way above its weight at a ridiculous price compared to LPS supplies, and is worth considering.
View attachment 4014

DTT-0?

 

[Vangelo51]

Sorry Achim....not understanding DTT-0

 

[Achim1811]

The tonearm, it looks like a Dereneville..

 

[Vangelo51]

No, its Trans-fi Terminator air bearing...........

 

[Achim1811]

No, its Trans-fi Terminator air bearing...........

Never heard it....looks great anyway

 

[Doublej]

Has anyone tried a using a GaN charger and if so did they notice any sonic difference?

 

[RAAM]

Great post, that Gophert PS looks great and I need a bench supply so just have to get one

The iFi does seem to be excellent so far and for my with very limited space might be my go to PS for the WiiM but I hope to really like the Apple one as so cheap on Ebay it would be great to recommend it. The iFi seems a bit to good in one way due to the very poor layout I have to run, the OEM one is a bit easier to listen to siting right below the sound bar on the ceiling as not quite so not sure the term I should us, not sharp in a bad way, just really present, less laid back. Once I get the issue fixed with the SB and can use the E70 Velvet that might help a bit, I love the AKM sound though this one is supposed to be like a cross between a good AKM and ESS.

My desk is at the rear wall, in front of a big window, audio gear will be on it and under it, behind it a bit as well and the main speakers beside it when I get it all setup. I spend quite a bit of time at my desk so I am likely going to have a three system in one configuration. Sound bar for general music, quite good for movies as well, Main system for when we want to really get into the music, have a little two person and one doggy party and dance, my wife is an exceptional dancer and very fit for about to turn 60. I might have to setup some small near field monitors on my desk we can both enjoy but maybe with the E70 V the sound bar will do just fine and I have used it that way for a few years.

The main speakers are being readied to be built, XRK on DIYaudio design, XSD model OB with eight 6.5 bass drivers in a SLOB configuration though mine will have eight 8's per side instead of 6.5 in hopes of not needing a subwoofer. I have Egarhorn Slimlines full custom mods and others to build and test in planning stages. The RV pic is not quite there yet in the remodel though the back wall has been moved and completely rebuilt to add 18" more room.

With today's great gear values, compact sizes, etc I can setup something pretty cool whichever way it turns out and of course as much DIY as makes sense.

 

[Musician]

Has anyone tried a using a GaN charger and if so did they notice any sonic difference?

Very good question - Its new technology and has the pontential to be great I suppose. But maybe most maufacturers use this right now only to make things smaller and maybe cheaper ?
I havent seen any reviews with really low noise and low ripple power supplies using GaN technology . Please post If you know some.

 

[Brantome]

Try a group search - GaN has been mentioned before

 

[onlyoneme]

I havent seen any reviews with really low noise and low ripple power supplies using GaN technology .

Because GaN chargers are very similar to non-GaN ones in terms of ripple and noise. The one I have from Anker doesn't stand out in any way, except higher switching frequency.

 

[RAAM]

At what point does a higher switching frequency become less of an issue with our audio gear?
I want to install high CRI LED lighting in our RV and want to use PMW dimmers and from what I have found so far the higher the frequency the better for our health but also I am concerned about creating noise on the line feeding back to the power panel.

 

[Rudivanb]

The Audiophonics 5V linear power supply (LPS) has arrived. Could not wait to hear what is would bring, using the digital output of the Wiim Pro into the DAC/HPA (headphone amp).
Note that I have been very happy with the Wiim Pro, but out of curiosity wanted to experiment if and how I could get even more quality out of it.

In chronological order:
1. Prepared to listen to a two non-familiar tracks in the set up as is, with the standard power supply. One track from a string quartet and one from Lost Frequencies with James Arthur.
2. Connected the USB cable to the back of the LPS and to the Wiim. Ahhhh.... distorted crackled noise coming out of my headphones.
3. Connected the USB cable to the front port of the LPS, what a relieve, no distortion anymore.
3. Listening with the new LPS to the same tracks made me wonder if I was happy with the result. I heard more details, micro dynamics, lifted veil, sounds started and stopped faster, sounds came sometimes more out of nowhere and tapping along with my feet and more grip on deep bass notes in the track of 'Lost Frequencies'.
BUT, string instruments sounded more raw and this was not how I remembered the Borusan Quartet sounding live.
4. Back to the original standard power supply confirmed my previous findings, listened to some other unfamiliar tracks as well. Sounds were a bit rounded compared to the LPS, more polished, too much so, somewhat less details, less interesting.
5. Back to the the new LPS, same results as in 3 but still that unwanted rawness.
6. Finally I realized that I was not using the same socket of the power strip for this comparison, for the LPS I used a socket I have not used before. I plugged the power cable of the new LPS into the socket I have been using for the original PSU and voilà, I heard all the improvements as mentioned in 3, except for the added rawness. Can you imagine how relieved I am?

Do I want to go back to the standard PSU? I don't think so, will go back to the original PSU to do the same comparison tomorrow with two other unfamiliar tracks, however I think I already know the result .

Yes, I am very biased, I don't do double blind tests because I don't believe in it, I am very much not objective, especially when listening to music, I like the emotions it brings me. I am sure it are the exact same digital bits coming out of the Wiim in both set-ups, yet I hear differences. Your miles may vary, that is fine.

 

[onlyoneme]

So you've chosen to believe that you hear differences. Fine as well.

 

[rccarguy]

The Audiophonics 5V linear power supply (LPS) has arrived. Could not wait to hear what is would bring, using the digital output of the Wiim Pro into the DAC/HPA (headphone amp).
Note that I have been very happy with the Wiim Pro, but out of curiosity wanted to experiment if and how I could get even more quality out of it.

In chronological order:
1. Prepared to listen to a two non-familiar tracks in the set up as is, with the standard power supply. One track from a string quartet and one from Lost Frequencies with James Arthur.
2. Connected the USB cable to the back of the LPS and to the Wiim. Ahhhh.... distorted crackled noise coming out of my headphones.
3. Connected the USB cable to the front port of the LPS, what a relieve, no distortion anymore.
3. Listening with the new LPS to the same tracks made me wonder if I was happy with the result. I heard more details, micro dynamics, lifted veil, sounds started and stopped faster, sounds came sometimes more out of nowhere and tapping along with my feet and more grip on deep bass notes in the track of 'Lost Frequencies'.
BUT, string instruments sounded more raw and this was not how I remembered the Borusan Quartet sounding live.
4. Back to the original standard power supply confirmed my previous findings, listened to some other unfamiliar tracks as well. Sounds were a bit rounded compared to the LPS, more polished, too much so, somewhat less details, less interesting.
5. Back to the the new LPS, same results as in 3 but still that unwanted rawness.
6. Finally I realized that I was not using the same socket of the power strip for this comparison, for the LPS I used a socket I have not used before. I plugged the power cable of the new LPS into the socket I have been using for the original PSU and voilà, I heard all the improvements as mentioned in 3, except for the added rawness. Can you imagine how relieved I am?

Do I want to go back to the standard PSU? I don't think so, will go back to the original PSU to do the same comparison tomorrow with two other unfamiliar tracks, however I think I already know the result .

Yes, I am very biased, I don't do double blind tests because I don't believe in it, I am very much not objective, especially when listening to music, I like the emotions it brings me. I am sure it are the exact same digital bits coming out of the Wiim in both set-ups, yet I hear differences. Your miles may vary, that is fine.

I don't think there will be any difference when using digital out. Granted it's not like PC SATA with 100% accuracy with error checking, as jitter can exist on coaxial/optical etc

I could see differences in when using analogue section of the pro plus. Compared good quality smps and linear PSU.

Problem is usb chargers vary in quality that's why disappointed pro plus and topping dac relies on smps.


Maybe getting topping PSU probably worthwhile, if it can power pro plus and e50...