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So to make it short, I recently bought a filtered power strip from a guy nearby. It was cheap - but obviously Chinese- and I only bought it to see how my sensitive active crossover would react to it. Long story short, plugging in the crossover alone didn't change much; plugging in the DAC was much more audible - and beneficial; and today just for a laugh I plugged in my high-pass amplifier (modded TRENDS) in and to my surprise it reacted extremely positively to a filtered supply. That puzzles me because it uses an external (quality) SMPS PSU and I thought because of how an SMPS PSU works it wouldn't change a thing. Well... everything is now cleaner, wider, more focused... so what is happening?
I see three possibilities:1) I was just wrong to assume an SMPS supply cannot benefit from cleaner power;
2) now the rest of the equipment is PROTECTED from that SMPS supply and that's what I hear;
3) a little bit of bothAll in all I'm satisfied as it sounds now better but it really wasn't expected (especially considering the total absence of pedigree of that BAILIYN filtered strip); only downside is the midrange is a little bit drier and colder? But that may just be the way clean power sounds - less haze and less distortion creating a slightly colder sound.
As my system is very high sensitivity I use very low power amps; most likely the reason why I don't hear a loss of dynamics - quite the opposite in fact.
Edits: 12/08/19Follow Ups:
Was all that gear previously plugged into a single power strip?
Without going into all the tech stuff, which rarely goes over well, it could be that it isn't the filtering as much as plugging it all into a single node (in the Kirchhoff sense). That can tend to reduce overlapping current loops for common mode signals.
There's some discussion of that in the attached link. Otherwise, you might like search for papers by Bill Whitlock of Jensen Transformer fame on ye olde intrenet.
Well, all the audio stuff was plugged into the same audiophile power strip (no brand, handmade in Germany, nice stuff, unfiltered) except the low-pass class D amp which is on a different power strip together with TV and DVD player; and the two active subs are plugged straight into the wall.The newly added filtered power strip is plugged into the first power strip.
So now I have preamp and CD drive into the unfiltered power strip; and high-pass Trends amp, x-over and DAC in the filtered one.
I should add that the filtered power strip came with US receptacles; I live in Europe; I received a bunch of US IEC power cables with the strip and the only devices I'm able to plug are the ones with detachable IEC cords.
I could experiment with US-EU adapters but I fear that would somewhat be counter-productive.
Edits: 12/12/19
Thanks for posting the link in the forum, CG. The writer is an excellent source of information I've enjoyed over the years.
But, as you can see, tech stuff rarely goes over well...
I don't really see it that way, CG. Some AA Inmates are experienced if not expert about electronics, so it's easy to be on the same page when discussing topics. Others are neophytes if not newbies, and talking down to them or expecting them to respond in a way that they may not be able to do often comes across as arrogant, and does little to inform someone in a way they might better understand about an often relatively complicated issue. Not saying that's the way you come across, CG. Just saying that this forum is for experts, neophytes, and newbies alike, and every level of understanding should be respectful towards the others. The only time anybody has a real cause to challenge others in an overt manner is when someone comes across as the utmost authority about electronics and audio in particular, and the proverbial naysayer who would rather put-down ideas and others they disagree with.
From experience (with other peoples gear), it's not that your Trends is benefiting, but the filter is helping to clean the noise that your amp's power supply is spewing down your power line. All switching power supplies and Class D amps send high frequency noise down the line that most power supplies can't filter out.
Fact of life in the digital age.
Dan Santoni
It does make sense although I wouldn't be surprised if there is some actual improvement on the amp side as well, as I remember I could hear a different sound when I used a different power cord to connect the switching psu to the mains, which also came as a surprise.
Filtering ac noise can or will benefit any system. Is your SMPS optimized for audio? Some ac conditioning products can degrade the sound so your lucky although I't a bit odd to me that it makes the sound colder.
"The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." George Orwell-1984
The switching PSU is not the one originally delivered with the Trends, it's a MeanWell branded, apparently one of their best - supposedly less noisy than a cheaper one; I bought the Trends already modded and the upgraded PSU was part of the package so I never compared with the original smps. I tried a linear PSU (but not made for audio) with it and to my surprise the MeanWell smps sounds much better with a clearer, less grainy sound (with seems counter-intuitive).
Can you provide a link to the product, KanedaK?
Hey I finally found a link to an Ebay sale :)
All one can tell about the device is that the enclosure is very nice, but without looking inside, any insight about the product is unattainable.
Well yes. Maybe some day I will open it to have a peek inside. Right now I'm just enjoying it's unexpected benefits :-)
Well it's really irritating: prior to buying it I googled the model and found some links for AliExpress and Ebay sales; and now I'm trying to search for a link and I can't find ANYTHING. Internet mystery.
All I know is it costs around 100$ new, sometimes less, so it's well in the Chinese tradition ;-) it's a 4 outlets strip in a big rectangular aluminum casing and some gibberish English serigraphy, in typical Chinese style.
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