AudioCircle
Audio/Video Gear and Systems => Critic's Circle (Equipment Reviews) => Source Component Reviews => Topic started by: Dracule1 on 30 Jul 2011, 10:12 am
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I have not written any reviews in a long time because nothing really has excited me to this extent in awhile. This device improves the sound as much as any source component change I have made in recent memory. Hence, my review under source component category. I have spent the last several years building dedicated audio room with all new components and room treatments at significant financial cost. When something so affordable comes along that can make this kind of improvement, I feel obligated to pass my experience to you.
AQVOX power supply hooks into the USB port on your DAC. You can go to their website and see the details:
http://www.aqvox.de/usb-power_en.html
How does it sound? I hooked it up to my dB Audio Labs Tranquility SE DAC, and the improvement was immediate. No guessing involved here. It actually took me by surprise because I was expecting incremental improvement at most. This thing just opened up the sound. Vocals and instruments gained more body and weight with increased midrange detail and cleaner highs. The background became eerie black. The small amount of upper midrange/lower treble grunge that was in my system was banished. Micro- and macro-dynamics slightly improved. However, the bass impact and extension did not improve significantly in my rig. What it did to sound stage and imaging was remarkable. The sound stage moved up closer to the listener. The sonic images became more full or larger, but somewhat paradoxically the air around the instruments and vocals was increased resulting in better separation. The overall effect was music became more intimate. The most notable and most important improvement for me was the naturalness of vocals and instruments when this device was in play. Everything sounded less electronic, and I was able to relax and enjoy the music more. Considering its price, it qualifies as one of the most, if not the most, significant upgrade I have made.
I'm not sure if AQVOX will make a significant improvement in your system. It may depend on the resolution of your system and the pollution in your digital rig. Given most audiophiles spend more on cables and tweaks that result in dubious improvement, you owe it to yourself to try this. It comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. The only draw back is it ships from Germany, and shipping can take several weeks as it did in my case.
I have no financial interest or other conflicting affiliation with this company. I'm just a very satisfied customer.
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An interesting product.
Does it take the place of the ac cord, or is it used in conjunction with it?
I have the std Tranquility dac.
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I also have the std tranquility and have a power supply on order.
My understanding is that it supplies power to the USB receiver chip (replacing the supply from the computer) so works together with the ac supply.
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thx!
i'll definitely try this too.
my mini+Tranquility set up is nice, but it would be great if the musicians were more spread out.
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It does not take place of the AC cord of your DAC. When AQVOX is in line, the musicians will be more "spread out" in a sense there will be more air around them...more holographic. You can hear the boundries of the soundstage better, so the soundstage seems to grow in all directions. I was having trouble with singers' voices imaging just above the top of the speaker in some recordings (speakers are about 44 inches in height). Now the voices are consistently realistic in height, about 5 to 6 feet above the floor. I have a very high resolution system, but have been dissatisfied of what my system was able to achieve sonically. The AQVOX was the final touch that got my system to a level that I knew it was capable of.
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Looks like a great product. Thanks for the heads up!
Also have a Tranquility SE DAC and will probably try this out.
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Mighty interesting. Always like a 30 day trial. What do the shipping costs look like to the US?
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It was 118 Euro total (power supply, AC converter, paypal fee, and shipping to US). At current exchange rate, it is ~$170.
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I just placed an order. $119 euro
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It looks quite interesting. I'm going to try another route to the same place, but will report back if I am gonna try this too.
I have Revelation Audio sending me one of their DualConduit USB cables, which separates the power cabling from the signal cabling at the source end (i.e 2 connectors at one end, one at DAC end) This allows a couple things: better isolation of power from signal than most cabling (which uses internal shielding), and the option to use non-computer power sources at the source end (USB wallwart? USB powered hub?, dunno what is best).
My main question to both of these approaches (AQVOX and dualconduit cabling) is this: what do most AC-powered USB DACs use the bus power for anyway?? Is the Tranquility DAC somehow bus powered for some of its capabilities? I have the same question in to Antelope about my Antelope Gold USB DAC. I understand self-powered DACs like HRT streamers, etc would use USB bus power exclusively, but assumed most AC-powered DACs , like my former DAC, the AC-powered firewire Weiss DAC2, don't need bus power at all. (I.e would Dracule1's same effect be observed if the power lines were cut and/or removed on a standard USB cable of choice? ) Anybody?
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Teb_b, my USB cable is a dual cable also (cable for vbus and cable for data connect together at the DAC end), Ridge Street Audio Enopias. It is a definite improvement over the Tranquility USD cable. However, the AQVOX provided a more significant improvement in sound in my system.
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Draggle, where then do you connect the AQVOX if using the RSA dual conduit USB cable? At the source end, in the power "A" connector, or at the DAC end? If at the DAC end isn't the dual conduit design somewhat wasted (ie u don't even have anything transmitted through the power half of the dual cabling)? Thx
Ted
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The usb connector from the AQVOX goes into the DAC and the single end of the RSA usb cable connects on top of that. The other two ends of the RSA cable connects to two USB ports on the Mac Mini.
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The usb connector from the AQVOX goes into the DAC and the single end of the RSA usb cable connects on top of that. The other two ends of the RSA cable connects to two USB ports on the Mac Mini.
My question is why? If you are delivering power to the DAC via the AQVOX why are you even bothering to connect/add power at the source/computer end (being that you have that luxury with dual connections)?
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Would it be correct to think that a usb cable, custom made so it had no ac current running through it - just the signal wires, would be best when using the aqvx psu?
(pretty sure that is what the question is about)
RAL makes the best interconnects & power cords i've ever owned, no doubt their usb cable is excellent though i haven't tried it. My Tranquility dac likes the db audio Essential Signature cable.
the aqvx psu s/b here in a week or so. :thumb:
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Would it be correct to think that a usb cable, custom made so it had no ac current running through it - just the signal wires, would be best when using the aqvx psu?
(pretty sure that is what the question is about)
RAL makes the best interconnects & power cords i've ever owned, no doubt their usb cable is excellent though i haven't tried it. My Tranquility dac likes the db audio Essential Signature cable.
the aqvx psu s/b here in a week or so. :thumb:
Problem is that the AQVOX (or any other 3rd party power source) would need the wires/connectors to attach to, so the USB cable would need to NOT have the power wires stripped out, but instead "simply" missing at the source end.
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I've read posts where guys clipped the power wires on the source end & left everything in place.
i'm not about to clip my usb good cable, but have a few freebie cables lying around to play with.
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Ah I see what you're getting at. The RSA usb cable was not designed with AQVOX in mind. It was designed to separate the data and vbus. I suppose I can just connect the data wire and not connect the vbus wire to the Mac mini. I'll ask RSA if this would be ok. Don't want to damage anything. A little knowledge can be dangerous.
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Any one of you who ordered the AQVOX receive the unit yet? How does it sound in your system?
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Still waiting, patiently :lol:
As of today i'm 21 days into the order.
Funny thing is I haven't listened to the Tranquility much the last few weeks. On a whim I bought a TRL modd'd sacd changer & have been enthralled with its performace, especially in comparison to the stock Tranquility.
I do hope the AQVOX psu will improve the Tranquility. If it allows the Tranquility to throw as wide & deep a stage as this TRL changer, i'll owe Dracule1 big time.
matt
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3 weeks already? :o You should have it in no time then.
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I've been enthralled with the dual conduit Revelation Audio Labs USB cable. The power leg only needs to be connected to my Mac Mini during handshake, then once the Antelope Gold driver is seen the power leg can be pulled (for listening). It has been in that state (no power, just signal leg connected) for about a week now. The noise floor is soooo low that microdetails, ambient cues, harmonics, etc are fabulous. I'm very exceited by this potential. Net/net, no need to worry about USB power quality when you don't need USB power.
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So if I'm reading this all correct, the Aqvox doesn't pass the audio signal. So it doesn't matter what resolution the source material is. Correct?
This device seems very similar to Arts product. His is limited to 24/96 though.
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=96664.0
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You are correct. AQVOX doesn't limit resolution.
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Matt, do you have the base Tranquility or the SE? I would try to upgrade to the SE if I had the base unit. There is suppose to be a significant difference.
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Its the base model Tranquility. No funds avail to jump to the SE, and my next dac will have more than 1 input. It would be great if db audio labs built a multi-input SE level dac.
The Tranquility is my 1st dac. Didn't think i'd enjoy it so much and now want tv, ps3 & sacd player to run through one. Seems like I entered into dac's at a great time in terms of the # of good dacs out, especially for a vinyl guy.
The aqvox psu should be a good fit with most any dac i choose down the road.
on a side note, mail service where i live is spotty. i'm not sure which carrier they use, but if there's a delay in my delivery...it may not mean others will have to wait as long. When aqvx confirmed the order they said 18-22 days on avg.
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It should come by USPS. I think Eric Hider is working on a DAC that will accept SPDIF and USB. To clearly better the Tranquility SE, I think you will have to spend over $4000. May be you can sell your base Tranquility and buy an SE. I think Eric may have a used SE for good price. The other thing that will really open up the sound of the Tranquility is to get Dodd Audio Tube buffer If you know how to solder, you can buy the kit for about $500. There's synergy with the Dodd buffer that I don't get with my Bent Audio Tap X passive pre.
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I've been enthralled with the dual conduit Revelation Audio Labs USB cable.
Price? I don't see the dual conduit version on their website. How'd you hear of it?
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Price? I don't see the dual conduit version on their website. How'd you hear of it?
It's msrp is around $550. You can find one or two on Audiogon.
I first heard of it through here on AC when a member was selling his cable. I then contacted Brad at Revelation Audio Labs and he worked out a loaner for me. PM me and I'll fwd some info, etc or just google (I don't want to hijack this thread any more than I have).
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Pretty sure its on their website, I saw it the other night under their Digital Cable link (i think), at the bottom.
My psu has arrived at the post office, i won't be able to pick it up until tomorrow. Total travel time was 21 days.
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You're in for a treat...AQVOX+Tranquility=Mui excellante, but AQVOX+Dodd Tube Buffer with 6H30DR+Tranquility=Da Bomb!
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It'll be a few more days i guess, the psu hasn't arrived. green glue & the xtz room analyzer did show up though.
i'm shooting aqvx an e-mail.
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It showed up 8/25. I haven't plugged it in yet, but should have time later today.
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This is $ well spent :lol: Just awesome. My Tranquility found the beast within.
Seems like the volume goes up a bit, but probably just more info coming through the speakers. Very enjoyable. Similar result as any power supply upgrade i've experienced, an across the spectrum improvement in detail, dynamics, clarity, widened stage, etc. Improving the source has profound, trickle down effects.
An easy recommendation to anyone w/a usb dac, and thanks again to Dracule1 :singing:
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Getting closer to the TRL? (which you praise so much I begin to regret selling it to you....) would love to hear how the two now compare.
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I haven't compared the 2, but yes, much closer. I'm amazed at the improvement.
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I guess I don't understand. :scratch: If the Tranquility DAC is not USB bus powered, then what is the AQVOX doing to elicit this praise? Non bus powered DACS simply look for the 5V to begin the handshake (at least that's my understanding) so I'm not sure what the effects are. For those DACs powered by the 5V USB bus, then sure, a better ps like the AQVOX is obvious. But the Tranquility has its own 120V power supply, and the AQVOX isn't addressing that end.
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I think all it does is replace the power source that the computer normally provides to the dac. In other words, my dac has always needed 2 sources of electricity: from the wall & from the computer.
this psu provides power in a much better way than my computer did. much, much better. This is really something else!!
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I think all it does is replace the power source that the computer normally provides to the dac. In other words, my dac has always needed 2 sources of electricity: from the wall & from the computer.
this psu provides power in a much better way than my computer did. much, much better. This is really something else!!
Power for what? Your DAC is not bus powered. All it uses the 5V computer-provided power for is to sense a computer for the handshake.
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I know zilch about the technical aspect! sorry i can't be of more help. This psu, and the one that Art makes, powers a chip inside (receiver chip maybe?). this psu is not just for dac's that get all their power from the usb cable.
the good clean power results in better dac performance is all i know.
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I believe the idea is of noisy power transferring from the computer into the DAC via the power line in the USB cable. The AQVOX is supposed to fix that and use it's own linear power. I believe that's the idea. Could also be a power issue for the receiver in the DAC.
Maybe even if the DAC doesn't power itself through the USB, the noisy power line could still be passed through into the receiver in the DAC and cause some issues there.
Not too sure of all the technical stuff myself, just is how I interpreted it.
I have ordered one and will hear what it has to offer.
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Maybe even if the DAC doesn't power itself through the USB, the noisy power line could still be passed through into the receiver in the DAC and cause some issues there.
And my point is: if the DAC is powered elsewhere and doesn't need USB bus power, then wouldn't NO power be the best option, not just cleaner power. I have determined, at least for DACs like my Antelope Gold, that the 5V is used to sense a connection, then not used (i.e I have a dual conduit cable that allows me to unplug the power after handshake...silence is golden). So......I'm wondering why cleaner power from the AQVOX is making things so much better...if no power is needed in the first place. Why not just cut or cover the power connections.
For USB-bus powered DACs (HRT streamer, etc) this does not apply. The AQVOX is clearly an upgrade to computer power in that instance.
I think I will ping Eric and find out what the Tranquility does with the 5V.
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Ah yes. I see your point.
Cleaner power could be an improvement, but no power would be ideal (if possible).
I sent Eric a message and I'll see what he says about how the DAC handles the USB power.
I am also interested to see the results on external hard drives etc.
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Gooberdude, you're welcome :thumb:. You've corroborating my findings. I'm glad I wasn't just hallucinating.
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I asked Eric about whether AQVOX would improve the Tranquility before I ordered it. He said that although Tranquility is not USB powered, it still has to "see" the 5 volts from the USB. He said it couldn't hurt to try it out. So I did and was surprised at the result. I think what Highfilter said makes sense in this case.
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I have the dual conduit Audio Revelation USB cord on the way (hope it arrives today) to try with my Tranquility SE. I will try the hook-up as Ted has with his Zodiac Gold (i.e., try unplugging the pwr leg after the computer handshake with the DAC) and see what happens.
I am really interested in the AQVOX, but got a chance to grab the used AR dual conduit cable and decided to try that first.
Randy
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I'm considering buying a new usb cable to work in conjunction with the aqvox psu, makes perfect sense to me now.
A/B'ing my Tranquility with or without the psu makes a huge audible difference.
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I have the Locus Axis and the Wywires USB cables in house, so comparing the new Audio Revelation dual conduit will hopefully be fun.
If the dual conduit cable doesn't make a difference (or won't work with the pwr leg detached), I will be seriously considering the AQVOX!
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Not to hijack (again) but give the dual conduit a few days to settle in. Big diff.
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Ted_B -- I'm sure you said this elsewhere, so at the risk of redundancy and in total service to my laziness, what dual-leg cable are you using?
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I've been enthralled with the dual conduit Revelation Audio Labs USB cable. The power leg only needs to be connected to my Mac Mini during handshake, then once the Antelope Gold driver is seen the power leg can be pulled (for listening). It has been in that state (no power, just signal leg connected) for about a week now. The noise floor is soooo low that microdetails, ambient cues, harmonics, etc are fabulous. I'm very exceited by this potential. Net/net, no need to worry about USB power quality when you don't need USB power.
here ya go Scot :)
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Revelation?
Did you get a chance to try/compare with the Acoustic Revive USB-SP? Or did someone do that?
Thanks (and sorry for the diversion).
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Revelation?
Did you get a chance to try/compare with the Acoustic Revive USB-SP? Or did someone do that?
Thanks (and sorry for the diversion).
No, I haven't found the USB-1.0SP (AR lost their US distrib for awhile) and it's 3x more $$ too. Same idea, though...that's what intrigued me by Brad's design. I know his cables from Modwright (Dan uses his power umbilicals from mod/line stage to power supply) days.
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Just got this response from Eric via the USB power on the Tranquility:
HI Clayton,
The Tranquility and the Tranquility SE are designed for USB connectivity with the computer where the power in the USB cable is needed. That said, we have been working on an innovative method to address this "need for voltage" in a positive way sonically that has a different connection scheme. That's about all I can say for the next month (when we are closer to the RMAF show) where we will have new products available of many types (hint, hint ;-)
Sorry I can't give you exact details at this time. The good news is that we've found quite a few significant sonic improvements and those will be brought to market for all Tranquility owners.
Cheers,
Eric Hider
dB Audio Labs
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Ted,
I believe the answer to your question about why the aqvox works so well is that the power line from he computer is properly terminated so as to reduce power linenoise from contaminating the signal lines., and my guess is that thee termination is close to the computer side of the cable, so only the clean DC fromthe AQ Vox supply is in proximiity to the signal lines. Otherwis, you're completely correct, just removing the 5v supply once the receiver chip has been "booted", then the Tranquility doesn't need it anymore than the Zodiac.
-- Jim
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After my positive experience, I told Eric Hider and he has ordered the AQVOX as well. We'll see how he likes it.
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I have the Locus Axis and the Wywires USB cables in house, so comparing the new Audio Revelation dual conduit will hopefully be fun.
If the dual conduit cable doesn't make a difference (or won't work with the pwr leg detached), I will be seriously considering the AQVOX!
Audioclyde,
Make sure you check with Eric before pulling the power leg. I'm not sure how the Tranquility uses the USB receiver, and we don't want the receiver ground altered if it is looking for ground, etc.
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Thanks Ted; will do so. The cable hasn't arrived yet (after 1 week), and I purchased from someone in Florida--I've now seen some of the 'old' threads on the web re delivery times, so I'm wondering.....
On another note, and at the risk of further highjacking this thread, do you know if the Stello U3 will allow PM to run in integer mode (assuming the attached DAC can do so)?
Randy
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My U3 should arrive Fri or so...I'll let u know...I'm hoping too!
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Audioclyde,
Make sure you check with Eric before pulling the power leg. I'm not sure how the Tranquility uses the USB receiver, and we don't want the receiver ground altered if it is looking for ground, etc.
Yes, I would be VERY careful doing this sort of thing with just any USB device. I made a little USB junction box with switches and such for routing power sources and grounds to the device in a controlled way. Even then, proceed with caution based on what the device supplier says.
The AQVox looks like a very nice solution if your device needs the +5v full time (i.e. fully bus powered) and you don't already have a good clean +5v external power supply available. The USB/power adapter looks to be a little bit fragile where the power cord attaches, but it's hard to tell from the small pictures. Is it just the 3 connectors heat shrinked together or is there some sort of cover or shell on it?
From reading their site I couldn't find if they offer just the adapter itself so you could try a Paul Hynes supply or something similar. That would be a nice option for some folks.
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I purchased the AQVOX in early August and it arrived about 10 days ago. I plugged it in and gave it a listen that night, but did not hear any discernable difference in sound quality. If anything, it sounded a bit less detailed than I was used to and the imaging was fuzzy lacked solidity.
We were busy for the next several days so I left the AQVOX and the DAC powered on to see if it just needed some time break in time.
When I sat down to listen to it again last night, I was stunned by the improvement in sound quality. I experienced what other listeners have discussed in earlier posts. I am running a BAT-VK55SE amplifier, an ARC LS26 Preamp, A Tranquility DAC SE, a mac mini/Pure Music digital source, Magnepan 1.7's and a mix of relatively high end interconnects, speaker and power cables, so I had been pleased with the sound quality that I was getting. But with the AQVOX another layer of detail emerged -- not small subtle details but a significant change in the character of the music. In addition, the imaging was much sharper -- instruments and voices stood out in stark, dimensional relief from the background sounds. The bass also had increased definition and punch. All of this emerged from backdrop that was noticeably quieter than it had been before.
I have no idea how or why the AQVOX works, but there was a clear difference in the sound quality when using it. I recently upgraded to Audioquest Sky Cables from some entry level Transparent Audio cables. The difference when using the AQVOX was similar to the improvement from the cable change, but even a bit more dramatic.
I would highly recommend that anyone using a Tranquility give this tweak a try. It may have the same impact with other DACs as well -- I would be interested to hear comments from users of other DAC's who have used the AQVOX.
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We have three fans of the AQVOX so far :dance:. As I and others have said, the improvement in sound is better than any cable change I have ever experienced (and I have tried cables costing thousands). Anyone who doesn't want to spend peanuts (at least in audiophile money) for this is truly missing out. I am going to try it out on my $6000 reference tube DAC and see if there's significant improvement.
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On another note, and at the risk of further highjacking this thread, do you know if the Stello U3 will allow PM to run in integer mode (assuming the attached DAC can do so)?
Randy
My Stello U3 arrived, and yes it fully supports PM's nonmixable integer streams. It is an XMOS USB 2.0 device, and Rob was not surprised it was capable of integer support; he said all XMOS units were so far.
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Hopefully after a few weeks more people will try this out. Dave at PI Audio ordered one too.
It'll be interesting to see which dac's thrive on the psu, and which ones do as well (or better possibly) using only the 3 headed dual conduit type usb cables.
Just 1 guys opinion but i'd rather have just a funky usb cable, rather than a psu (2/difft transformers) and a nice usb cable. But i'll take what i got, happy as a pig in slop right now. :lol:
It would be slick if PM or other software had a function that turned off the current from the computer to the dac, after the handshake. This might simplify things.
I have to agree with Dracule1 on the effectiveness of the aqvox. I'm a tweaker & not ashamed of it. This gizmo elicits a big change in the presentation, imaging & bass. Tried the EVS enhancers or diy version? Its like that, but waaaaay better. And my unit did take a bit to break in, which was audible & fun. During the first few hrs it changed, but has been as it is for a few days.
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I've started an order for one also, waiting on their response back.
I suspect I'm going to end up canceling my order for the Revelation Audio dual conduit cable anyway, as it hasn't arrived from Florida after 10 days and my 'seller' has failed to respond to my emails. I starting to suspect that this is another one of the guy's 'girlfriend' accts on Agon--with a little research on the net you can find that this seems to have been his common practice over the past few years. I will give it thru the weekend and then likely have to start my first ever Paypal dispute. I paid with cc, so I don't know if I should get them involved before notifying Paypal or after.
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I've started an order for one also, waiting on their response back.
I suspect I'm going to end up canceling my order for the Revelation Audio dual conduit cable anyway, as it hasn't arrived from Florida after 10 days and my 'seller' has failed to respond to my emails. I starting to suspect that this is another one of the guy's 'girlfriend' accts on Agon--with a little research on the net you can find that this seems to have been his common practice over the past few years. I will give it thru the weekend and then likely have to start my first ever Paypal dispute. I paid with cc, so I don't know if I should get them involved before notifying Paypal or after.
I would notify PayPal asap when you know it was a scam. They've sorted out quite a few things for my friends when things went south in the past.
My AQVOX shipped a few days ago so I'll report back when it arrives too.
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I've started an order for one also, waiting on their response back.
I suspect I'm going to end up canceling my order for the Revelation Audio dual conduit cable anyway, as it hasn't arrived from Florida after 10 days and my 'seller' has failed to respond to my emails. I starting to suspect that this is another one of the guy's 'girlfriend' accts on Agon--with a little research on the net you can find that this seems to have been his common practice over the past few years. I will give it thru the weekend and then likely have to start my first ever Paypal dispute. I paid with cc, so I don't know if I should get them involved before notifying Paypal or after.
I'm really sorry to hear that. Brad has been in constant contact with me (email replies usually the same day) and today just responded to some questions I had.
"A design change has come to our attention, necessitated by the fact that our previous revision does not function with some certain equipment. So please do simply return the cable you have to the PO Box address, and please allow me to send you a new replacement cable with my most heartfelt apologies for the inconveniences this has caused."
So I will continue to eval the dual conduit cable (cuz it sounds very good when it works), but I would caution, as I did above (with the Tranquility) against pulling the power cable nonchalantly unless you know the DAC or USB receiver chip can handle it.
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OT a bit, but ted_b we will also be curious to hear how the U3 affects your Zodiac. Do you get the same improvements that Srajan reports?
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OT a bit, but ted_b we will also be curious to hear how the U3 affects your Zodiac. Do you get the same improvements that Srajan reports?
I will definitely report back (in a new thread) Srajan let the u3 run for 10 days before reporting; although I have the same break-in philosophy he does I'm not sure I have the patience. :)
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My AQVOX should arrive in a few more days; can't wait to give it a try.
On another note, my dual conduit USB cable arrived today, so I will be giving it a try tonight. Haven't heard back from Eric at dBAudio yet, so initially I will be leaving the pwr leg attached.
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Yes, leave the power leg attached cuz removing it breaks ground. If the Tranquility is needing ground (as many DACs do) then it will not work (or worse, be looking for ground from the 120v power supply). Not sure what the USB receiver would do in that case.
I'm having Brad redesign mine to include ground on the signal side so DACs that look for ground can have it unbroken should I want to pull the power (5V+). I also think some DACs look for 5V+ to do the handshake, but I could be wrong.
Also, Audioclyde give it a few days of settling in. I'm anxious to hear your feedback.
I'm beginning to think the best approach would be a single cable with everything but 5V+, then an AQVOX (if DAC needs it).
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Gents,
I am currently running a battery powered Alix into a base Tranquility DAC. With the Alix being battery powered do you believe I would still hear an improvement with the AQVOX?
I dont know if the 5V output of the Alix's USB is any cleaner running on battery than it would be powered from the grid.
Opinions?
Thanks,
Ed
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Please keep review threads on the topic of the item being reviewed. Thanks.
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I just ordered a unit, I will report back here once I have given it a spin.
Thanks,
Ed
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Got the AQVOX USB Low-Noise Linear Power Supply last night. Popped it in and ran some tunes throw it for a few hours while I did some work around the house. Source was a Mac Mini and DAC used is the Tranquility SE. USB cable is from WyWires.
Sat down later and listened to a few tracks. I'll have to listen some more tonight and compare it in on/off, but first impressions were really good. Definitely either some more weight or defined mid-bass, because when I was playing some Electronica stuff like Autechre, I was really feeling it. Synth stuff sounds very very good, more defined and seems to have more clarity without sounding clinical or edgy.
Also tried some classic rock and female vocal stuff, and vocals definitely sound like they have a layer of harshness or grit removed. There was a certain energy that was different about the music than previously (will define and confirm when I swap the AQVOX on/off). Also felt like there was less congestion on complex or fast musical passages.
Overall a great late night listening session. Was really feeling the music and it seemed to grab me more than usual. I'll remove the AQVOX tonight to make sure I'm not just impressed with my current setup in general.
Everything fit snug and seems to be well made for the price. I also have the AQVOX power plugged into my UberBUSS.
Thanks for the heads up on this product, guys!
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You're welcome. I've experienced everything you've described.
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That's what i experienced too.
You might wait a few days before A/B'ing it, to let it get broken in. For me it didn't require numerous days or any sort of effort, but seemed to get 'perfect' after 2 days & has stayed that way since.
Its a nice thing to get clarity & force injected at the same time, without negative side effects.
I'm tempted to buy a decent aftermarket schuko plug & diy a better power cord. In this application, should the power cable make a difference?
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Goober, do you mean a new power cord for the AQVOX?
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Yup :lol:
The power cord on the aqvox which connects the 2 difft transformer boxes. It uses a schuko (european) 2 prong male connector & standard iec female plug. I would've already tried an aftermarket/diy power cord if I had one of the euro male plugs. Furutech makes them, just not sure its worth the $.
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And gooberdude, any chance to A/B with TRL?
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yes indeed. The TRL is a great front end, and i'm definitely keeping it & spending $ to get it fully modded by TRL. Buying it has peaked my interest in buying cd's again too. The Tranquility holds its own now for sure, but the sacd has a much wider soundstage & is overall a music playing machine.
that said, i use the tranquility/mac mini 95% of the time. I'm addicted to Pandora & Netflix. the convenience of computer audio, when combined with a good dac, is tough to beat. the aqvox really helped in this regard.
Check out Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra. 'Bongo Fury' is much better with the aqvox.
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Well that didn't take long. I did a comparison with and without the AQVOX and noticed within the first 10 seconds that the energy was gone when it was removed. Vocals didn't reach out and micro details didn't emerge like they did before. Also had a wider / more open soundstage with the AQVOX.
Damn this is sounding good. I agree that the change is indeed much larger than certain cable differences.
Making a great source / DAC even better for about $200. Wonderful!
Back to listening.
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So how long has it taken to go from order to (USA) delivery? Is there anyone in the US willing to put this thing on tour within the AC community? :) It shouldn't require a very long stay at any one system to determine its worth (it either lowers noise floor or it doesn't).
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So how long has it taken to go from order to (USA) delivery? Is there anyone in the US willing to put this thing on tour within the AC community? :) It shouldn't require a very long stay at any one system to determine its worth (it either lowers noise floor or it doesn't).
Mine took 11 business days to get to Canada (They shipped it within 2 days of placing my order). Should arrive within 2 weeks I would think.
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It took about 18 business days to get it from germany.
I can't part with mine long enough for a tour, but i'll invite anyone in the St Louis area to bring over their usb dac to try it with, or to hear the Tranquility/aqvox in my system.
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ted_b, this is so cheap by audiophiles standards...why have a tour? If you own the Tranquility, it's a no brainer - I'm not sure about other DACs. Everyone who has ordered this with the Tranquility has heard obvious improvement, more than any cable upgrade and for a lot less than most cable upgrades. I waited about 2 1/2 weeks, but the wait was obviously worth it.
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ted_b, this is so cheap by audiophiles standards...why have a tour? If you own the Tranquility, it's a no brainer - I'm not sure about other DACs. Everyone who has ordered this with the Tranquility has heard obvious improvement, more than any cable upgrade and for a lot less than most cable upgrades. I waited about 2 1/2 weeks, but the wait was obviously worth it.
I have an Antelope Gold DAC, and have been using a dual conduit cable. I've mentioned that several times and hoped the thread wouldn't get hijacked.
I simply wanted to throw out the tour idea cuz it seems this thing needs no real break in or settling in; you know it's impact on a system fairly quickly, so a tour would move along quickly. Anyway, yes, I realize I can buy it with a 30 day return (hopefully doesn't include the 22 days it takes to get here), and may go ahead and do that. Of the 15 DACs and other things I've demoed in the past 2 yrs I'm certainly no stranger to Visa transactions. :)
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To any of you that have received your AQVOX, is there any way to 'track' the package delivery once it is in the US? I received a tracking # from the mfgr on Sept. 5, and when I input the info into the provided link, I got the following message: "The item was scanned in the country of destination United States of America. This will be the last available item status, if the destination country does not offer track & trace services all the way down to the recipient." This message showed up on September 5; but I suspect the package wasn't really in the US at that date...just wondering what carrier makes actual delivery in the US, and if there is anyway to track.
Thanks in advance for any info.
I know I just need to be patient :)!
Randy
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Considering its the 20th, i'd stop by the local post office to see if they are holding it for you. AFAIK, there was no way to track mine. It was being carried by the postal service, not ups, fedex, etc.
my order took 3 wks in total
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Mine showed up to my local post office too. It was sitting there for 5 days before I realized.
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Mine AQVOX just arrived with today's mail, so I will give it a workout this evening!
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Recieved mine today as well, just 8 days after notification of shipment! I will report back once I have some time on it.
Best,
Ed
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Installed the AQVOX on the Rev Audio dual conduit cable and have listened off and on for the past couple of hours. I think this thing is magnificent especially given the price. Definitely less noise; everything is more vivid.
Thanks for the headed up!
Randy
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Welcome to the club! I agree. The AQVOX is magnificent. Finally, something out of Germany that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
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I'm about to pull the trigger. I got their email confirmation, and it says 119 EUR (for US delivery and paypal fees). Does this seem right? That's about $160 and seems a little high, but maybe not. Thanks.
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I'm about to pull the trigger. I got their email confirmation, and it says 119 EUR (for US delivery and paypal fees). Does this seem right? That's about $160 and seems a little high, but maybe not. Thanks.
$160. is what I paid for mine.
As of last night I am not certain it is bringing any improvements to my battery powered Alix into a Tranquility DAC. I will be doing some more listening tonight now that it has had a little time to settle in.
Best,
Ed
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So if I'm reading this all correct, the Aqvox doesn't pass the audio signal. So it doesn't matter what resolution the source material is. Correct?
This device seems very similar to Arts product. His is limited to 24/96 though.
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=96664.0
Just to correct this - the ART product is also a power supply, it doesn't care about the bit rate. You must be confusing it with the USB-SPDIF convertor.
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Ed, what is a battery powered Alix? If it is a battery powered computer music server, I doubt the AQVOX would improve the sound of the Tranquility.
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Dracule1,
Thanks for letting us AC'ers know, mucho appreciated! I've been looking into 3 products that are similar:
AQVOX linear USB power supply (http://www.aqvox.de/usb-power_en.html)
ART's upcoming unit called the 'Cleaner' (http://www.ar-t.co/PRODUCTS.html)
Tube Audio Design's Jibber Jabber (http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=96250.0) (which currently seems to be off the market)
All of them seem to be in the $150-$200 price range.
Best,
Anand.
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Ed, what is a battery powered Alix? If it is a battery powered computer music server, I doubt the AQVOX would improve the sound of the Tranquility.
Yes, it is a single board headless PC running Voyage Linux and MPD, I control it using MPoD on a iPod Touch. No harddrive, monitor, keyboard, mouse or fan, the flac files are served from my NMT in the HT downstairs.
I was not certain if it would be an improvement since the Alix is running off a battery. There is certainly no major improvement, am A/Bing with and without the AQVOX to see if there is any difference. I am having to listen pretty hard so at this time I don't believe the 5V coming from the Alix USB is dirty enough to require improvement.
I may be returning this unit unless somone here wants to pick one up.
Best,
Ed
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Ed, what is a battery powered Alix? If it is a battery powered computer music server, I doubt the AQVOX would improve the sound of the Tranquility.
That's exactly what it is. The Alix is a small footprint minimalist Linux (Voyage MPD) music server, 7V-19V capable.
Jason, the AQVOX passes the audio signal, along with its own power signal (presumably MUCH cleaner than the original computer-based one). You plug the DAC-based USB end (usually B style) into the AQVOX's male-female adapter. At this point you have audio signal and (either no power or) computer power pulsing through the USB cable. The AQVOX strips the power and adds its own, then sends both power and audio along to the dac via the male/female connector (i.e no additional USB cable per se).
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Ed,
PM me. Where are you located? Nevermind, I see it in your profile. You are likely one postal day away. If I like it, I'll buy it. If not, you return it but I'll pay for US-Euro postage from my house as a thank you.
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So, no offense, but someone here posted to AQVOX about my questions, they emailed me with concerns and asked me about my DAC, and now claim that because it isn't on their approved list (hardly comprehensive; other DACS with their own power, like the Bryston BDA-1, are on that list!?)) they won't sell me the AQVOX, and cancelled my order!! This is BS!! I've tested the Antelope with many power options, and would love to spread the good news of AQVOX to my readers on the HIREZ forum (I mod it), etc. I also have a few followers on other forums who know I've demo'd many DACS and know a thing or two. This is nuts.
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Ted, you have a PM.
Best,
Ed
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So, no offense, but someone here posted to AQVOX about my questions, they emailed me with concerns and asked me about my DAC, and now claim that because it isn't on their approved list (hardly comprehensive; other DACS with their own power, like the Bryston BDA-1, are on that list!?)) they won't sell me the AQVOX, and cancelled my order!! This is BS!! I've tested the Antelope with many power options, and would love to spread the good news of AQVOX to my readers on the HIREZ forum (I mod it), etc. I also have a few followers on other forums who know I've demo'd many DACS and know a thing or two. This is nuts.
That is strange. Did you find out more about it?
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That's interesting - I never realized that self-powered devices might still have the USB receiver be bus-powered - "Most sold USB-DAC devices are fitted with BurrBrown / TI 27xx bzw 29xx or C-Media CM102S USB audiochips where the Application Notes do recommend to run the USB-chip with USB-Buspower, and most design engineers do follow this." (from the AQVOX page)
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teb_b, that's very strange they would cancel your order because your DAC is not on their list. Unless they know something about the Antelope DAC that is not compatible with the AQVOX power supply. I have a reference tube DAC that is not on their list either, and the AQVOX works fine with it. There must have been some misunderstanding between you and the AQVOX representative.
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Well, the Zodiac page does say that it uses a custom USB chip, so it seems a reasonable assumption that it wouldn't be bus-powered.
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Well, the Zodiac page does say that it uses a custom USB chip, so it seems a reasonable assumption that it wouldn't be bus-powered.
It's not bus-powered, JohnR, but computer power is still coursing through the USB cable, and ground is still required for the Antelope. So cleaner power is a plus. What am I missing?
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They are saying it's often the USB receiver that is bus-powered, not (necessarily) the whole DAC. According to their webpage : "Most sold USB-DAC devices are fitted with BurrBrown / TI 27xx bzw 29xx or C-Media CM102S USB audiochips where the Application Notes do recommend to run the USB-chip with USB-Buspower, and most design engineers do follow this."
Since the Bryston has a limit of 48k I guess it probably uses one of those chips.
I'm curious to know what "incompatible" means though. They list the Ayre QB9 and Benchmark as incompatible. Does that simply mean that there can be no benefit to the supply?
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Sorry if that doesn't make sense, I was responding to the earlier version of your post - my DSL is having fits tonight for some reason.
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Since the Bryston has a limit of 48k I guess it probably uses one of those chips.
I'm curious to know what "incompatible" means though. They list the Ayre QB9 and Benchmark as incompatible. Does that simply mean that there can be no benefit to the supply?
Yeah, the Bryston is USB 1.1 so likely a cheap bus-powered receiver (nothing against the very nice DAC, but most folks agree their USB is afterthought and clearly not the reason the BDA-1 is well reviewed).
I agree that the incompatibility is confusing. I see it this way: even DACS that use their own power to power the USB chip require ground from the USB cable. So unless you have a specially made USB cable (that has ground and signal but no 5V+ power) the standard USB cable will be sending dirty computer power through the cable. The AQVOX can at least, replace that. Maybe 5V at that point is too much??
Yeah, my DSL to this site is weird too...I think it could be AC?
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Yea, try the AQVOX on your DSL modem. May be you'll get better signal. :lol:
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ebag4, what did you decide to do with your AQVOX?
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ebag4, what did you decide to do with your AQVOX?
Hi Dracule1. I tried the AQVOX in my system. I was looking forward to the improvements others have found, unfortunately I could not detect any improvement in my system. I believe this is largely attributable to to fact that I am powering my Alix with battery already.
My loss is someone's gain, I have put it up on the Trading Post to see if anyone is interested in saving a few $ and shipping time, it is here:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=99107.new#new
Best,
Ed
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Sorry you didn't find any improvement. At least we know people with battery power should think twice befoe getting the AQVOX.
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Dave at PI should be in the same boat. He's been using battery power on his dac & ordered the aqvox. Hopefully he'll post his impressions soon.
Its good to know that if I ever go to battery power, i can sell something to offset the cost :lol:
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Sorry you didn't find any improvement. At least we know people with battery power should think twice befoe getting the AQVOX.
I can't say with any certainty that no one will hear a difference if they are using a battery powered server but that was the case in my system.
Best,
Ed
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Just received an AQVOX low noise linear power supply to power my Oyen Digital Mini Pro external HD. Using this PS in conjunction with the Mach 2 Most Beautiful Music FireWire cable (power cut) has made a very nice SQ improvement in my system.
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fcavolo, which DAC are you using?
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No need to fret, ted_b - their loss, your gain - get yourself one of these for $3 & supply your own low noise 5V supply (even batteries) :) http://www.streakwave.com/Itemdesc.asp?ic=5VUSB
And still have lots of money left for music purchasing!
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fcavolo, which DAC are you using?
Antelope Zodiac Gold w/ Voltikus PS, 2011 Mac Mini w/ Bolder Cable linear PS
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Fcavolo, could you please describe in detail what improvements you are hearing? You're the first on this thread hearing improvement in a DAC other than the Tranquility.
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Fcavolo, could you please describe in detail what improvements you are hearing? You're the first on this thread hearing improvement in a DAC other than the Tranquility.
But he's not using it with a DAC, per se (wish he was, that's my setup too).. He's using it on the external hard drive.
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Huh? :scratch:
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Huh? :scratch:
He is NOT using it from computer to DAC, and thereby he is NOT reducing the noise from computer to DAC. Instead, he is using it from computer to external hard drive (his Oyen digital). Of course, I did not mean he is not using a DAC....he IS using a DAC. He is using speakers, etc too.....just not using the AQVOX to reduce the noise to a DAC.
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So he is plugging the AQVOX USB connection into the USB port of the Oyen HD to power it? Hey if that actually work, I might buy another one for my Oyen HD.
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That is one of the other uses for the aqvox. I haven't tried it.
This is the slippery slope with proper ac. It gets expensive when you realize you want it everywhere. :lol:
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Ted is correct. I am using the Aqvox to power my Oyen HD. I ordered the Aqvox with a barrel-style connector that plugs into the back of the Oyen.
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Could you post a picture of the connection?
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I wish the wire/connector wasn't hardwired to the unit, so that you could purchase multiple connectors & try it in various places. I use the Oyen mini external HD also, but it connects to the Mac mini via FireWire since I use a USB DAC.
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Could you post a picture of the connection?
I do not know how to post pics. I ordered the Aqvox with the same connector shown here http://oyendigital.com/hard-drives/store/25-PS.html
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Folks, he's just powering the HDD. He's not intercepting the firewire or USB.
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Correct, but I power my external drive via it's wall wart (ie not from the Mac mini's buss). Don't know if the AQVOX would have any impact on the external HD given my setup (wouldn't think so), but wish it was simple as using a different connection cable on the AQVOX to try it in different spots.
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As Mr. Kenny mentioned above, the Streakwave adapter can be used with a good, external 5 volt linear power supply.
(http://www.streakwave.com/mmSWAVE1/Images/5VUSB.jpg)
I do know where you can get good 5 volt linear power supplies :wink:
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No need to fret, ted_b - their loss, your gain - get yourself one of these for $3 & supply your own low noise 5V supply (even batteries) :) http://www.streakwave.com/Itemdesc.asp?ic=5VUSB
And still have lots of money left for music purchasing!
for cheapskates, there's an inexpensive linear PS I learned about recently that you should consider for powering USB devices with something other than the computer or the SMPS that came with the device.
These little guys are so inexpensive, you should buy a handful - one per USB powered device - and then throw out all the USB switchers in the house (or at least in the mancave).
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_283573_-1
BTW, they're only $10.95.
They only provide 500 mA, which meets the USB bus power requirement (I believe). note: IMO, the majority of gains from using a linear PS in digital audio MAY BE from simply eliminating the SMPS. This is especially true for things like external hard drives, dedicated ripping drives, Apple SuperDrive, etc. which need noise-free, but not ripple-free, power to do their job (bit-)perfectly.
I learned about this PS listening to a prototype of Pat's (of AR-T) new USB isolation "black box" - which also provides 'clean' USB power.
Highly recommended! This would seem to be a bargain for anyone investing (hopefully before such investment) in expensive USB cables and/or expensive USB power solutions.
I believe it will go for $150 and should be available soon (if not already).
It uses the ADuM4160 chip however, so it's limited to 96kHz.
I didn't test what would happen with a file of higher than 96kHz sample rate, for the simple reason that I don't listen to any.
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for cheapskates, there's an inexpensive linear PS I learned about recently that you should consider for powering USB devices with something other than the computer or the SMPS that came with the device.
These little guys are so inexpensive, you should buy a handful - one per USB powered device - and then throw out all the USB switchers in the house (or at least in the mancave).
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_283573_-1
BTW, they're only $10.95.
They only provide 500 mA, which meets the USB bus power requirement (I believe). note: IMO, the majority of gains from using a linear PS in digital audio MAY BE from simply eliminating the SMPS. This is especially true for things like external hard drives, dedicated ripping drives, Apple SuperDrive, etc. which need noise-free, but not ripple-free, power to do their job (bit-)perfectly.
Great to see you around. :thumb: Do you know if they have a 12VDC version?
EDIT: They do have them...on the same page. :thumb:
I learned about this PS listening to a prototype of Pat's (of AR-T) new USB isolation "black box" - which also provides 'clean' USB power.
Highly recommended! This would seem to be a bargain for anyone investing (hopefully before such investment) in expensive USB cables and/or expensive USB power solutions.
I believe it will go for $150 and should be available soon (if not already).
It uses the ADuM4160 chip however, so it's limited to 96kHz.
I didn't test what would happen with a file of higher than 96kHz sample rate, for the simple reason that I don't listen to any.
Oh we know about it.... http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=96664.0
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Great to see you around. :thumb: Do you know if they have a 12VDC version?
EDIT: They do have them...on the same page. :thumb:
Oh we know about it.... http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=96664.0
Jason,
good to hear from you...
On the advice of my AC power guru, I recently picked up one of these on eBay for $25, Astron SL-11R
http://www.astroncorp.com/linear.shtml
It's factory set at 13.8 VDC (for Ham radio operation, I believe), but the key things is that it's adjustable internally from 11VDC to 15VDC.
it's the typical heavyweight linear, regulated PS (weighs approx 12 lbs), and provides 7 amps.
BTW, did you get your questions answered by Pat about getting on the list for "the Clear", or whatever the name is?
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How does the Jameco $11 PS sound? Has anyone compared it to the AQVOX?
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for cheapskates, there's an inexpensive linear PS I learned about recently that you should consider for powering USB devices with something other than the computer or the SMPS that came with the device.
These little guys are so inexpensive, you should buy a handful - one per USB powered device - and then throw out all the USB switchers in the house (or at least in the mancave).
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_283573_-1
BTW, they're only $10.95.
They only provide 500 mA, which meets the USB bus power requirement (I believe). note: IMO, the majority of gains from using a linear PS in digital audio MAY BE from simply eliminating the SMPS. This is especially true for things like external hard drives, dedicated ripping drives, Apple SuperDrive, etc. which need noise-free, but not ripple-free, power to do their job (bit-)perfectly.
I learned about this PS listening to a prototype of Pat's (of AR-T) new USB isolation "black box" - which also provides 'clean' USB power.
Highly recommended! This would seem to be a bargain for anyone investing (hopefully before such investment) in expensive USB cables and/or expensive USB power solutions.
I believe it will go for $150 and should be available soon (if not already).
It uses the ADuM4160 chip however, so it's limited to 96kHz.
I didn't test what would happen with a file of higher than 96kHz sample rate, for the simple reason that I don't listen to any.
The linked Jameco PSU is 6v, shouldn't this 5v be used instead
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&productId=164101&catalogId=10001&CID=MERCH
And another question, Jameco PSU has 2.1mm x 5.5mm female output connector, and MikroTik USB Power injector accepts 1.1MM x 3.5MM, that seems like quite a problem.
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And another question, Jameco PSU has 2.1mm x 5.5mm female output connector, and MikroTik USB Power injector accepts 1.1MM x 3.5MM, that seems like quite a problem.
I just ordered an adapter - actually a whole bunch of adapters of different sizes, since I didn't see the specs when I first ordered, and the adapters were so cheap. Trial and error, but I found the solution. Has worked well for a couple years now.