• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

V-DAC & external power supply?

gyrene

gyrene

No Marconi:Gomer MacGyver
I'm about to order the Musical Fidelity V-DAC and have read about an external power supply being a worthy upgrade along with optical cables.
O.K. so I love to cut and solder when I think I'm making an upgrade.
Which power supply is suggested and how will I be connecting it? and as far as optical goes...watzat? Which optical cable do I NEED to have?
Are they just any old opticable or like RCA's that need gold plated parts?
And BTW did I read somewhere that they have "plastic" optical cables?
 
Register to hide this ad
I'll weigh in on the power supply at least: I'm using a pyramid 3amp 12V off Amazon (it was the "recommended" option and cost a little bit less getting them together. With this power supply, and probably any similar, it's just going to have 2 threaded binding posts (one red, one black) to attach wire.

I souped that up a little bit, but only because I plan on getting the V-LPS. With mine, I purchased lockable banana plugs (where if you turn them, they make a very tight connection to the hole for them (on the binding posts). I had an extra broken power supply that used the same size plug, but you can use the one that came with the V-DAC. I cut it about 3 inches from the plug and attached (twisted and soldered) to a spare piece of thick extension cord wire. I did red and white to red and white for the ground and black to black for the positive. I used techflex to make it a little nicer looking.

As for optical, you have a choice of SPDIF or Toslink. Toslink is optical and has a square connector with a fiber protrusion. SPDIF looks like a souped up RCA cable (it typically is--you don't have to spend a fortune, but it does have to be a 75-ohm coaxial wire). I'm only using the USB option at this point, though when I fix my old CD player, I will be using SPDIF.

I've attached a picture to show my setup if it's helpful.
DT
 

Attachments

  • PS.jpg
    PS.jpg
    20.6 KB · Views: 203
  • PS-output.jpg
    PS-output.jpg
    22 KB · Views: 179
Got mine running off of an external 13.8vdc @3amp regulated supply made by Tripp-Lite. It was a huge upgrade sonically from the wallwart. Main thing I heard different was the dynamic response. It got much better.
 
I'm glad to hear that mine was shipped today with a power supply like the one mentioned above.
Cool.Thanks for the info.
What are you listening to and through what...cd player? What speakers?What volume?
"...huge upgrade..." GREAT thats what I'm hoping for.

OH! wait a minute. I see it. You are using a Sansui 4000? Outstanding little bugger.I love mine.Its in the bedroom pushing KG4's.
Thanks
 
My audio chain looks like this:
Digital: PowerBook-based Music Server > USB into MF V-DAC > Yaqin MC84L integrated tube amp > Klipsch KG2

Analog: Rega Planar 3 w/Super Elys 2 > Bellari VP29 > Yaqin > KG2

and yes, my pyramid power supply is actually the 13.8 volt @ 3amp, same as zenith's tripp-lite.

The Yaqin is only 12W, but I almost never go past 12:00 on the volume (I live in an NYC apartment)--but that fills the entire apartment with a luscious sound...
DT
 
I'm glad to hear that mine was shipped today with a power supply like the one mentioned above.
Cool.Thanks for the info.
What are you listening to and through what...cd player? What speakers?What volume?
"...huge upgrade..." GREAT thats what I'm hoping for.
 
Sorry I didn't answer the what I'm listening to: it's pretty much everything, though since I've gotten tube amp last year, it probably breaks down to 40% Jazz, 5% classical, 5% country/alt-country, 20% 60s-70's Rock, 5% Rockabilly, 10% electronic (vintage and modern), 5% modern-day chick-singers (Cat Power, Feist, etc.), 5% 60's-70's Soul, and 5% current independent music.

What really shines and I spin (figuratively, of course) on the V-DAC is Modal Jazz (Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans) and Prog Rock (Pink Floyd, Cream, Kraftwerk, Genesis, Brian Eno), with some excellent results also on the last 3 Clash albums--if you haven't listened to Sandinista! in a while, do it with your new V-DAC and it'll sound much better than you remember it.
DT
 
Oh yeah...Bill Evans...my man.Love to hear some baritone vocals like Johnny Hartman or Joe Williams.Maybe some Joe Cocker and Tom Waits.Miles for sure.I'm gonna love it.thanks
Oh man I forgot to include Buddy Guy in there doing "Dark Night" and "Damn Right I Got the Blues"...and "She's 19 Years Old".Love Buddy.
 
Last edited:
I wish there was a more elegant way to do this than just splicing together wires. Is there no way to get something that is already terminated for this use?
 
I bought mine off eBay with a DIY power supply based upon a power cooler unit wall wart rated for 12V 4.1A.
I'm having iTunes issues and haven't run the Netbook terminal as a source for a couple months, but it sounded very nice when i had it up and running.
 
"I souped that up a little bit, but only because I plan on getting the V-LPS. With mine, I purchased lockable banana plugs."

Which banana plugs did you use. I ordered the pyramid power supply and need to figure out how to attach the wires. Yeah im somewhat of a novice.
 
TommyV said:
I wish there was a more elegant way to do this than just splicing together wires. Is there no way to get something that is already terminated for this use?
Click to expand...

Yeah, you can get the Musical Fidelity V-PSU. There are prob still some run-out bargains on the original now that Version II is released.
 
Actually, now that I've put my V-DAC on ebay, while taking the pictures, I realized that I had used some really nice lockable banana plugs. I don't want to send the link to photo or ad lest it seem like I'm bypassing the forum rules, but do take a look at the DIY cable I made in the photo and you'll see that there's a screwing-type mechanism that enlarges the banana plug connector when it's in the power supply. I liked it because it gave a very tight connection; I even had the V-DAC fall off the shelf, but the tightness of the connection held and saved my V-DAC from a nasty fall to a hard floor...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom