HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

I need to do some reviews soon but since becoming an active poster on here a few months ago my Hi-Fi spending seems to have rekindled.

So far I have acquired

1 x Long Dog Audio Linear PSU
1 x Timestep HE III Technics SL-1200 Linear PSU
1 x HDPLex Linear PSU
3 x Docs reccomended Chinese Linear 5V PSUs
1 x Doc reccomended DAC
1 x cheap HDMI DAC (Can it equal Doc's cheap Chinese DAC? watch this space
1 x NVA Phono 2 with dual PSU
1 x NVA AP10P
1 x Musical Fidelity Tube Buffer
Assorted DOC mod drivers

my ears thank you, my wallet hates you

Which of those sound better than what you already had, and how do they compare price wise?

To start at the top. The Long Dog should be £225, I picked up one for £130 (from memory secondhand the plan was to use it for the Pi Streamer in my main rig, which is running a HifiBerry Digi+ Pro to give an SPDIF output to my amp.

That Pi has been in my rig for several years and had been running from an Anker Battery supply. I'd made the assumption that the battery should be better so never bothered with a linear PSU.

The longdog came up at a steal of a price so I thought sod it, I'll try one. Not for a moment expecting to hear a difference, and if did not positive.

What surprised me was that there was a difference and it wasn't subtle. The noise floor dropped hugely (I hate the term inky blackness, but I see why people use it), I noticed much more punch, clarity and smoothness. Absolutely no negatives.

I blame it for most of the purchases that have followed tbh

Next step - put an Allo DigiOne in place of the Digi+ PRO. You won't believe your ears!!

similar flavour but better? or night and day difference?

More difference than I expected.

I agree with Fretless - an unexpected bonus especially when paired with a digital SSP.

Not sure you'd need the MF valve buffer.The first one was severely coloured sounding, although it beefed up the popular ear-ache Marantz CD63 KI Sig player we often sold them with. I did the full 'Rock Grotto' updates to mine and it transformed it for the better, but honestly not sure it has a place in a properly working system...

frankly I'm expecting it not do be of use, however my brain has wanted to try one for ages. It popped up at such a price I reckon I can shift it at no loss if it proves of no benefit

the AP10P is doing its damdest to convince me that digital can sound analogue but thats another story

mini review number 2 then

Timestep HE III Technics SL-1200 Linear PSU

After the success that was adding the Longdog to the PI, I decided it was time to stop the procrastinating and get the sl1200 PSU done. So what to go for. There are definitely cheaper options than the Timestep, But I've not heard a bad thing about the Timestep or its designer (unless you count AOS, not sure that counts) and it specifically was designed to allow you to remove the sl1200 regulator as well. so £350 later off we go.

Was it worth it? Hell yes, everything I found adding the Longdog to the Pi again, happening to the Technics. The noise floor dropped hugely, I noticed much more punch, clarity and smoothness. All in more relaxed without losing anything.

Negatives? only one, the unit has no power switch and the one on the Turntable becomes redundant.