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Is DEQX a game changer?

Just read a bit and it sure sounds interesting. Does it sound like the best way to upgrade speakers?
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kingrex
107 posts
 

Hello all.  I have been reading this thread and have a question.  I just purchased a Mate.  Good deal on dealer demo as it is discontinued.  I have not had any calibration done, but I inserted it into my system in bypass.  There is some noticeable top end glare.  Not huge, but definitely there.  I have spent months, if not years tuning my system to get rid of just that noise.   I looked at the DEQX website.  The Chinese SMPS in my unit appears to be in all units accept for the HDP-4.  The HDP-4 is Linear.  My question is, has anyone upgraded their unit from stock. I see there are a couple aftermarket companies who do just that.  I tried to contact 2 and neither got back to me.  I also called a small shop I have worked with in the past.  They made my music server and a  Linear Power supply for my DAC.  The power supply upgrade was a huge improvement to the DAC.  I can only "assume" it would be the same for the DEQX.  They say it is no problem to replace what I have.  About $600 or so.  Has anyone tried to upgrade the unit from stock?  New power supply, clocks, DAC chips, analog inputs/output etc.

Thanks 

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almarg
9,670 posts
 
FWIW my HDP-5, which has superseded the HDP-4 as DEQX’s top-of-the-line model, uses a switching power supply. I don’t know if it is the same supply that is used in your Mate, but it is an XP Power model ECL30UD02-S. Here is the datasheet for that series of supplies.

I use the HDP-5 as my preamp. I have never sensed that it is causing any glare whatsoever in any part of the spectrum. I am connecting my phono stage (a Herron VTPH-2) to it via unbalanced RCA cables. I am connecting my main digital source (a Bryston BCD-1 CD player used just as a transport) via an AES/EBU digital cable. Those are my two critical sources. I am connecting the HDP-5 to my power amp via unbalanced RCA cables.

I don’t recall what connectivity the Mate provides, but if you are using balanced analog connections to its inputs or outputs perhaps a contributing factor to the issue you described might be an internal balanced/unbalanced converter stage or transformer needed to interface to its presumably unbalanced internal signal path. Or if you are connecting to a digital input, perhaps waveform degradation due to signal reflections resulting from small impedance mismatches is occurring, resulting in jitter that might be improved by changing the length and/or type of the digital cable.

That’s about all I can think of in response to your question.

Good luck. Regards,
-- Al

drewan77
142 posts
 
Since I last posted on here I have added an HDP-5 processor/preamp and as Almarg mentions, this has a low noise switch mode power supply. My HDP-3 uses a linear supply and both sound equally transparent with no top end glare that I can detect. Most of my listening is analogue input from two turntables and my various power amps & subs are also connected via unbalanced RCA cabling.

The HDP-5 has slightly greater clarity and openness to the soundstage than the HDP-3 & I will be using them together in a 4-way stereo setup (0-60hz, 60-200hz, 200-3100hz, 3100khz+), the HDP-3 managing just the subs.
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Andrew (Drewan77), congratulations on the new HDP-5!  And thanks once again for the many valuable inputs you have provided to this thread.

Best regards,
-- Al
 
kingrex
107 posts
 

Update, I just spoke with Larry Owens.  He calibrates the DEQX, and modifies them.  He said my unit does have a potentially noisy SMPS.  The 4 is Linear, the 5 is a high end SMPS that does not have the same issues.  Other hardware in my unit is not on the same level as the 4 and 5.  I am not sure how mine differs from the PreMate.  I mostly listen to music via my Core Audio Kryptos music server.  His suggestion is to try and keep everything in the digital realm for me.  That way the power supply will not affect my sound near as much.  I had to send him some pictures of the mother board in my unit.  He is looking to see if he can add a SPDIF input/output to my unit.  Boards differ on the year they were built.  I would then install the Mate between my music server and my DAC.  He believes that would get me a lot of bang for the buck.  If I want Digital to Analog/Analog to Digital, I am going to need to isolate that part of the system from the noisy power supply, and add a new clean power supply.  Something he can do, but more money.   Just an FYI.

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