Musical Fidelity X-PSU Others

Musical Fidelity X-PSU Others 

DESCRIPTION

Upgrade power supply for X series components

USER REVIEWS

Showing 1-6 of 6  
[Mar 15, 2002]
Bog-Snorkellor
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Awesome improvement. I have never even got this much difference from something like an interconnect upgrade. If you are sceptical, just try it. You will probably be blown away like I am. I love it. Bomb-proof construction.

Weakness:

Rare, that is all. Why the hell do I need an on/off switch?

I have had my X-DAC for ages. I have always loved it but felt it sounded a little thin, and lacking true deep bass. So I read around a bit and managed to learn that the X-PSU is meant to really improve the lower octaves from any of the X-ponents. It''s taken me some time to find an X-PSU but boy was it worth it. My immediate impression was ''That sounds no different'' but it seems that even a transformer/mains filter in a tube needs to be run in. A few (3) days of playing almost everyting I own and it''s really getting on song. Not only has bass depth improved, but imaging has suddenly snapped into place (It now has depth as well as width) and I''m getting more detail from it to. I have an X10-D line buffer as well (Between my passive pre and power amp) and i''d always thought it had removed a bit of the sparkly top end and openness that I loved my Passive Pre-amp for. Now It seems i have some of that back. It sounds a lot more open and revealing whilst having proper, propulsive bass. This seems to have the best upgrade to my system i have ever made (for the money...) and it is in no way subtle. The only problem is it is quite rare to find one... I got mine ex-display in mint condition for £80, but they appear occasionally second hand. I recommend this to anyone who owns any of the X-ponents with the crappy wall-wart transformer, You will love the difference it makes. Now to buy some X-CANS V2 and an X-LPS and my system will be complete. (well, for now...)

Similar Products Used:

Wall-wart (came with X-Series) 60VA 12Vac Lighting transformer (No improvement at all...)

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Oct 18, 2000]
Peter
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Great Power Supply for the X-Cans.

Weakness:

None

I have owned the Musical Fidelity X-Cans for almost two years now and was using the Plug-in Wall Adapter.Even though I felt the sound from the X-Cans was excellent,I felt that the Wall Adapter probably wouldn't last too long and got very hot after a couple of hours of music listening.I have learned in the past that a good Power Supply is the most important thing for an amplifier to work at it's best.I finally decided to buy the X-PSU Power Supply before my Wall Adapter either blew up or caught on fire! When I hooked up the PSU and listened to the first CD,I heard the difference imediately! The sound was more rich and full,and the Bass response was improved dramatically.The X-PSU is a must have if you own the X-Cans or any other Musical Fidelity X-Ponents.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jan 16, 2000]
Hugh
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

An audible improvement over standard PSU
Provides a power switch
Runs cool

Weakness:

Very slight line-frequency buzz from the unit itself

I recently purchased the X-PSU to power my X-Cans headphone amplifier. There were several reasons for this purchase. First, I wanted to be able to power down the tube-based X-Cans when not in use. Second, I was concerned about the hot-running plugtop transformer: small transformers can fail dramatically! Third (but most important), I hoped for an improvement in the already excellent sound quality, and in this I was not disappointed! Listening with my Sennheiser HD600's there was an obvious difference right from the first. There was a much greater sense of space, and at both the low and high frequency extremes the sound was (even) more detailed and exciting (the "sting" of cymbals, the precision of drum rolls).

I was quite surprised at the magnitude of the improvement. I can only assume that the plug top transformer is struggling at its limits with the X-Cans: probably one of the more power-hungry of Musical Fidelity's X-ponents. Each winding of the X-PSU's toroidal transformer is specified at over 2 1/2 times the current of the plug-top transformer, and the regulation specification is probably better too. Dry words on paper, but it really does seem to make an audible difference, at least to my ears. I switched back and forth several times between the plug-top and X-PSU when listening to the same piece of music (Bartok's Piano Concerto No. 1): even though this was not a "blind" test, the differences were sufficiently striking that I was convinced.

The X-PSU runs cool, in comparison with the hot-running plug top transformer supplied with the X-Cans. This has to bode well for reliability: not a trivial concern! If the system were left powered continuously with headphones connected a power supply failure might be catastrophic: I recently heard a horror story regarding another manufacturer's headphone amp which failed destroying a pair of Grado headphones in the process.

Overall, a very strong recommendation for the X-PSU from someone initially dubious of manufacturers' claims for sound enhancement from such upgrade tweaks. Indeed, it surprises me that Musical Fidelity do not offer the X-Cans and X-PSU as a package without the outclassed plugtop transformer and at a special price. Surely anyone purchasing a dedicated class-A tube headphone amplifier will own headphones sufficiently revealing to tell the difference between the two power supplies.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Aug 01, 1999]
James
an Audiophile

I recently purchased this to add to my X-Pre and X-Act. I was already very happy with the sound of these but I had heard that the upgraded power supply was well worth the extra.
The already good stereo imagery was improved, bass and midrange seemed more solid and full. The treble seemed to loose a little air at first but it has improved greatly over the first two days of use. I expect it to improve even more after the unit is properly run in.

This is a very worth while upgrade, especially if you have more than one X series component. (The X-PSU will power up to four X series components, except for the power amps: X-A50 & X-A200)

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
[Aug 04, 2001]
dan
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

improved bass articulation and upper detail of X-Cans

Weakness:

Suseptible to power cords and isolation tweaks so be prepared to spend a little extra here for best results

Wanted more bass from X-Cans so gave it a shot. Helped, but not what I hoped for until I got rid of those CRAPPY STOCK TUBES! Now the X-PSU can do it's work properly. Found that even for such a small amp it is very susceptible to power cords and iso tweaks. Tried the MIT Z-II cord, Harm Tech Pro AC-11, & Gutwire G-Clef. All helped in different areas use the HT power cord mostly as it is cost effective and run it through a decent Adcom line conditioner. This thing loves to be isolated! So at least go get a 12" inner tube inflate it about half way or better then get a nice thick maple buthers block to set on top the inner tube. Now set the MF gear on the block w/ about 8 to 10 pounds of lead shot inside a baggie on top of each. Trust me, the little dough this costs will more than make up for the sound difference! Things are tighter and more punch. Notes decay longer and more natural sound to cymbals and snare drums. Vocals are to die for.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Oct 14, 2000]
Aaron Brodney
Audiophile

Strength:

Dramatically enhances the already excellent X-Ponents

Weakness:

For $200? I think not.

I was initially reluctant to make the X-PSU purchase even knowing how important power is in a quality system. Regardless, out of impulse I purchased the X-PSU last week and was stunned by the difference it made right out of the box.
Instantly the bass response was tightened by several orders of magnitude, the midrange was more warm and clear, and timbre overall improved. The noise floor also almost totally gone. Performance continues to improve as the unit gets further broken in.
I am using it with an X-10D and an X-CANv2.
My system is as follows:
B&W 602S2 loudspeakers
Rotel RC-972 preamp
Parasound HCA-1201A monoblock amps
Cambridge Audio DACMAGIC2 DA Converter
Yamaha CD Transport
Kimber and Monster cables and interconnects.

Similar Products Used:

None.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
Showing 1-6 of 6  

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