Will this supercapacitor bank work for my Ifi Zen Can?

[Nkam]

Thor's solution as well as Atomic Bob's recommendations will set you back a lot more than $ 100.-
And ... it would still have HD650 EQ only.

Marv is right:


He does not give you the reason why some prefer/like this and other people that.
The reason is simple.... because it is all in your/their minds.

So I will say it again.... When you believe Thoren and suspect that the 'supercap' will help with better sound it certainly WILL. After all there is the word 'super' in it and the promise of fast and high current delivery.
The audible improvement are just not for the reasons you think (better quality 5V, lower ESR, higher peak currents, less ripple).
In the end it does not matter what the reason is (placebo or real)... it will work for you and can almost guarantee it. Simply because you believe it will.

When you ask 10 different 'experts' you are gonna get 10 different opinions.

you’re right
its about the same as making amplifiers with tubes nowadays when SS is clearly superior.
measurements don’t lie on state of the art with SS compared to tubes and what people call tube magic. It’s just that magic.

 

[solderdude]

Nah... the noise nuke from Bob actually does something measurable with said tube hybrid.
This is because of the design of the amplifier. The downside of said design is low PSRR (PSSR). Not so with the Zen Can (internal converter/regulator).
Said hybrid amps also have certain features (by design) that sound/measure purposely different and is measurable (see Bob's and Amir's measurements).
It is proven by its design and follows actual laws of physics, there is no 'magic' involved. In fact there are even settings on said amps that you did not find on other amps (before said designs came out).

You see, sometimes a brand just wants some design that differs (and was why I was approached for those designs and not just one manufacturer either).
Just like the Zen Can Signature is designed well after the Sennator was created (an amp that has a fixed HD650 EQ in it) again, ask Thor.
Sure... different amp design, different filter (target) but you get the idea, dedicated EQ amp.

There is no magic there either. It is different by design.
You don't see me recommending to use the Sennator with anything other than the HD650/6XX.
Just like you omit the fact (in your questions on the web) that you have the Zen Can Signature HD6XX and plan to use it with very different headphones than what it is intended for.

You should take Bob's and Marvin's advice.

TBH, I would seek simpler solutions and/or go slow. The amount of money and time f'ing around with optimizing power supply / exhibiting power supply neurosis can put toward a better amp and better gear.

Nitsch Pietus Maximus is a great amp and is a solid performer. I personally prefer it, if I had to choose between it or the Zen Can.

If you want to power anything else than the HD650/6XX you really should either buy another amp instead of trying to use it for what it is not intended for.
There is much more to be gained (with other headphones) by buying a suitable amp design.

And to answer the other thing... sometimes manufacturers sell something (yes, also the pro manufacturers) because of a demand. When the demand for something is high enough manufacturers will make it as it brings in more money. On top of that ... tweaks usually have a very high profit margin.
The decision to make some add-on or option, more often than not, is born of demand, not to 'improve' some design or patch a design flaw (immunity for common mode/leakage of a design). Ask me how I know.

Poking fun at Thoren has got to be the silliest thing.

I am not poking fun at Thorsten... In fact I like Thorsten and discussing audio things with him.
I also quite like Bob by the way.
On some things (usually subjective things) I just see it a little different.

And yes ... I do read SBAF (I was even a member at Changstar for a while... till it blew up) and read other sites as well. Is there a law against that ?
For fun, and for certain info that isn't found anywhere else.
I just do not register nor post there.
Also I am not ASR nor do I represent ASR. I am just one of the members here. One that isn't very strict on 'specs' either. ASR does 'suit' my line of thinking more than other forums and is why I am active here and not elsewhere.

When you ask for an opinion at ASR (it is widely known what type of audience resides at ASR) that has to do with electronics/headphones chances are I respond.
I try to help in that case (including you) but some people just want to hear something different than what I (or others at ASR) have to say. So be it.

 

[Verig]

iFi is an interesting company. I really like how they use smps and have nice low cost solutions that work well. And at the same time they're in the power product business.

I have their Zen Phono which similarly has smps inside. Phono preamp powersupplies are always a hot topic and there I can understand it because of the possibility of interference, ground loops and noise when applying 36-72(!)dB of gain. Even with this unit the external PSU doesn't do anything. I tried stock, a better one and a battery. No difference. Excellent.
I see that we're talking about a bit different matter with Can 2.4A. Just a point about any sound quality differences in ext psu + internal smps combo - if you can't hear the benefit with 72dB gain you might as well relax.

As a practical solution I don't recommend future proofing. A powerful enough amp is not expensive. Just sell iFi and buy another one IF you need one.

 

[Nkam]

Nah... the noise nuke from Bob actually does something measurable with said tube hybrid.
This is because of the design of the amplifier. The downside of said design is low PSRR (PSSR). Not so with the Zen Can (internal converter/regulator).
Siad hybrid amps also have certain features (by design) that sound/measure purposely different and is measurable (see Bob's and Amir's measurements).
It is proven by its design and follows actual laws of physics, there is no 'magic' involved. In fact there are even settings on said amps that you did not find on other amps (before said designs came out).

You see, sometimes a brand just wants some design that differs (and was why I was approached for those designs and not just one manufacturer either).
Just like the Zen Can Signature is designed well after the Sennator was created (an amp that has a fixed HD650 EQ in it) again, ask Thor.
Sure... different amp design, different filter (target) but you get the idea, dedicated EQ amp.

There is no magic there either. It is different by design.
You don't see me recommending to use the Sennator with anything other than the HD650/6XX.
Just like you omit the fact (in your questions on the web) that you have the Zen Can Signature HD6XX and plan to use it with very different headphones than what it is intended for.

You should take Bob's and Marvin's advice.



If you want to power anything else than the HD650/6XX you really should either buy another amp instead of trying to use it for what it is not intended for.
There is much more to be gained (with other headphones) by buying a suitable amp design.

And to answer the other thing... sometimes manufacturers sell something (yes, also the pro manufacturers) because of a demand. When the demand for something is high enough manufacturers will make it as it brings in more money. On top of that ... tweaks usually have a very high profit margin.
The decision to make some add-on or option, more often than not, is born of demand, not to 'improve' some design or patch a design flaw (immunity for common mode/leakage of a design). Ask me how I know.


I am not poking fun at Thorsten... In fact I like Thorsten and discussing audio things with him.
I also quite like Bob by the way.
On some things (usually subjective things) I just see it a little different.

And yes ... I do read SBAF (I was even a member at Changstar for a while... till it blew up) and read other sites as well. Is there a law against that ?
For fun, and for certain info that isn't found anywhere else.
I just do not register nor post there.
Also I am not ASR nor do I represent ASR. I am just one of the members here. One that isn't very strict on 'specs' either. ASR does 'suit' my line of thinking more than other forums and is why I am active here and not elsewhere.

When you ask for an opinion at ASR (it is widely known what type of audience resides at ASR) that has to do with electronics/headphones chances are I respond.
I try to help in that case (including you) but some people just want to hear something different than what I (or others at ASR) have to say. So be it.

why are you quoting stuff I said on another forum and answering me here, instead of answering me there?
now that’s funny
seriously I just skimmed through your post, cause it doesn’t matter to me.

not comfortable outside the ‘ safe’ walls in here?
I wonder how you would do up close as well.
well, you already showed that by Reading something in one place and answering in another.
you think I’m embarassed or something from you quoting something I said in another forum?
anyway,
I was referring to your tube amps you made, since it’s widely spoken that tubes here are a silly way to design an amp since SS is superior.

i don’t own a tube amp btw.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

why are you quoting stuff I said on another forum and answering me here, instead of answering me there?
now that’s funny
seriously I just skimmed through your post, cause it doesn’t matter to me.

not comfortable outside the ‘ safe’ walls in here?
I wonder how you would do up close as well.
well, you already showed that by Reading something in one place and answering in another.
you think I’m embarassed or something from you quoting something I said in another forum?
anyway,
I was referring to your tube amps you made, since it’s widely spoken that tubes here are a silly way to design an amp since SS is superior.

i don’t own a tube amp btw.

Off topic post given the subject is "Will this supercapacitor bank work for my Ifi Zen Can?" - a question which has been comprehensively answered, i.e. "This supercapacitor bank will NOT work for your Ifi Zen Can".

 

[wwenze]

For the same reason some people like to start new different thread and sometimes in different forum when they lose the argument in the first thread, hoping to get some validation with a fresh start.

 

[Nkam]

Boy you sure told me. Go Pat yourself on the back.

I didn’t start a new thread btw.
I didn’t ‘ lose an argument’, but that offers insight to how you look at things. Which is ridiculous, well unless you are young and/or not mature
i am not an engineer and stick to a site claiming all things are in peoples head whilst at the same time I make two tube amps, which kind goes against the sites credo of tubes offer nothing in terms of audio nirvana and are a silly way of making things.
and on top of it I make no mention of those tube amps on the site I frequent. Probably for the fear i will get ‘ a taste of my own medicine’.

which begs the question of why the tube amps weren’t mentioned on this forum?
I would be proud if I made two headamps.

you maybe should leave your echo chamber sometimes to get challenges to your own biases. I did. It doesn’t hurt my ego, and while I get some different responses it’s all good in the end.

I don’t repost what someone said on different site to my ‘ home site’ trying to regain stature for my bruised ego. Or to further mock someone.

Good try to stick up for your friend. Like I said, go Pat yourself on your back.
all of this back and forth in the grand scheme of things is meaningless.

both our attempts at witty back and forth banter will be forgotten.

i have better things to do with my time , than mocking others. So odd. I guess it’s a burning desire to be proven right. An illusion of some sort of superiority and or insecurity. Secure people don’t feel the need to mock or show superiority.