[Nkam]

The case is ultrasonic welding. You can break the weld and take the case apart and then replace the cable, but it will break messily and afterwards you cannot just use superglue to stick it back together.

The iPowerX looks like the case uses screws to close the case, so it should be possible to open up, remove the beastly Chinese blue LED light (its plugged in) and dispose of it in the nearest "sondermuell" bin and then replace the cable.

While it is open, ditching the "FCON" brand solid electrolytic capacitors for Panasonic (ex. Sanyo) Os-Con is definitly worth it and swapping out the generic PSU Capacitors for similar size and same value "ultra low impedance" types (I like the now discontinued Sanyo "deep green" ones).

Beryl, which should be the in input Capacitor (C5) is one of the better China Cap makers, but a MIJ/MIUS Chemicon alternative may perform better. There is a small ceramic cap (103/500V - 10nF) in parallel with it (C7), a relatively large value and size film cap may improve things, 450V DC rating is needed.

Finally, there is a blue capacitor roughly in the middle of the PCB labelled "CY1" right next to the Optocoupler U2 and the power transformer. If the transformer T1 is still wound according to my design, CY1 can be removed. It should be marked 100pF - if so, just pull it out (clip it out) it's not needed at all (long story why it is there and it involved the "C-Word").

With this cap removed and the cap upgrades the "X" might even beat the Aliexpress linear PSU's on mains leakage and overall sound quality.

Please note that this does not mean I endorse the "X", at this price all the improvement I suggest should come ex factory! instead it is basically identical to earlier iPower, with a more fancy case, thinner DC cable and utterly pointless and offensive "Chinese Blue Lights".

And here a track with a bass drum that should have insane "slam"! It's an Oberheim DMX Drum Computer. Razorsharp. Neue Welt Ordnung! Ewige Blumenkraft!



Thor

Which ones are the FCON?
The blue or green arrows?
And which ones are the PSU capacitors?

I found the rest you mentioned

 

[Thorsten Loesch]

Which ones are the FCON?

Those with FCON written on them?

Some pictures show the main filter capacitors brown and some blue.

Ignore the colour, above pic they are brown.

Blue 47uF/400V is the input capacitor.

Thor

 

[Thorsten Loesch]

The blue or green arrows?

Incidentally, as we are discussing Quality fade, late production iPower and iPower 2 internally look like this:

US made (Fairchild/On-Semi) power IC, and four Chemicon (US/JP) solid electrolyte capacitors.

Now here the twice as expensive "iPower X":

Chinese controller IC with external Mosfet (less reliable), two cheap chinese generic electrolytic cap's replace two of the solid electrolyte capacitors and cheap china FCON solid electrolyte capacitors of lower value in place of two more.

By looks, the filter inductors despite having fancy red heat shrink, look like they have smaller cores meaning they filter less effectively.

And the EMC filtering on the input also looks like it uses smaller size parts, which are most likely less good at the job of preventing noise folding back into the mains.

Who wants to lay bet's which performs better and has better long term reliability?

Thor

 

[Nkam]

So I’m assuming these would be the best?

I don’t know the size of the original input cap so I would have to check it out. Don’t know if the Chemicon I linked to is the right size. Basically it should have the lowest ripple in the specs?


https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetai...GAEpiMZZMsh%2B1woXyUXj30ZYomYlxpX0ItRGwtVrC8=


https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Chemi-Con/EKXJ401ELL470MK30S?qs=sGAEpiMZZMvwFf0viD3Y3R//lBY8WLJ4lR6VGwak18Y=

 

[Thorsten Loesch]

So I’m assuming these would be the best?

No SMD. Better open the unit up, measure the dimensions and then see what can fit. Mechanics rule.

Thor

 

[Nkam]

No SMD. Better open the unit up, measure the dimensions and then see what can fit. Mechanics rule.

Thor

Can I not solder the os cons with a regular soldering iron?

And do the os Cons add to transient speed since they are low ESR?
Plus reducing the cable length


Thanks!

 

[sunjam]

Can I not solder the os cons with a regular soldering iron?

And do the os Cons add to transient speed since they are low ESR?
Plus reducing the cable length


Thanks!

I think Thor means don't use SMD version of OS-CON. Use the regular one with leads. SMD is harder to soldering at home.

 

[Thorsten Loesch]

I think Thor means don't use SMD version of OS-CON. Use the regular one with leads. SMD is harder to soldering at home.

Correct. And SMD will not fit the PCB.

As can be seen, there is not much space, so first measure actual dimensions of the current parts and select based on that, it may be necessary to select a slightly lower value to make everything fit.

Thor

 

[Nkam]

Oh boy, some words of advice to everyone. @Thorsten Loesch

Don’t plug your Ifi Zen can into a power strip.
I can’t believe I even did that from the get go. I never plug audio gear into a power strip.
But this is next to my sofa for headphone listening , so I didn’t pay attention.

Plugging the Ifi zen can direct to the outlet made a difference in slam and soundstage.
On the power strip for whatever reason the music was more ‘ light’ and weaker in presentation and the weirdest thing is the sound was very upfront in soundstage.
Plugging directly into the wall outlet made the soundstage move further back a bit and have a bit more slam and more solidity.

Don’t know why. But it does. ASR be damned. Lol

 

[Nkam]

It’s odd cause it still sounds a touch current hungry.

I have to test again tonight and see.
I’m too tired now and that’s never a good way to test anything let alone sound.
It could just be the song I heard which is hard rock and who knows how they recorded. Cause I can’t hear it on anything else

One thing is for sure is that the unit is warmer, I wonder what that means.

Thanks