Is DEQX a game changer?

Hi Roscoe,

In my initial email to Nyal I said:

...if you should happen to be aware of any issues which might result in the performance of the HDP-5 being inferior to that of the more mature HDP-4 I would of course appreciate being apprised of them. I realize that the HDP-5 utilizes a switching power supply while the HDP-4 has a linear supply, but I assume the design is well implemented and that is not an issue.

Neither of his subsequent responses made reference to that question. His many posts that I've seen at various forums are confidence inspiring, and I feel safe in assuming that if he was aware of any negatives about the new design he would have mentioned them.

Best regards,
-- Al

Yes, was Unsound's comment in the correct thread.

Also, Al did you have a chance to ask about the switching power supply in the HDP-5 vs the linear in the HDP-4?

Hi Al, I appreciate your comments re-"Neither of his subsequent responses made reference to that question. His many posts that I've seen at various forums are confidence inspiring, and I feel safe in assuming that if he was aware of any negatives about the new design he would have mentioned them."
My main take from this is you are a trustworthy person. However I can't concur. My business experience, although limited,as everyone's, drives me to uncertainty about it. When people have addressed an item I have found they are very open to confirm it, with pride in the improvement. Avoidance never gives me confidence-from anyone. I'm from Missouri(Newfoundland in Canada :-) Always a pleasure to review your pragmatic informative posts. Take care. Pete

I agree, in general, that when a manufacturer or its representative is asked a direct question re. a change (such as use of a SMPS in the latest rev) & the subsequent answer avoids answering that question, that is not inspiring & leads the mind to think that something's being hidden. Maybe Almarg can press the issue at a later date when he's ready to purchase the HDP-5?

OTOH, SMPS power supplies for use in power amps have made good strides in the overcoming their output noise issues (that would increase distortion in the music signal path & wreck performance). We see this evidence in many amps today - Anthem's Statement M-1 mono, Benchmark's AHB-2, Belcanto amps, Jeff Rowland amps & the quite popular Ncore 1200 series amps - just to name a few. So, the technology of low-noise SMPS for audio applications is out there; whether DEQX has accessed it for their HDP-5 is the question that needs confirmation. It seems to be a reasonable assumption that they have but we know quite well where assumptions can lead us sometimes!! ;-) I also think that DEQX wouldn't do something regressive to ruin their highly touted HDP-4 & Premate by putting a noisy SMPS in the latest HDP-5 but who knows sometimes manuf do things that they think are progressive only to be told by the user community it's regressive....
I agree with Almarg that it's a safe bet to think that the HDP-5 has a quiet SMPS but reading/hearing it from the manuf rep would have a reassuring effect...

Thanks, Pete. I appreciate your comment, and the nice words. And Bombaywalla, thanks also for your good comments.

I would place myself somewhere in the middle ground between being overly trusting and overly cynical, and I try to judge each case on its own merits without bias in either direction. As you (Pete) observed, I tend to be pragmatic. In this case, adding to my confidence is that based on the exchange I had with him I'm pretty certain that Nyal has not yet sold or possessed any HDP-5's. Assuming that is the case, he would most likely not be in a position to respond either way to my question.

And in fact in looking at the websites of the various dealers listed at the DEQX site I had found that none of the ones in the USA make any reference to the HDP-5 being available. I found just one dealer, in the UK as it happens, indicating it as being in stock (presumbly from the first production run, bugs included).

And several additional factors add to my confidence: First, the PreMate which Bruce (Bifwynne) purchased, and that Kal and John Atkinson reviewed, uses a switching power supply. Perhaps some or all of the earlier models that are being used by the more experienced DEQX users who have been participating here do as well. Second, as I indicated what I will be purchasing will be from the second production run, which is explicitly stated to be incorporating some needed "corrections." And, finally and perhaps most importantly, Nyal offers 30-day return privileges, less only two-way shipping.

Thanks again. Best regards,
-- Al