Network Acoustics Origin Streaming Power Supply
Once you have been around audio engineers for a while it becomes clear that they consider the power supply to be one of the most critical components in any piece of audio electronics. Electricity is the lifeblood of every audio device except loudspeakers, there are passive preamps of course that don’t usually require power and active loudspeakers that do, but for the most part the sound of our systems is largely dictated by the quality of power that drives them. Improving the quality of a power supply always improves the sound of the device that it drives, be that an amplifier, turntable or digital source. Several companies make a living by offering power supply upgrades to existing components, Naim being the best known on these shores at least, but Cyrus also offer separate power supply upgrades to their gear and there are many more.
Network Acoustics released their first powered device, the Tempus network switch, in 2023 and in the process of developing it discovered a lot about what really matters in power supply for digital audio components. The approach that is most popular in the world of analogue electronics and digital to an extent is the linear power supply (LPS), this is based on a mains transformer which has a degree of filtering effect on noise in the incoming power but what remains is broadband and unpredictable in nature. This is why power supply upgrades are beneficial, a better quality transformer and subsequent filtering results in cleaner power.
Many digital components have SMPS or switched mode power supplies which operate at high frequencies and require some form of high frequency filtering to remove noise. Network Acoustics have built what they call a hybrid power supply that consists of a switched mode supply that is combined with filtering of the sort generally used with LPS designs. Off the shelf SMPS incorporate filters for this purpose but in this instance engineer Rich Trussell has added four stages of external filtering in order to eliminate as much noise as possible, he also incorporates a Mundorf capacitor on its output to provide a small reserve of high speed power for transients.
Origin is a hybrid DC power supply created to power routers, switches, streamers, DACs and pretty well all varieties of digital audio component. Many of these are supplied with a separate wall-wart or lump in the cable power supply and these are usually switched-mode types because they offer the requisite speed of supply and are relatively inexpensive. The Origin is offered in 5V/3.5A and 12V/3A variants to suit a wide range of components; most switches need 5V and many DAC and streamers are 12V devices.
The Origin is housed in a very nice aluminium case with the name machined into the top, Network Acoustics have really upped their game when it comes to product design and execution in the last couple of years and this is the best piece yet. The output is on a fancy Weipu socket for which a Reference DC power cable is supplied and terminated with either a 2.1mm or 2.5mm DC barrel connector to suit the component to be powered. If you look at Network Acoustics cables, and reviews thereof, you will realise that the inclusion of a handmade high quality cable with the Origin is not insignificant. The case also features an earth grounding terminal which is a potential means of improving its performance.
Sound quality
I had my Lumin U2 Mini streamer adapted for use with an external 12V power supply shortly after I got it and initially got great results with it using a Longdog Audio linear supply of the bulky variety, then Network Acoustics suggested trying the 12V supply that they make for the Tempus network switch. This brought a notable increase in resolution thanks to an obviously lower noise floor from a supply that is in essence a cruder version of Origin, which has a higher quality base SMPS, a redesigned PCB and various other treatments plus a nicer case and better quality output connector.
Moving from the Longdog supply to Origin on the Lumin streamer resulted in a much quieter, calmer presentation that made the sound more clear, precise and revealing. There was a lot more character in each piece of music with instruments and voices having more colour and depth, and more space between and around them. This made it easier to hear into the recordings which themselves sounded like they were of a higher quality than Originally thought. In short it made a huge difference, the sort that you would normally have to upgrade the streamer for and spend three times as much on.
The more I listened the clearer it became that the performance of the Lumin had been raised dramatically, good recordings such as Keith Jarrett’s New Vienna became so vivid that they were utterly captivating, ditto another ECM release called Achirana by double bass player Arild Andersen, this was utterly spell binding thanks to the super silent background producing such vivid and three dimensional imaging alongside beautiful timing. I don’t think I have heard such precise stereo in a very long time, the PMC prophecy9 speakers helped here because they too have very low colouration, precision and clarity but I got very similar results with other speakers too. Then I put on Bill Frisell’s cover of Shenandoah and was blow away by the scale and solidity in the room of this live masterpiece.
Looking around for other 12V DC input devices to try I found a Melco N100 server/streamer which usually runs off an SMPS in a block in the power cable. Connecting its USB output directly to the DAC with no streamer in between and switching from the standard supply to Origin resulted in better imaging once again, that and a cleaner, more in room and open sound with a greater sense of realism. The Bob Marley track No More Trouble (Extended Jamaican Instrumental) I played gaining a spring in its step where it initially seemed to plod. On Ginger Baker Trio’s Ramblin’ there was an obvious increase in immediacy and vitality with notably greater clarity and energy.
Rich Trussell also mentioned that Origin can be used with an internet router to good effect if you have the correct adapter, finding one for my BT Smart Hub 2 was a challenge but perseverance paid off. This router is about 25m away from my listening room with a cable connecting the two so I wondered whether there would be much benefit but replacing the 50 cent SMPS supplied with the Origin delivered results that were not far off those achieved with the Lumin itself. It brought precision, detail and openness to the sound with a sense that I was hearing more of the acoustic, the reverb, harmonics etc, in each piece played. I was even prompted to use the tired cliché of an iron fist in a velvet glove thanks to the clean, solid sound with fabulous shine on guitar strings and the bounce in the bass of No More Trouble. Once again the bass line bounced rather than trudged.
The final assessment came about when Network Acoustic supplied a second Origin so that I could have one on the Lumin streamer and another on the router. I made this comparison with Qobuz and an Axxess Forte 3 amp and got a very similar result to adding the first Origin to the system, that is the system sounded pretty damn spectacular already and replacing the cheap PSU on the router with another Origin brought further gains in transparency. Clarity was increased quite markedly and leading edges gained a precision and finesse that made everything that much more real and in the room. With the track Birds it felt like a veil had been lifted from Dominique Fils-Aimé’s voice which gained an extra degree of presence and three dimensionality. With a large choral work it was possible to hear the singers breathing in a way that was previously obscured and on No More Trouble the highs in particular became cleaner and more substantial, which made the perfect timing of the band that much more inspiring.
I heard from Definitive Audio, who distribute Gran Prix Audio turntables, that one of their customers had tried an Origin with his Monaco direct drive turntable from that range, apparently he didn’t want to give it back. Given that Origin was created for digital components and streaming ones in particular this is a surprise but, as mentioned, all audio electronics are sensitive to quality of power supply, so why not a turntable.
Conclusion
The Network Acoustics Origin is not an inexpensive power supply but what it does for a decent but reasonably priced streamer such as the Lumin U2 Mini is extraordinary, I doubt that competitors at the combined price of both units would be in the same league. How much the benefits will be audible depends on the quality of the system being used as is always the case, but anyone that’s seriously into streamed music is going to hear what it does and not want to go back. I guess this is why Network Acoustics can offer a 60 day money back guarantee; most of their customers don’t want to let these products go.
The Origin Streaming Power Supply proves that quality of power supply is fundamental to sound quality in a way that leaves no room for doubt. Every component I tried it with sounded markedly better when it was supplying the DC. I plan to carry on using an Origin with my Lumin and would urge anyone that has a 5V or 12V device in their system to give this neat little box of ultra clean power a spin, but remember, 60 days don’t last forever.