Melco S100 Data Switch

The Statement BDC is PlixiR’s flagship balanced DC linear power supply. Its idea is to convert raw AC power from the wall outlet into clean, stable DC power that premium electronic devices can use without picking up any undue perturbations. By doing this correctly, you should achieve noise reduction, a constant voltage, and the filtering out of unwanted frequency or harmonic disturbances. The PlixiR Statement is ideally suited to Melco libraries and switches (at 12V DC) and other products needing a stable DC supply, such as the Chord Hugo TT, the Chord Mscaler (at 15V DC), and the Roon Nucleus products (at 19V DC).

Design

Every inch of this PlixiR Statement power supply has been carefully considered. Each unit is hand-made in Singapore and signed off by James Soh, the founder of PlixiR sound. The key to the performance is high-quality components. The PlixiR units feature an oversized transformer made in the UK by Noratel that uses high-purity OFC copper wire, a magnetic shield with vibration-absorbing properties, and (quoting the site);

other secret tricks based on years of experience.

Bfly Audio feet on the Statement, close up

The key to these units is to improve upon the traditional switched-mode power supply by taking a more considered approach to noise using a “brawn and brain method.” The ‘brawn’ section is a pre-regulated stage that removes AC noise from the system and isolates the ‘brain’ voltage regulation stage. For this PlixiR Statement, the DC power supply is additionally managed ‘balanced’ by eliminating ground noise issues. A complete explanation is provided here on the PlixiR site.

The Statement features ‘Master PRO footers’, engineered to remove all mechanical noise. They are sourced from the German company Bfly Audio.

Quality

PlixiR Statement DC Output

The case itself is an extruded, 5mm-thick aluminium body. The thick metal top and bottom plates provide an ultra-rigid casing that guards against the sound-degrading effects of ‘mechanical vibrations and protects the transformer from external damage’. The casing has a black sandblasted anodized finish.

The dimensions are 230 x 160 x 115 (include footer) mm

Weight: 5.5 kg

PlixiR Statement Price: £1450 inc. VAT, ADMM is the UK distributor. Their link is here. An Elite BDC with a single DC output is available for £480.

The full PlixiR Statement specification is here.

Performance

Review Equipment

SFP Input from ADOT Media Converters, Single Mode optical method.

For the PlixiR Statement Power Supply review, I have it powering a Melco S100 Data Switch and a 2TB Melco N100 Library. The data is passed to an iFi Pro iDSD DAC connected by an Atlas Mavros USB with a GRUN (Atlas’ Grounding system) cable. The Statement power supply powers the N100 and S100, it is the 12V version with 2.1mm plugs supplied (these options are selected at purchase).

Data to the S100 switch is delivered via a single ADOT MC01 Media Converter, which takes the ethernet data from the network router and converts it to an optical data stream. This optical feed is delivered to the SFP port at the rear of the switch. The ADOT effectively removes all the data network noise from the switch. The review of the ADOT Media Converter is here.

Note, though, that in using the ADOT MC01 into the SFP port in the S100, I needed to turn all the switches to OFF, thus not throttling back the data to the data switch.

S100 Switch with N100 Library and D100 CD Optical Drive

Additionally, I have a Melco D100 CD drive connected to the N100 with an Atlas USB Arran cable. I’m using the Melco Music HD App to play music to the DAC.

This combined source is passed to a Moor Amps Angel Pre preamplifier, which in turn passes the analogue audio signal to a Moor Amps Angel 6 power amplifier, driving Kudos Titan 505 loudspeakers. I’m using Atlas Mavros loudspeaker cable with GRUN. It is a very quiet, transparent, and musical system.

Physically

The PlixiR Statement power supply couldn’t be easier to set up. The twin DC inputs (provided) to the S100 and the N100 slide in smoothly at the rear. The D100 has a separate power supply but could equally take the DC supply from the PlixiR if no S100 switch was involved.

PlixiR Statement Power Supply

…there is a sense of uplift and tonal sweetness from the source.

DC input to S100 Switch from PlixiR Statement. Melco Ethernet cable to N100 Library

The only way to gauge the benefit of the PlixiR Statement Power Supply is to listen to the system, install it, remove it, repeat it, and hear what happens. The key is that the PlixiR Statement Power Supply adds nothing to this near-perfect source. It does, however, remove the noise from the Melco library source (and the switch).

Does it work? Well, for me, absolutely. Playing an acutely articulate track like a DSD copy of Dave Brubeck’s Strange Meadow Lark (DSF 1-bit, 2.82MHz) from the N100 Melco Library is a revelation, anyway. With the power supply included, there is a sense of uplift and tonal sweetness from the source. It is a bit like being next to the piano rather than just being in the room, either way it is an exceptional performance; when Paul Desmond’s saxophone enters the stage after a couple of minutes, it is a truly heightened emotion. If you can listen to this copy, the cymbals and snare in Three to Get Ready are ‘next to the drums’ perfect. The rest of this DSD copy of Time Out is a dream.

D100

This PlixiR Statement Power Supply has been supplying the Data Switch and the N100 Library in this review; it could equally serve the library and the D100 Optical Disc Drive if preferred. Swapping the power supply to the CD has not revealed the uplift I refer to above. Notwithstanding this, the D100 CD is sparkling.

Thoughts

…PlixiR Statement gives you that additional frisson of joy you get when you know something good is happening

Is the PlixiR worth the investment? One may argue that the Melco Library has been the industry-standard library, and its progress from the Twonky Server days is game-changing. The N100 library was an Editor’s Pick back in the formative days of HF&MS in 2020. This PlixiR Statement gives you that additional frisson of joy you get when you know something good is happening.

Overall

The sum of the parts… built on this PlixiR Statement balanced DC linear power supply, is greater than the individual elements.

The PlixiR Statement does not add any more detail or transparency than before. It will, however, remove any residual semblance of noise or interference in your audio system. In this system, there is an enriched weight in the soundstage that I can hear tangibly, with such a low noise floor. The sum of the parts, the single mode ADOT optical conversion to the SFP input in the S100 Switch, the N100 Library, and the D100 CD player, built on this PlixiR Statement balanced DC linear power supply, is greater than the individual elements. This gives the Statement a very high recommendation here at HF&MS.com.

Specification

PlixiR Statement Power Supply on/off button to the side

Full details are on the company’s site.