A Melco Journey
This is just a short piece on a Melco journey, rounding up my experience with the ADOT and Melco hardware and a PlixiR power supply. As they say, the sum of the parts has been more significant than the individual parts.
ADOT Media Converter
The journey started with the insertion of the ADOT media converter between my nasty, electrically noisy TP-Link Router. The media converter converts the ethernet data into an optical package.
The idea is to remove electromagnetic interference (EMI), which can introduce noise and distortion into electrical audio signals. Also, the optical data path has a higher bandwidth if needed, allowing for higher-resolution audio formats and future-proofing against demanding audio standards. Optical data should also have lower signal loss than copper cables, resulting in a stronger and more consistent audio signal.
Inevitably, an optical path has downsides, such as higher initial cost and sensitivity to bending the optical cable.
The ADOT delivered evident results in our review at HF&MS with an Auralic Aries G2.2 and an iFi Pro iDSD DAC. We said, of the sound quality, that it was;
Open, more transparent, just better
We concluded;
It has a tangible gain in my system, and it is one that I am reluctant to part with.
Melco N100 Library
Several boxes arrived via distributor ADMM from sister company Melco a few weeks after the positive outcome with the ADOT. These boxes contained the famed entry-level Melco N100 library (the half-width library that is a cousin of the N1 and N5 digital music libraries). An S100 data switch and a D100 optical CD drive were also included. Also in the collection was a super low-noise PlixiR power supply for the 100 collections.
The introduction of a Melco library takes HiFi listening to new levels, as I noted in my 2020 review that was awarded the first-ever Editor’s Pick I said at the time;
I love it, I want it, and I need it, which surely makes it an Editor’s Pick
The N100 achieves these heightened levels with a streamlined/minimalist design and high-quality components. These design features all contribute to a low-noise audio source. Since the 2020 review and having spent a fair bit of time with the N100 since with their new MELCO HD App on the iPad, I note that the Melco Library and App could save you a fair amount of expense on streaming transport as this App/N100 is very effective. As the owner of a Naim UnitiServe that is on the edge of failure daily, this N100 has HF&MS’ name on it.
D100 CD
The CD optical drive is an optional extra in the Melco range that offers perfect FLAC (16-bit, 44.1kHz) rips directly to the N100 library. It can also play CDs (perfectly) within the Melco HD App. This is a bit annoying, having just bought a CD Transport for reviewing purposes.
S100 Switch
The final piece in the puzzle is the S100 data switch, which sits on the clean side of the ADOT media converter with its own optical media decoder built in. Thus, data streaming out of the switch is free of messy router noise, and the library can include, in my case, my desktop computer and a streaming/headphone amplifier for reviewing.
Plixir Statement
The addition of the PlixiR Statement power supply elevates the N100 to the next new level, effectively to MELCO Flagship N1 levels at a separate price point. With the cleanest power delivery, the electronics are free of noise, which is distortion and in such a delicate environment, this is a crucial performance enhancement. In our review, with a Reference DAC, the iFi Pro iDSD, we concluded;
The sum of the parts… built on this PlixiR Statement balanced DC linear power supply, is greater than the individual elements.
Conclusions
… this is outstanding electrical engineering for audiophiles…
Overall, there is nothing for it, but to conclude, as a sum of the parts, this is outstanding electrical engineering for audiophiles; I’m locking the door and hiding behind the sofa when ADMM comes to collect these lovely source electronics.
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