Adam Spigel   |   August 23, 2025

Eliminating Upstream Noise, Unlocking Digital’s True Potential

Introduction

In digital audio, the quietest components often make the loudest statements. After years of experimenting with linear power supplies, conditioners, fiber isolation, and server optimizations, I thought I had tamed most of the gremlins in my chain. Then came the Farad SuperATX—a purpose-built linear ATX supply that doesn’t just clean up the edges but redefines the foundation.  Continue reading Review: Farad SuperATX Power Supply

Adam Spigel   |   August 8, 2025

When my friend Don read my post walking through the series of upgrades I’ve made to my digital front end—each one unlocking a new layer of performance—he had just one question: “Where do I even start?”

Continue reading From Basic to Best: A Layered Approach to Optimizing Your Digital Front-End

I’m finally diving deep into the upstream research I’ve always dreamed of doing. Midway through my obsessive testing, a friend interrupted with a dose of reality: “You’ve lost it. Just enjoy the music.” He might be right. But for now, I’ll keep peeling back the layers—because when I get there, it’s going to be that much sweeter.

Continue reading Testing Shunyata’s Omega-X and Sigma-X Ethernet Cables in a Fully Optimized Digital Chain

The night before last, I set out with modest intentions—just to upgrade the power cable from my wall to the conditioner before calling it a night. But as any audiophile knows, curiosity rarely stops at the first click of an IEC connector. One thing led to another, and I found myself deep into an impromptu evaluation session—this time focused on the power supply of my Araknis router, specifically the Farad Super3 that feeds it.

Continue reading Beyond Isolation: How Upsteam Power Still Shapes Sonic Reality

 

This is a major shift—and one that might even work against your system’s balance, as I’ll explain. That’s the paradox of progress in high-end audio: the closer we get to realism, the more we reveal. And sometimes, what we reveal isn’t what we want to hear.

Continue reading Review: Shunyata Research Omega-X AES/EBU Cable Review: When Realism Cuts Both Ways

I’m excited to share some news from behind the scenes: I’ve been selected as a beta tester for the brand-new Farad SuperATX — a next-generation power supply unit that promises to redefine clean power delivery for high-performance audio, studio, and computing setups. Continue reading Beta Testing the Future of Clean Power: Farad SuperATX Has Arrived

What If the Biggest Upgrade to Your Audio System… Wasn’t a Component at All?

You’ve invested time, energy, and serious money into your system—premium DACs, exotic cables, boutique amps—always chasing that elusive sonic nirvana. But what if I told you the real breakthrough wasn’t another shiny box or a hyped tweak?

Continue reading Biggest Upgrade You’ll Ever Make to Your Audio System! – Reserve Now

Modems, switches, Wi-Fi, and power—how the overlooked parts of your chain define the sound you hear.

“It’s all just 1s and 0s… right?”
That’s the refrain we’ve all heard. But anyone who’s seriously listened—truly listened—knows the truth isn’t nearly that simple. In my case, the proof isn’t just in the pudding. It’s in the playback. And according to my wife, it’s also in the mess of cables sprawled across my listening room as I chase down yet another elusive improvement.

Continue reading Upstream Unmasked: Exploring the Last Frontier of Digital System Tuning

This is going to be a big comparison. My first article ended up being more of a welcome to the new Hi-Fi Cool. In that first edition, I did start the comparison process but my links and comments got buried in the linked blog. As part of this installment, I’ll be moving those comparisons and my comments with even more detail.

I’m trying to capture the smallest details between my changes. I’m doing this between simple power cable changes, ethernet cable changes, etc.

Continue reading JCAT USB XE Card, Switches, Fiber Converters and cables…review by file comparison

In this installment, we want to discuss in more detail the equipment used for testing and the sample files used for comparison purposes.

Continue reading The Hi-Fi Cool Audiophile System and Sample Files Used for Comparisons