• willem
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  • Registered: 2019-07-15
  • Posts: 156

Topic: master slave power strips

I am currently investigating master slave power strips where by turning on the master unit (in this case the ADI-2 DAC) a number of other things are also turned on, such as my power amplifier (with an inconvenient on/off switch on the back of the unit) and a few other little things like an Antimode 8033 dsp room eq, etc. Between them these other units that are now always on do consume some electricity unnecessarily, so turning them off when they are not needed would be a welcome bonus. The main thing is to turn the power amplifier on/off.
The problem that I am running into is that the RME ADI-2 consumes only some 7 watt, and the lower threshold for many of these master slave power strips seems to be some 8 watts. I wonder if others have run into the same issue, and found a practical solution. I found one power strip (Olympia IOIO MS2500) that officially has a lower level of 0.5 Amp so at 12 Volt that should be 6 watt, which is still dangerously close to what the ADI consumes. I wondered if anyone has ever tried to combine the switched ADI with an always on thing like e.g. the Chromecast Audio (some 2 watt), so that together they are above the threshold. Any other solution would be similarly welcome.

RME ADI-2 DAC fs, Quad 606-2 power amp, Quad 2805 speakers, B&W PV1d sub with Antimode 8033 Cinema

2 Reply by Curt962 (edited by Curt962 2019-08-13 11:37:11)

  • Registered: 2019-01-07
  • Posts: 1,463

Re: master slave power strips

Willem,

Let's see if we can "Trick" the Olympia with this Mad Science Proposal:

*Plug your ADI-2 and perhaps your other Low Power source components, Anti-Mode, etc into a Single Generic Switchable Power Strip.

*Plug this Power Strip into the Olympia.

*Plug your Amplifier into the Olympia.

*Now we easily exceed it's current sensing threshold so as to cause it to turn on your amplifier.

Difference being that you would now initiate the entire Power Up/Down sequence at the Generic Power Strip, so it NEEDS to be easily accessible.

Hmmm?

Curt

Vintage 2018 ADI-2 DAC. "Classic AKM4490 Edition"
Cables:  Red, and White Ones.
Speakers:  Yes

3 Reply by willem (edited by willem 2019-08-13 12:15:09)

  • willem
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  • Posts: 156

Re: master slave power strips

That is indeed my idea. To be precise, to combine it with the CCA that consumes 1.5 watt. I cannot go too high in joint consumption because these power strips do not work well if the standby consumption is too high (this way it would be about 2 watt in this scenario). I wrote to Olympia asking them if this will work.

RME ADI-2 DAC fs, Quad 606-2 power amp, Quad 2805 speakers, B&W PV1d sub with Antimode 8033 Cinema

4 Reply by Curt962 (edited by Curt962 2019-08-13 14:05:05)

  • Registered: 2019-01-07
  • Posts: 1,463

Re: master slave power strips

Keep in mind Dr, that with my Mad Science Proposal, there is NO stdby current.   As your Low Power devices are plugged into a Generic Power Strip that is in the "Off" Mode...

Not so much as FemtoAmp flows anywhere until you Flip the Switch, and set the Machine in Motion.  smile

ONE SWITCH!!!   It doesn't get much easier. smile

Let's keep it Simple.

Curt

Vintage 2018 ADI-2 DAC. "Classic AKM4490 Edition"
Cables:  Red, and White Ones.
Speakers:  Yes

5 Reply by willem (edited by willem 2019-08-17 20:49:03)

  • willem
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  • Posts: 156

Re: master slave power strips

As I mentioned in another thread: it is working. On its own the measly power consumption of the ADI-2 as master is not enough to switch the slaves on and off reliably. However, with the added 1.5 watt consumption of my CCA the thing works properly. It means the CCA has to stay on all the time but that is not a bad idea since it takes a while for it to power up. But my poweed auto switch for the optical inputs, my Pro-ject Optical box phono pre amp and adc and an optical to coaxial converter for its output are now all switched off, between them saving some 75-100 kilowatt of electricity a year. And of course my Quad 606-2 power amp with its on off switch at the back is now turned on and off by the DAC. And that is how this jouney started.

RME ADI-2 DAC fs, Quad 606-2 power amp, Quad 2805 speakers, B&W PV1d sub with Antimode 8033 Cinema
  • Registered: 2017-11-26
  • Posts: 22

Re: master slave power strips

Another way of doing it would be to use multiple Wifi power plugs like TP-Link HS-100. Using the mobile app you can then create a "scene" that turns on/off any number of devices at once, or individually if you prefer.
Or if convenient in terms of cabling you could just have one, with all the devices plugged into an extension strip.

Mac Mini > Roon > RME ADI-2 DAC > ATC SCM-11 speakers and C1 subwoofer