Find your Perfect Power Match
Sbooster offers upgrade solutions for thousands of audio devices. Use our guide to find the right match for your Router, Streamer, Turntable, DAC, or any other device with an external power supply in your audio chain.
Digital Playback: Streamers, Network Bridges & CD Transports
"Garbage in, garbage out —
your source dictates the ceiling of your audio system."
While a streamer or CD transport only processes binary data, clock timing and digital output stages are exquisitely sensitive to electrical noise. Standard, mass-produced switched-mode power supplies ("wall-warts") inject high-frequency noise and ripple voltage directly into your digital source signal.
How a Sbooster BOTW MKII elevates your streaming experience:
Eliminates Digital 'Hash': Blocks high-frequency grid contamination at the source, delivering a pristine digital stream to your DAC.
Maximum Clock Stability: A ripple-free DC current ensures the internal master clock pulses with pinpoint accuracy, dramatically reducing jitter.
The Sonic Result: Profound quiet between notes ("blacker background"), a tighter and more authoritative bass response, and the complete removal of harsh digital glare.
Popular upgrades in our finder: Bluesound Node (N130/X/N132), WiiM Pro/Pro Plus, Lumin U1/U2-mini, Auralic Aries, and Pro-Ject Stream Box.
Converters & DACs: Unleashing Your Analog Output
"The most critical transformation in your
entire audio chain."
Your Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) performs the delicate miracle of converting digital data into a subtle analog music signal. Because the analog output stage of a DAC relies directly on its DC power rail, any noise or ripple on the power line is directly amplified into your music.
Why a linear power supply is essential for external DACs:
Ultra-Clean Reference Voltage: Internal DAC chips and op-amps receive the stable, noise-free current required to achieve their full dynamic range.
Uncover Micro-Details: Subtle acoustic cues, room decay, and delicate instrumental textures—previously masked by noise—effortlessly emerge.
The Sonic Result: A holographic 3D soundstage, fluid instrumental timbre, and an analog-like musicality that lets you listen for hours without fatigue.
Popular upgrades in our finder: Chord Qutest / 2Qute, RME ADI-2 DAC, iFi ZEN DAC, Geshelli Labs, and Musical Fidelity MX-DAC.
The Foundation of Analog Silence: Turntables
Vinyl playback is a delicate mechanical process. While many focus on the cartridge or tonearm, the power supply is often the weakest link in the chain.
1. Motor Stability: Standard "wall wart" adapters often struggle to deliver consistent current. This leads to micro-fluctuations in the motor's speed ("wow & flutter"), affecting the pitch and timing of your music. A linear Sbooster supply acts as a stable anchor, allowing the motor to run smoothly and with greater torque.
2. The Cartridge (The Antenna Effect): Your phono cartridge is extremely sensitive to electromagnetic fields. Standard switching power supplies generate a cloud of High-Frequency noise (RFI). Since the turntable is an open system, your cartridge picks up this electronic "smog" like an antenna. This noise is then amplified thousands of times by your phono stage. By replacing the noisy switcher with a clean Sbooster solution, you remove this interference at the source. The result? A pitch-black background where every detail of the groove is revealed.
The Source of your Signal: Routers & Switches
In modern high-end audio, the network is often the primary source. Whether you stream via Tidal, Qobuz, or a local NAS, the data starts at your router. Unfortunately, the standard power adapters supplied with ISP modems and commercial routers are major sources of high-frequency noise.
The Problem: This electrical noise (RFI/EMI) doesn't just stay in the router; it travels along the Ethernet cables directly into your sensitive streamer or DAC, clouding the signal before it is even converted to music.
The Upgrade: Replacing the stock power supply of your Router (e.g., FRITZ!Box, Netgear) or Audio Grade Switch (e.g., Silent Angel, English Electric, SOtM) with a linear Sbooster BOTW P&P ECO stops this pollution at the source.
The Result: A significantly lower noise floor, resulting in a more natural, fluid, and defined soundstage.
Compatibility per category, some examples
| Category | Popular Examples | Sbooster Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Streamers | WiiM (Pro / Ultra), Bluesound Node | 5V (WiiM) or 5-6V + AIB for N130/X/N132 & 5V Nano |
| High-End Streamers | Lumin (D1, D2, U1 Mini, U2 Mini) | BOTW 12V + Lumin Connection Kit |
| DACs | Harmony Laiv, Chord (Qutest), Mytek | Check Voltage (5V, 12V, or 15V) |
| Turntables (DC Motor) | Dr. Feickert, Clearaudio, Rega (24V models) | BOTW P&P ECO (DC) - Check Voltage! |
| Turntables (AC Motor) | Thorens (TD-160/166), Pro-Ject (AC models) | BOTW AC (16V or 24V AC) |
| Phono Stages | Benz Micro (PP1), Musical Fidelity, iFi | Check Voltage & Connector |
| Network | Silent Angel, English Electric, FRITZ!Box | Often 5V or 12V (Check sticker!) |
| Music Servers | Roon Nucleus, Intel NUC | BOTW 19V (See important note below*) |
Intel NUC: The 40W Limit
Intel NUCs are excellent as Roon Core servers. However, standard stock adapters (often 65W or 90W) are rated for "worst-case scenarios" where the CPU and GPU are maxed out.
For high-end audio playback (Roon Server), the power consumption is much lower. The Sbooster BOTW 19V is the perfect audiophile upgrade, provided the NUC stays within the power limits of our linear supply.
Compatibility Check (The 40W Rule): To safely use an Sbooster with an Intel NUC, the power consumption during maximum stress tests must not exceed 40 Watts.
Benchmarks: Check reviews (e.g., nucblog) for the "Prime95" or "3DMark Time Spy" stress test results for your specific NUC model.
Verdict: If the max power draw in these tests is < 40W, the Sbooster BOTW 19V is a perfect match. If it exceeds 40W, the NUC is too demanding for a linear power supply during peak loads.
Not in the list?
Do the check.
Check Voltage (V): Must match exactly (e.g., 12V).
Check Polarity: Almost all audio devices are "Center Positive", but always check the symbol.
Check Connector: a variety of DC tips are stocked supplied for each model.
Handmade special connector for Miracord 80
Each of our upgrade linear power supplies is stock supplied with a wide range of DC-plugs.
I.e. our BOTW P&P ECO 5-6V MKII is stock supplied with 9 OEM DC-plugs (including micro USB and USB C plugs).
In total we have 16 OEM DC plugs in our program. This makes our power supplies very versatile. Here is an overview of stock supplied DC-plugs per BOTW P&P ECO MKII.
Okay, now we have technically a match, how about the improvement?
Besides a technical power consumption match between our upgrade power supply and an audio, or video device for that matter, we think, that it is important, that the compatibility check also answers the question, whether the combination is sonically and/or visually a match as well. The goal is to upgrade a device to a better performance, and not merely to change something.
If we receive feedback from a customer or our resellers, that a combination does not lead to a significant improvement, in other words
- “the DNA of the products do not match’ - we do not put the combination on our compatibility list.If we have a match for the power rating and a quality improvement, then we place the product combination on our compatibility list.
Please note: our compatibility list is not limitative. So, if a product is not listed, it does not per se means, that there is no match. We just don’t know each and every audio and video device. Do you want to upgrade your device, but your product is not listed, don’t hesitate and send us an email. We are happy to check the compatibility for you!