Innuos LPS1 Linear Power Supply

If you own a STREAM1 and haven't added the LPS1 yet, this is probably the conversation you need to have. The STREAM1 ships with a medical-grade filtered switch-mode power supply — it's not a generic wall wart, but it's still a switch-mode design. The LPS1 replaces it entirely with a proper linear supply: 150VA toroidal transformer, premium Mundorf and Nichicon capacitors, medical-grade AC filtering, and a 4mm chassis ground port. The sonic difference is not subtle. Quieter background, more articulate bass, a more open presentation overall. Users who've home-trialed it consistently describe it as immediately obvious rather than a "burn in for a few weeks and see" situation.

Innuos positions the STREAM1 plus LPS1 combination as the successor to the ZEN Mk3 and PULSE in their lineup. That's meaningful context. The LPS1 isn't a small incremental step — together with the STREAM1's CX regulation stage supplying the output module, it gets you to a level of noise performance that the older platform required more hardware to reach.

What It Does and Why It Matters

A switch-mode power supply converts AC to DC through rapid switching — efficient, compact, and inexpensive to manufacture, but generating electrical noise across a wide frequency range in the process. Even a filtered SMPS pushes some of that noise into the system. Linear power supplies convert AC to DC through a transformer, rectification, and passive filtering. No switching. No switching noise. The power they deliver is simply quieter, and in a digital audio system where everything upstream of your DAC affects what the DAC receives, that quietness has a direct bearing on what you hear.

The LPS1's 150VA toroidal transformer is a step up from the older ZENmini LPSU, which used a smaller transformer and Nichicon capacitors throughout. The LPS1 brings in Mundorf capacitors — significantly better performing components at this application — alongside the Nichicons, and medical-grade AC filtering before the transformer itself. The result is a lower noise floor entering the supply, and a cleaner, more stable voltage leaving it.

The CX regulation stage inside the STREAM1 already handles independent power for the output module. The LPS1 improves the main system supply — processor, memory, storage, everything outside the output module bay. Both matter. The CX stage alone is an improvement over the ZENmini; the CX stage plus LPS1 is the intended full configuration.

Dual Output and the Accessory Supply

The LPS1 has two DC outputs. The primary 19V output feeds the STREAM1. The second output is switchable between 5V and 12V, rated at 1.5A maximum, and is intended for an accessory device — a DAC, a network switch, a router, or similar low-current component. This is genuinely useful. If you're running a small audiophile switch or a USB-powered DAC, pulling that device off a cheap wall wart and onto the LPS1's secondary output reduces one more noise source in the chain. The Innuos community has used this to power everything from small DACs to the entry-level versions of audiophile network switches.

The 4mm chassis ground port allows connection to a ground reference — a star grounding point, a dedicated ground box, or another chassis with its own ground port. Optional, but worth noting for systems where grounding is already part of the picture.

Design and Compatibility

The LPS1 is built to the same half-width footprint as the STREAM1 — identical dimensions, matching 10mm CNC-machined aluminum fascia. Stack it or place it side by side; either way it reads as a unified system rather than an afterthought. Available in black only, matching the STREAM1's single finish option.

Compatibility extends beyond the STREAM1. The LPS1 is fully backwards compatible with the ZENmini Mk3 and the PULSEmini — so if you're running either of those and have been looking for a power supply upgrade, this is the current answer. It replaces the older ZENmini LPSU with a meaningfully better design at a similar price point.

When to Buy It With the STREAM1

Innuos offers 20% off the LPS1 when purchased at the same time as a STREAM1. That's a genuine discount on a component we consider essentially mandatory for getting the best from the platform. The combination is how we'd configure the vast majority of STREAM1 systems. If budget requires staging the purchase, the STREAM1 alone still performs — the CX regulation stage ensures the output module section is well-powered regardless. But the LPS1 completes the picture, and buying it later at full price costs more than buying it now.

Press Recognition

No formal standalone reviews of the LPS1 have been published in major English-language outlets as of this writing — it's a new product, and press tends to cover it as part of the STREAM1 bundle rather than separately. The Fairaudio review of the STREAM1 (which earned their Attractive Price-Performance Ratio award) was conducted with the LPS1 and PerformanceDAC fitted, making it effectively a bundle review. The Audio Tailor (Australia) published dedicated coverage of both the LPS1 and the STREAM1 + LPS1 bundle, concluding the combination sets a new benchmark in the category. We'll update this section as more reviews come in.

In the meantime, the user community response has been consistent: the improvement from SMPS to LPS1 is clear and immediate, not a marginal or system-dependent gain.

Specifications

• Primary Output: 19V DC (for STREAM1, ZENmini Mk3, PULSEmini)
• Secondary Output: Switchable 5V or 12V DC, 1.5A maximum (for accessory devices: DAC, switch, router, etc.)
• Transformer: 150VA toroidal
• Capacitors: Mundorf and Nichicon
• AC Filtering: Medical-grade
• Chassis Ground: 4mm speaker plug port
• Mains: 115V / 230V AC (switchable)
• Compatible Devices: Innuos STREAM1, ZENmini Mk3, PULSEmini
• Chassis: Half-width; 10mm CNC-machined aluminum fascia
• Finish: Black only
• Dimensions: 240 x 200 x 80mm (W x D x H) — matches STREAM1 exactly
• Weight: 3.9 kg
• Country of Origin: Portugal

If you're putting together a STREAM1 system and want to talk through how the LPS1 fits — or whether the secondary output will work for whatever else you're running — reach out. It's a straightforward upgrade with a clear answer.