USB Nervosa Thread Decrapifiers, pro interfaces, and bears oh my

@zerodeefex - I guess I can exit this thread now, my DAC is wayyyy less than $1000.

 

your not missing many measurements just live impressions from what I can tell from your posts XD
it is pretty much the best dac you can buy... now whether you can hear a difference between this and a lower/higher end DAC is up to you

 

I have both, equipment over 1k and work DAC under $300 (Schiit Mdi MB), they both benefited from decrapafying.

 

I think the Wyrd helps with my setup too, nice and quiet from my PC USB connection, but I am sure it is more noticeable with higher-end DACs

 

I don't think the initial post is trying to say there's no benefit to using USB de-crapifiers with lower end DACs, just that it's not going to give you as big an improvement as spending a similar amount of money elsewhere in your chain (unless your USB source is absolutely horrendous).

For example, adding a Wyrd to a Modi 2 is simply not going to be as big a step forward as moving to Modi MB.

 

As a general comment, rather than responding to anyone in particular ...

The biggest benefits aren't going to come from USB "re-clockers", as that's pretty much irrelevant in the world of USB 2.0 Async Audio. Any benefit such units bring is much more likely to come from how they handle power and them being lower in electrical noise than direct connections, since USB 2.0 Async DACs must do their own internal clocking anyway.

Using a USB -> S/PDIF bridge is a very different thing and, depending on the DAC you're feeding it's clock implementation can be absolutely critical.

But, if you're going to use a USB de-crapifier (USB in, USB out) with cheaper DACs then you'll typically see the largest improvements using one that completely isolates power from the source and separates out the power-supply feed from it's USB chipset entirely (e.g. Wyrd) and then use a cable that KEEPS the data and power lines separate. There are quite a few such cables, though a good number of them simply do not meet the USB spec (doing daft things with the data lines, like just running exotic hook-up wire in straight runs, rather than actually using the proper materials, geometry and configuration to get the proper characteristic impedance).

Fortunately, testing "audiophile" USB cables for their data-carrying performance isn't that hard, from a "is this making things worse" perspective. Try the test I talk about in this post before you commit money to any "audiophile" USB cable. If your data through put on that test drops from one cable to another, you're getting increasing bit-level errors plain and simple, and USB Audio cannot correct those ... so all other things being equal you'll want to stick to cables that give the best data-throughput while keeping power lines separate from the data lines.

 

please give ur impression on the AES with your Yggdrasil wanna see your impression of it

 

Hi guys, My Mutec MC-3+ that I bought from RKML0007 has arrived, and now I am confused on how to pair this with Gungnir Multibit, any tips?. I am planning to use Gungnir Multibit BNC input for this, and the chain should be Computer USB -> Uptone Regen -> Mutec MC-3+ -> Gungnir Multibit

Thanks in advance

 

I'm not sure if this one has been posted yet, but iFi has yet another doohickey up their sleeve:
http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-isilencer3-0/

I entered a random draw for it over at audiocircle. If I get it, I'll probably let you boys in the US have a crack at it first.

 

If your Mutec 3+ does not include a USB input (MC-3+ USB version) then the USB data connection won't be able to 'plug in' to the 3+.

JJ

 

So the more you plug, the betterer it becomes.
Cthulhu, iFi version?

(Weirdly there's 0 pictures of the actual unit in the website, only 1 render from the USB end (very helpful, iFi/AMR...))

 

Gotta love the nervosa marketing!

 

Yet another one: http://www.ideonaudio.com/product/3r-usb.html

 

Ya know…
It used to be buried in the marketing pages that the active noise cancellation was bandwidth limited to the audio band.
Which means that it wasn't any where near as effective at the frequencies that the data stream actually operates at.
And looking their current page I no longer see that claim…

That is why I refer to them as if-y.

Just my 2¢

JJ

 

Making a cable that splits USB power and signal source takes half an hour with basic soldering. Buy two decent USB cables, like Belkin gold, cut one in half, in the second one expose the red and black wires. Cut the red wire of the second cable and connect to the red of the first wire. The black wire, ground, has to be common. Then connect the power head to a good battery bank, and the data to you computer.
The funny part some avid audiophiles managed to see huge improvement in spite of the fact that their DAC USB port was..powered from the DAC not the computer.
But on a cheap DAC like Audioengine D1 it can make a significant difference. Not a good long term solution but try it first before spending $250 on the iFi stuff that may not even work in your setup.

 

Yep, that's the best way for someone to do a basic cable of that nature. Using hacked-apart pre-made USB cables means you don't have to worry about achieving the proper characteristic impedance and transmission line characteristics for the data-pair.

Another is to use a single USB cable, never connect the power-lines, and simply use an external feed into those connections. I did one of those here (bottom image in that post):



Lots of "audiophile" USB cables just use four separate runs of fancy wire, do a basic twist on the data pair, and fall way out of spec for doing so.

 

I got myself an Ideon Audio 3R, usb renaissance.

This is a Greek company and the designer is an acquaintance of mine. I am in no way affiliated though to them.

http://www.ideonaudio.com/product/3r-usb.html

It is supposed to redrive, recklock and regenerate hence the 3R name.

In my system* it gives better staging, imaging with better instrument separation and positioning, slight increase in detail and a little more bass. Overall a worthwhile improvement.

* Nas/rpi2/linear psu, Ideon 3R, Xmos based receiver (diyinhk)/Soekris DAM R2R sign magnitude dac/Salas Bib/Reflector regulation, Mark Levinson 380S pre, Musical Fidelity K550 Superchargers power amps, B@W 801 Matrix S3 speakers.

I have also supplied the 3R with a regulated linear power supply from diynhk. USB cables are Belkin Gold.

In various tests conducted in various systems we found that the effect is system dependent and some improved while others not so much (cant say though they worsened).

Have this product also in mind, it might improve things.

 

It gets better. There is a picture on CA where someone put a hub in the USB signal path just to stick three more iSilencers in the spare ports. The only thing more profitable than USB purification is crack cocaine, but that's illegal.

 

I'd bet it isn't. To spec that is.

Most of the "special" USB cables I've seen are so far off the characteristic impedance, and signal timing (due to improbably unequal wire lengths) specs that it's never surprising when they result in a drop in data transfer rate of 80% or more.

I should start selling these (which is to-spec), if the that's the kind of price that shit fetches: