USB interfacing: isolate or filter

[ittaly]

The AQ Jitterbug FMJ and Hifime High-Speed USB Isolator v2 are ROUGHLY in the same price "category". $50-$70

The first filters only while the latter also isolates. So noise issue may be better dealt with the isolator.

Not sure about SUBJECTIVE sonics of either component.

[bogi]

There are many threads on this forum discussing this type of devices. To find them, try in Google search for example:

jitterbug site:audiophilestyle.com

For example this one: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/30593-group-test-usb-gadgets-aq-jitterbug-uptone-regen-ifi-iusb30-ipurifier-ipurifier2-update-on-p15…/#comments

 

According to user opinions Jitterbug is easily outperformed by other devices in it's price range. Among two devices you named Hifime high speed isolator looks for me more interesting (I didn't have the opportunity to test it yet).  Look at other devices too. For example those in my signature.

 

Be aware that opinions about sound are always subjective so different people can have different opinions on the same thing. Best approach is to borrow a device or to buy a device which you can easily ship back.

 

 

 

 

[ittaly]

Thx for the link! That's a long thread with quite a bit of detail.

One thing I did note is that the thread is quite dated now (2019 last post).

The cost-effective ~$7.00 480Mbps isolator chips (TI and AD, eg. ADUM 4066) have only come out in the last 2 years. And it is these chips that new and cheap $50.00 (Hifime v2) or very $$$$ $1600.00 [Gieseler Audio] devices are based around.

[bogi]

Those chips are primarily about galvanic isolation. Yes, they are new. Products like Hifime v2 you mentioned and also Topping HS01, HS02 are using them. Or the more costly Intona products. There are also some industrial isolators based on these chips which are not much known how they perform in audio world.

 

There are many devices of this kind which don't do galvanic isolation but they still improve sound. They may address filtering and reclocking on better level than devices which primarily perform galvanic isolation. For example I hear clear difference if I don't use iSilencers in my setup.

 

More recent discussion on the topic is for example this one: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/68172-wavelength-audio-usb-spacelator

 

[gfroman]

Latest streaming tweak I just ordered.

I currently have a Paul Pang Quad Switch > Aurender N30SA music server > Emm Labs DV2 DA/Preamp.

Will be getting in this Network Acoustics Muon PRO filter that will go in after the switch and before the Aurender.

Hoping for great results!

 

 

 

[ittaly]

The "Network Acoustics Muon PRO filter " is an Ethernet filter, so not really USB. Also there are I2s isolators that are also in a confusingly separate product category (right down to the core IC, e.g., ADUM 1400, ISO 7240, etc)

See:

http://www.pavouk.org/hw/modulardac/en_i2sisolator.html

From the other thread, I did know about the Topping product from the recent pfS video ...

 

 

....but not the Wavelength product.

If you have inside views or detailed info about ICs used or topology, for any device, that's of particular interest to me, because I'm more of DIY person.

 

Found this inside pic on a Chinese site:

 

Note that the IC has been obfuscated -- sanded --  by manuf. I assume. Anyone know what IC that might be?

BTW: it the older chips / devices might sound just as good (if not better) with audio below high-rez DSD or 24/192.

[audiobomber]

I have some USB cleaning devices: iFi Audio iDefender 3.0 (with and without external power), iFi iPurifier2 and Nobsound USB isolator with external power. They are great with my Raspberry Pi 3B+, variably useful with my Dell Inspiron laptop and unacceptable with my sMS-200 renderer.

 

I've found these devices useful with several DAC's; Korg DS-DAC-10R, Topping D50S, Schiit Modi 3, Modius and Eitr. The USB Isolator was awesome with the RPi and Eitr, but is incompatible with the Modius, which does not accept USB 1.0 devices. I didn't have the Nobsound when I owned the Audiolab 8200CD DAC, but the iFi devices compromised the sound.

 

Currently I'm only using the iPurifier2, with the laptop and Modius. I've never bothered to try them with my exaSound renderer or DAC because I know it would be a waste of time. They are best used with lower end gear, where they can make up for deficiencies in the DAC or streamer. If you're looking for bang-for-buck, I would say the iFi iPurifier3 is a safe bet.