Best external USB storage solution for Innuos Pulse?

[davide256]

I am switching from PC/Audirvana to an Innuos Pulse and in doing so will lose WAV pack support. Since I found native WAV files at 7xx rates untenable

for NAS storage/ streaming, I'm pondering using a few large drives (4-8TB) USB3 attached to the Pulse. Is there a better choice for drives/storage enclosures

to minimize electrical noise into the Pulse?

[The Computer Audiophile]

38 minutes ago, davide256 said:

I am switching from PC/Audirvana to an Innuos Pulse and in doing so will lose WAV pack support. Since I found native WAV files at 7xx rates untenable

for NAS storage/ streaming, I'm pondering using a few large drives (4-8TB) USB3 attached to the Pulse. Is there a better choice for drives/storage enclosures

to minimize electrical noise into the Pulse?

Something like this would be perfect for your situation. It's called an Optically Isolated USB Hub, but I can't verify it's really optically isolated internally and it's only USB 1.1/2.0. 

 

https://www.sealevel.com/product/hub7i-optically-isolated-7-port-usb-hub/

[davide256]

23 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Something like this would be perfect for your situation. It's called an Optically Isolated USB Hub, but I can't verify it's really optically isolated internally and it's only USB 1.1/2.0. 

 

https://www.sealevel.com/product/hub7i-optically-isolated-7-port-usb-hub/

makes directional sense. Will test first with a cheap USB hub to make sure the Pulse behaves well with a hub and then look for like USB 3 solutions

[davide256]

hah, who is surprised, Intona has USB3 isolators

 

https://intona.eu/en/products/buy/7055/7055-d

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

2 minutes ago, davide256 said:

hah, who is surprised, Intona has USB3 isolators

 

https://intona.eu/en/products/buy/7055/7055-d

 

Very cool. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

4 minutes ago, davide256 said:

hah, who is surprised, Intona has USB3 isolators

 

https://intona.eu/en/products/buy/7055/7055-d

 

Will this have enough ports for you? I'm interested to see the solution you end up with. 

[davide256]

1 minute ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Will this have enough ports for you? I'm interested to see the solution you end up with. 

Thinking that if a hub works with the Pulse, it should work with an Intona isolator between the Pulse and the hub. Not a lot of differentiation in

looking at hubs, perhaps use something like this with the Intona as I can't see needing more than 4 large drives?

 

https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Unibody-Aluminum-Portable-Notebook/dp/B00O0KISQE?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&smid=A294P4X9EWVXLJ&th=1

[The Computer Audiophile]

10 minutes ago, davide256 said:

Thinking that if a hub works with the Pulse, it should work with an Intona isolator between the Pulse and the hub. Not a lot of differentiation in

looking at hubs, perhaps use something like this with the Intona as I can't see needing more than 4 large drives?

 

https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Unibody-Aluminum-Portable-Notebook/dp/B00O0KISQE?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&smid=A294P4X9EWVXLJ&th=1

Those are made very well. I have the 7 port version. 

 

I've also used USB drives like this with good success - https://www.amazon.com/ORICO-Enclosure-Aluminum-Docking-Expansion/dp/B0BY28GT3K/ref=sr_1_3

 

or this - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DLTTDTV/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1

[davide256]

16 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Those are made very well. I have the 7 port version. 

 

I've also used USB drives like this with good success - https://www.amazon.com/ORICO-Enclosure-Aluminum-Docking-Expansion/dp/B0BY28GT3K/ref=sr_1_3

 

or this - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DLTTDTV/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1

That does look ideal. I have a Gustard R26 arriving about the same time as the Pulse,  so will wait a bit for the dust to settle  before adding external drives into

the mix. I am really curious to see if NAS becomes unnecessary using a Pulse.

[Gustave]

As far as I know, Innuos devices don't support music files on local USB drives and Innuos recommends to store your music on a server or NAS.

 

Their website says: 'Do be aware we have not supported this function to date because the amount of noise this places on the USB subsystem is quite severe, so sound quality does suffer.'

 

see: https://feedback.innuos.com/b/feature-requests/read-music-files-in-a-usb-pen-drive/

 

 

[kennyb123]

3 hours ago, Gustave said:

Their website says: 'Do be aware we have not supported this function to date because the amount of noise this places on the USB subsystem is quite severe, so sound quality does suffer.'

An isolator might keep the USB drive from passing noise into the server, but the server itself will generate noise when interacting with the USB subsystem.  This sounds like a good recommendation from Innuos.