Wyrd

93.109.130.121

Posted on January 26, 2015 at 09:28:43

fmak
Audiophile

Posts: 13158
Location: Kent
Joined: June 1, 2002

I finally got one.

First impression:

Four very sharp corners on the top plate. One screw on the top plate was forced into the bottom section and did not look right. The back sockets were not secured onto the box and insertion and removal of cables meant that the circuit board was made to wobble significantly.

I consider the above to be defects that should not be there even in a low cost component.

It took quite a bit of effort to sort all of the above, including filing the sharp edges off! The various in-out connectors were secured using heat shrink to enlarge the sizes of the connectors - fiddly!

Listening with the unit in place:

There is a major improvement in SQ when using the Wyrd in a general purpose computer.

I shall need to compare it with the iFi usb power but I do like the unit.

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RE: Wyrd

Ryelands

02:58:58 01/27/15

5

RE: Wyrd-Install Issue

fmak

08:32:56 01/27/15

2

RE: Wyrd-Install Issue

Ryelands

09:37:40 01/27/15

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RE: Wyrd

Ryelands

02:58:58 01/27/15

5

RE: Wyrd-Install Issue

fmak

08:32:56 01/27/15

2

RE: Wyrd-Install Issue

Ryelands

09:37:40 01/27/15

RE: Wyrd-Install Issue

Bob_C

21:20:47 01/27/15

RE: Wyrd

Mercman

06:38:59 01/27/15

RE: Wyrd-slight damage in shipping.

fmak

08:30:10 01/27/15

RE: Wyrd

Sprezza Tura

10:54:06 01/26/15

5

RE: Wyrd-iUSB Power

fmak

22:12:22 01/26/15

RE: Wyrd-iUSB Power

Sprezza Tura

07:59:40 01/27/15

RE: Wyrd

Mercman

11:03:47 01/26/15

2

RE: Wyrd

soundchekk

01:06:57 01/27/15

RE: Wyrd

Sprezza Tura

11:16:24 01/26/15

what does it do ?.................nt

Cut-Throat

10:26:46 01/26/15

what does it do ?.................nt, posted on January 26, 2015 at 10:26:46
Cut-Throat Audiophile Posts: 18285 Location: Minneapolis - St.Paul Area Joined: September 2, 2000 Contributor Since: May 16, 2021	nt

RE: Wyrd, posted on January 26, 2015 at 10:54:06
Sprezza Tura Audiophile Posts: 4585 Location: New York City Joined: August 24, 2012	PLEASE report comparison to the iUSB. I am in the market for use with the SOtM mini server. Thanks.

RE: Wyrd, posted on January 26, 2015 at 11:03:47

Mercman
Audiophile

Posts: 6581
Location: So. CA
Joined: October 20, 2002

I felt that the Wyrd sounded better than the iUSB. But, when I used the HDPlex power supply for the iUSB, I liked the iUSB better than the Wyrd.

2 of my friends that have the iUSB tried it with the HDPlex and also liked it better than the stock power supply. In fact, they thought the sound was much better.

What is better?

I felt that the iUSB was bright sounding with its standard power supply. The Wyrd was more neutral sounding. Connecting the HDPlex to the iUSB resulted in a bigger, more relaxed sound, with no brightness.

RE: Wyrd, posted on January 26, 2015 at 11:16:24
Sprezza Tura Audiophile Posts: 4585 Location: New York City Joined: August 24, 2012	Very interesting findings. Thank you very much.

RE: Wyrd-iUSB Power, posted on January 26, 2015 at 22:12:22

fmak
Audiophile

Posts: 13158
Location: Kent
Joined: June 1, 2002

They are different in nature of operation. iUSB provides 5V with heavy filtering and superregulator using switcher as input power. I agree with Merman on better SQ with a better mains preregulator. If I rememember correctly, the usb line is also filtered. There is no regeneration of the usb portion. It allows 5V to be removed from the PC usb port source. The Wyrd is a new usb port with it's own clock XO and power supply from a uA 723 chip and dc supply from a 6V ac source. It does not work without 5V from the PC.

On first listen, the two are apple and oranges. The Wyrd has more rhythm and has an immediate impact on the way music is played from a every day W8.1 PC. The iUSB with HQ 9V linear supply sounds very 'civilising' and perhaps less immediate. I would want to try daisy chaining the two in my main system when this has warmed up after 2 months.

All in all, I suggest trying both if possible buying the iFi used. My own take is that the result will depend on your system, your mains isolation, and your usb cabling.

Recently I was in Hong Kong and the iFi range is on sale in retail shops.So do some searching for prices.

RE: Wyrd, posted on January 27, 2015 at 01:06:57

soundchekk
Audiophile

Posts: 2426
Joined: July 11, 2007

As soon as the iUSB was launched it's been communicated on the net that swapping the PS for a better one makes a difference.

I guess Thorsten thought the PS to feed the iUSB is "good enough", since the iUSB measured "good enough" from his perspective.
Or his marketing said: It's "good enough". We need some space left for next year.
Or the AMR branch makes sure that iFi with its product line won't surpasses the red "good enough" line towards "serious" audio.

OK. There's nothing wrong with it. The problem is if product associated marketing phrases "The quietest USB Supply ever", "Quieter than a battery", "IsoEarth", "never been anything like that", you name it, set highest expectations.
I'd be very disappointed, if I'd realize that swapping just the simple wall wart kind of nils these phrases.

However. Things need to be put into perspective. People must understand that you compare a well made $350 PS against a probably $20 PS. If there wouldn't be a difference you'd again blown plenty of bucks on your "hobby" and I'd take my hat off to Thorsten (Not sure if you would say it this way in US ;) ).
Interesting to me is, that it requires 2 friends for confirmation. ;)

Enjoy.

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RE: Wyrd, posted on January 27, 2015 at 02:58:58

Ryelands
Audiophile

Posts: 1867
Location: Scotland
Joined: January 9, 2009

There is a major improvement in SQ when using the Wyrd in a general purpose computer.

Agreed.

My main, "ultra-slimmed" Fit-PC2 setup (unsurprisingly) wouldn't recognise the Wyred so I tried it with a not-so-slim setup. The sound was certainly nice and clear and I was initially enthusiastic about the device but, after several hours listening, we began to hear an "edge" to it that had me scurrying back to the ultra-slim setup. I've repeated the trial several times and have confidence in my result. (The DAC BTW is a decent TDA1541A setup with a WaveIO asynch USB-to-I2S board.)

I did wonder whether, were I to repeat the "slimming" with the Wyred in the system, I'd hear an improvement compared to direct connection but, in view of the hours of mind-numbingly tedious work that would entail, decided that a little wondering was good for the soul.

OTOH, I'm now using the Wyred to drive a cheapo DAC on my "back room" system. Though it's a dedicated box, not a general-purpose computer, it does use a pretty old Atom board and an OS that has been only lightly "slimmed". Results are excellent compared to the relatively unfocussed, unconvincing sound that characterises PC audio "out of the box".

In short, it seems to me to be good at what its designers claim it's good at. It stays.

BTW, I had no issues with construction quality, which seems pretty good given the price.

Dave

RE: Wyrd, posted on January 27, 2015 at 06:38:59
Mercman Audiophile Posts: 6581 Location: So. CA Joined: October 20, 2002	I agree with Dave about the construction quality. No issues here. Perhaps fmak's Wyrd sustained slight damage in shipping.

RE: Wyrd-iUSB Power, posted on January 27, 2015 at 07:59:40
Sprezza Tura Audiophile Posts: 4585 Location: New York City Joined: August 24, 2012	Very much appreciate the detail. At $99 the Wyrd is pretty low risk. And I would also put stock in what you say it may be system and cable dependent to a great extent.

RE: Wyrd-slight damage in shipping., posted on January 27, 2015 at 08:30:10
fmak Audiophile Posts: 13158 Location: Kent Joined: June 1, 2002	None, very well packed, just bad assembly workmanship. The wobbly pcb connectors are unacceptable for prolonged use and must be fixed. There is no excuse for forcing a screw thru , presumably with a power tool.

RE: Wyrd-Install Issue, posted on January 27, 2015 at 08:32:56
fmak Audiophile Posts: 13158 Location: Kent Joined: June 1, 2002	With minimised XP, it may be necessary to goto Device Manager to install/update usb devices. I have one such system. Do it, and the Wyrd should register.

RE: Wyrd-Install Issue, posted on January 27, 2015 at 09:37:40

Ryelands
Audiophile

Posts: 1867
Location: Scotland
Joined: January 9, 2009

With minimised XP, it may be necessary to go to Device Manager to install/update usb devices.

Thanks for the tip but there's slimming and there's Xtreme slimming. (The latter doesn't beat Xtreme ironing but it comes close.)

In Xtreme Slimming, Device Manager goes early doors, enumeration not long after. The latter BTW made for a bigger SQ change than just about anything - the OS doesn't even know there's more than one USB port on the board, enabled or disabled.

I was planning some day to discover what changes in the Registry when the hub is recognised on a normal system and copy the new/amended entries over manually. The trick has worked for other changes such as adding new network shares and changing the make of the boot HDD.

Dave

http://xtremeironing.com/

RE: Wyrd-Install Issue, posted on January 27, 2015 at 21:20:47
Bob_C Audiophile Posts: 2667 Location: NY Joined: July 31, 2000	"(The latter doesn't beat Xtreme ironing but it comes close.) " LOL

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Wyrd

93.109.130.121