 
|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
|
|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
24.2.96.14
In Reply to: RE: Low Cost High Speed USB Isolator? posted by Mkohagen on September 06, 2014 at 17:43:17
All of the USB isolators that Abe displays in his response are full speed (12Mbps) USB isolators, which are fine for use with slower speed audio devices. Higher speed audio and video output and input devices use high speed USB (480Mbps). Many Audio Asylum inmates have expressed in the past the need for a high speed USB isolator to eliminate a ground loop between their audio device and their PC that is causing noise in their audio. Such a device is currently very expensive, usually requiring a card installed in the PC or an expensive optical extender hub (www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/HW/USB_Isolator.htm). But the technology is just now becoming available to make a high speed USB isolator that could be priced in the $100-$150 range. This device would look like an oversized USB drive.
Follow Ups:
For $199, we have the iFi USB Power which has a ground lift function, a usb filter and a high quality regenerated 5V.
For $99 we have the Wyrd USB Decrapifier for which I do not have first hand knowledge but the information behind the product sounds good.
Both have been tested on by Audiostream and I agree with the finding for the USB Popwer.
An upowered fob will not be able to supply a clean and separate 5V. I would therefore not be happy with parting with $100-150 for one.
Except the Adnaco USB fiber device there are no real isolaters I am aware of. If talking about isolation I talk about 100% galvanic isolation of data, power and ground.
The devices you're bringing up here are filters that reduce certain noise a couple of db.
Just one of the factors. Optics have their own signal integrity problems.
Like most things in this world. 100% on one parameter can cause material degradation in others.
Noise is one of the key issues. That's gonna be covered. Much better then any of the filters you mentioned before. You can add Steve Ns filter and others to the list.
You can't compare Toslink and an asynchronous optical USB link.
The majority of professional data networks are optical.
Data integrity shouldn't be an issue.
The key will be the quality of the active transceiver unit.
How good will it convert and reclock the optical stream?
How good will will be its own power supply and its 5V source?
How much distortions will the transceiver inject into stream itself?
Cheers
you so certain about all this? Have you made measurements and conducted listening tests with high quality dacs and audio chain?
I've been running optical USB (1.0) for years. The receiving end was powered by a TeddyReg. I considered this a great solution. Unfortunately USB 1.0 wasn't sufficiant anymore.
iFi states 5db noise reduction with the iFi purifier!
You just need to read the specs.
They (those passive filters) get the noise that low that the bits are no longer that much affected. (That's what the marketing says). That doesn't mean though that the remaining noise -- whatever noise and other distortions or interferences we're talking about - won't creap into the DAC to affect other critical parts of it through the backdoor.
Obviously there are other effects with USB. Such as crosstalk between the lines. That's why you'll even find highpriced split USB cables to buy nowadays.
Or People cut the power line. Shorten the cable....
These problems are also gone with optical.
Cheers
A filter that colours sounds in high quality systems.
You're talking about iFi products. Same technology inside.
High quality devices (should) come with sophistcated filtering built-in.
If any of these devices respond to any of those tweaks in a positive way, I wouldn't consider them "sophisticated".
In case you own such a "sophistcated" device and you then apply "double" filtering, by e.g. introducing an USB filter, you can easily make things worse.
You might run into overdampening. You can't blame iFi for that.
Unfortunately you never know what a manufacturer has done about filtering.
That's IMO one reason why, for some those tweaks will work, for others there's no difference, for you it makes things worse. Fair enough.
With optical you wouldn't run into the overdampening trap.
Easy test. It worked on my Fireface UCX. Just add a small resistance to your the USB ground lead. And then you increase it.
You'll hear the difference.
There's no black or white.
Enjoy.
Absolutely different
There are plenty of theoretical reasons why Toslink (yes, yes, I know, it's not the same) should be superior to SPDIF. There are (were) plenty of people insisting that it's indeed better, citing galvanic isolation.
None of that changes the fact that it sounds thoroughly inferior - whether by design, or most likely by implementation. In case with optical USB, just citing reasons why it should be better is just as meaningless - and non-experiential - as with Toslink.
The problem with optical links lie in the imperfect transducer, due to signal conversion and refractive index and light scatter issues.
Toshlink just sounds inferior. I have only ever found one cable that seems to produce the goods. The touted glass ones are only just ok.
Post a Followup:
| FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]