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iFi iDAC & iUSBPower appreciation thread - Page 2

post #16 of 32
3/4/13 at 10:14am
Thread Starter 

If I connect to a powered DAC, do I need to connect the iUSB to a power supply?

I know it will work without the power supply (Asus Xonar Muses edition worked), but will the iUSB be working in its full potential?

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post #17 of 32
3/5/13 at 11:31am

Hi,

To whom it may concern. 

iFi have just posted a new version of their USB Audio Driver for Windows and the iDAC.

 

Installed it, cannot say I noticed an appreciable difference, just works fine.

Maybe it is mainly for the Windows 8 crowd?


http://ifi-audio.com/en/download.html

 

Cheers Rich

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post #18 of 32
3/7/13 at 6:06pm

A little bit off topic, but I just posted a review of the iFi iCAN amp today. If the amp is any indicator, I imagine the dac is quite nice.

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post #19 of 32
3/19/13 at 11:45pm

Would the iFi iUSB improve the sound of the HRT Music Streamer ii+?  I'm almost certain, based on the review I've read, that it WOULD improve the new Music Streamer HD, which I could then move up to after getting the iFi iUSB.

 

Also, the O2 is unusable for my HE-500 using an iMac->HRT MSii+->O2.  This isn't a problem for my Magni in place of the O2.  I'm getting into squabbles about the O2, since I find it inferior to the Magni for the the HE-500 and I'm curious if the problem is that I'm running the MSii+ directly from the iMac.

 

Thoughts?

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post #20 of 32
3/19/13 at 11:49pm

Also, I'm confused by this product.  It has two usb ins and nothing else.  How then, is it powered?

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post #21 of 32
3/20/13 at 1:15am
Sorry, looked it up and understand now that the dual USB out is for the dual USB cable they've got coming out and power cable port is on the other side.
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post #22 of 32
3/20/13 at 9:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by turokrocks View Post

If I connect to a powered DAC, do I need to connect the iUSB to a power supply?
I know it will work without the power supply (Asus Xonar Muses edition worked), but will the iUSB be working in its full potential?
The way I read it, the whole POINT is that it's a dedicated, noise free, independent power source. So yeah, plug it in.
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post #23 of 32
3/20/13 at 11:00pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by disastermouse View Post


The way I read it, the whole POINT is that it's a dedicated, noise free, independent power source. So yeah, plug it in.

 

Thank you.

 

I am so much busy these days to do any impressions or reviews....

 

I just want to mention, that my DACPORT LX do benefit from the ifiusb...a lot!

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post #24 of 32
3/22/13 at 7:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by turokrocks View Post

Thank you.

I am so much busy these days to do any impressions or reviews....

I just want to mention, that my DACPORT LX do benefit from the ifiusb...a lot!
I'm hoping to use it with an HRT MS HD when I eventually upgrade from my MSii+.
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post #25 of 32
3/27/13 at 8:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CB3874 View Post

Hello,

 

I've been racking my brain the last couple of months on which DAC I should acquire to replace my Fiio E17 in my rig ( Rega Brio-R, iMac, Wharfedale Diamond 10.2). The ifi iDac & iUSB are strong contenders.  I'm stuck on the following :

 

 

DACs Model
Musical Fidelity V-LINK192
bel canto uLink
bel canto mLink
schiit Bifrost
schiit Gungnir
Rega DAC
ifi iDAC
ifi iUSB
Emotiva XDA-2
Cambridge DacMagic 100 Digital to Analogue Converter

 

Does anyone out there have any experience with the listed DACs above compared to ifi iDAC & ifi iUSB?

 

Thanks!

 

 

I have been running the iUSB for almost a month now with a Bifrost I got in January.  Does it make improvements to the Bifrost?  Yes.  I emailed Jason@Schiit.com if he thought the iUSB would make any difference in sound quality.  He didn't think it should really do anything because the Bifrost senses the 5V coming from a USB source but it is filtered and decoupled.  I have found so far that the iUSB adds a level of focus to the music presentation.  So singers, instruments are more defined in the soundstage.  There is better separation between the players.  So this means that it is helping the overall resolution of the stereo system.  Some folks over on ComputerAudiophile.com are hearing more differences due to using different DAC's.  So depending on what DAC you use with it will depend on what kind of improvement the iUSB will make to your system.  I feel it is well worth the $199.  

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post #26 of 32
3/27/13 at 11:27pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee Harvey View Post

 

 

I have been running the iUSB for almost a month now with a Bifrost I got in January.  Does it make improvements to the Bifrost?  Yes.  I emailed Jason@Schiit.com if he thought the iUSB would make any difference in sound quality.  He didn't think it should really do anything because the Bifrost senses the 5V coming from a USB source but it is filtered and decoupled.  I have found so far that the iUSB adds a level of focus to the music presentation.  So singers, instruments are more defined in the soundstage.  There is better separation between the players.  So this means that it is helping the overall resolution of the stereo system.  Some folks over on ComputerAudiophile.com are hearing more differences due to using different DAC's.  So depending on what DAC you use with it will depend on what kind of improvement the iUSB will make to your system.  I feel it is well worth the  

 

I totally agree with you.

With some DACs the difference/advantage is clearer than others.

Thank you for the heads-up.

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post #27 of 32
4/1/13 at 6:52am

Hi,
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by turokrocks View Post

Reviews:

http://www.audiostream.com/content/ifi-idac-iusbpower

http://www.adventuresinhifiaudio.com/10/02/2013/ifi-audio-idac-and-iusb-power-amazing-miniature-wonders/

http://www.head-fi.org/t/650680/news-meridian-releases-the-explorer-pocket-sized-usb-dac/315#post_9197087

http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2013/01/amr-ifi-iusbpower-review/


Found this video review on youtube, seems korean? It gives no idea on sound, but a good impression otherwise what it is like:



 

Cheerio Rich

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post #28 of 32
4/8/13 at 9:40am

iDAC driver has been updated to v1.61. Download here.

 

If you are using Windows 8, it might say it is not supported during update but it will still install it without problem.

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post #29 of 32
4/10/13 at 2:50pm

Has anyone tried the iUSB with the Audiophilleo 2 converter?  Will it even work?  Just considering a more economical option versus the PurePower.
 

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post #30 of 32
4/10/13 at 7:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtruong34 View Post

Has anyone tried the iUSB with the Audiophilleo 2 converter?  Will it even work?  Just considering a more economical option versus the PurePower.
 

 

I see no reason why it won't work. After all, iUSB Power doesn't interfere with the data line, but only the power line.

 

You might also want to look into iFi iLink as well, just released this month.

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