[Monsterzero]

I do understand the principles though im not an engineer. I have no interest in debating the topic with you. If you think that these products are snake oil and im deluded sobeit.

 

[ergopower]

And how do you affect characteristics such as instrument seperation, bass dynamics,air and such in a digital signal when it has not even been decoded from a digital signal at that point? Do you understand how digital music, dacs and USB transport of digital information works?

See Post 8. If coupled noise is randomly creating errors in decoding USB, who's to say how those errors are perceived? There's certainly a point where enough errors raises the overall noise floor, and that could be perceived as congestion or compression.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Your soundcard already supports SPDIF optical/ toslink so simply upgrade your Modi to the upper line which supports SPDIF. Do away with USB all together. You may not be able to get support for HD fully, but 16bit/44.1mHz will sound like heaven.

Edit:

Wait you already have the Uber, so get yourself a nice optical SPDIF cable and a nice Toslink RCA. Make sure you follow the directional arrow on the RCA toslink. Try them both and chose a methodology.

I don’t know why this was not suggested to you? Though you stated the problem of going out of the motherboard and didn’t list that you had the Uber and upgraded soundcard; supporting SPDIF.

Cheers!

 

[ergopower]

Your soundcard already supports SPDIF optical/ toslink so simply upgrade your Modi to the upper line which supports SPDIF. Do away with USB all together. You may not be able to get support for HD fully, but 16bit/44.1mHz will sound like heaven.

He has the Multibit, so he has SPDIF. Cheapest solution by far.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Some times I think everyone on Head-Fi is on High-Fi?

But in support of the group; most don’t take the time to look at the equipment of the question asker. Though the question asker also does not know how important it is to list the options they have as they don’t know what options they have.

 

[chef8489]

See Post 8. If coupled noise is randomly creating errors in decoding USB, who's to say how those errors are perceived? There's certainly a point where enough errors raises the overall noise floor, and that could be perceived as congestion or compression.

Random errors would sound like clipping or artifacts and loss of data not have have anything to do with bass, soundstage, instrument seperation or the likes. Only filters after decoding or input prior to encoding or manipulation by software can affect music like that. Or something along the analogue chain such as speakers or headphone. But that is something for the sound science discussion if you really want to dive into it.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Most jitter is reduced taking USB out of the loop.

Maybe it is simply a noise floor.

 

[CT007]

I have the iFi USB3.0 Micro which retails for $330.00. I would say that instrument separation,air,and bass tightening are the biggest improvements. Individual instruments seem to leap out at you more than without.
Apparently the Nano is also good(and cheaper) but I havent heard it to say what the difference is.

Prior to that I used a Schiit Eitr,and even tried it along with the Micro and to my ears and in my system the Eitr was a step backwards. YMMV.

I wouldnt say the improvement is dramatic,but the differences are there. IMO adding a PS Audio Dectet power conditioner was a more dramatic improvement

Oh great, I need even MORE expensive stuff now!! ;P

I ordered a Topping D10 and D30, so I can see if I notice any audible difference, un-amped or amped, between Modi MB(USB), D10 > Modi MB(optical), D10(USB), and D30(USB) through Sundara, L300, HD660, DT990, AD700X, MDR-MA900 or HD700.

 

[CT007]

Most jitter is reduced taking USB out of the loop.

Maybe it is simply a noise floor.

I don't feel like I'm hearing a dirty signal, using the Modi MB via USB or optical, but I will get to the bottom of this(at least sound-wise lol).

 

[CT007]

you stated the problem of going out of the motherboard and didn’t list that you had the Uber and upgraded soundcard; supporting SPDIF.

When I send optical to the Modi MB(not Uber), it's from the STX, yes. I hear no difference between optical and USB so far, except that USB has much more volume out of the DAC.

 

[chef8489]

When I send optical to the Modi MB(not Uber), it's from the STX, yes. I hear no difference between optical and USB so far, except that USB has much more volume out of the DAC.

Are you using windows? I would check sound settings in windows and make sure your optical and USB audio settings settings are the same. Most likely one is turned up higher.

 

[ergopower]

When I send optical to the Modi MB(not Uber), it's from the STX, yes. I hear no difference between optical and USB so far, except that USB has much more volume out of the DAC.

Then I think the answers to your 2 original questions are:
1) Modi MB is not significantly cleaner than Modi 2 using USB input
2) A clean up device wouldn't seem to be of any help in your setup since you don't perceive a difference between USB and SPDIF input from your soundcard

 

[tomb]

See Post 8. If coupled noise is randomly creating errors in decoding USB, who's to say how those errors are perceived? There's certainly a point where enough errors raises the overall noise floor, and that could be perceived as congestion or compression.

Who's to say? You mean you think that a transition from a 0 to 1 is just going to result in slightly more noise? Instead, it's a complete reversal.

Forgive me, but things just don't work that way in a digital stream. It's not a record that has slight pops and clicks that superimpose themselves over the music. Otherwise, we'd see snow in a movie AVI file or hear static on a wi-fi network. Or, the dirt on a CD would result in a slightly higher distortion number in testing, or a higher noise floor. Instead, it plays perfectly unless the digital information suffers a complete dropout.

I will state it again: the interference you claim occurs in the analog regime. The way that it does that is by transmitting various frequencies or EM that are picked up by the analog voltage used to produce the analog signal. Replace that voltage with a completely clean power supply and it goes away. If something occurs in the digital regime, the failure is much more severe. You basically lose everything for that instant in time. Error correction can keep up to a certain extent, but if the interference continues, it drops, period.

 

[CT007]

Are you using windows? I would check sound settings in windows and make sure your optical and USB audio settings settings are the same. Most likely one is turned up higher.

Yeah, Windows 7. I use optical at 100% volume, and turn the USB down to around 21% for the same resultant volume.

 

[chef8489]

Yeah, Windows 7. I use optical at 100% volume, and turn the USB down to around 21% for the same resultant volume.

Hmm thats quite unusual as both should be at the same volume as its the same digital signal. I was going on the wrong post. Sorry. YOu are on the same track as I am.