[richardloh]

Usd50 to sound better in my system and probably to find out in others' systems with perhaps some unknown same issue sounds like a winner ?

 

[kennyb123]

From my experiences, galvanic isolation is not 100% effective but rather it mitigates the problem as opposed to removing it.

This has been my experience too. One has to be careful to not think that perfection can easily be achieved in the real world. Just because a manufacturer claims that their DAC's input is galvanically isolated, doesn't mean that the manufacturer's implementation perfectly isolates.

 

[Progisus]

The utility power quality and grounding on some non north American power systems can be suspect.

 

[richardloh]

Nice .. just barely 24 hrs of continued streaming with the new and newer version of idefender+ and it is the best usd50 par none in this unpredictable no end road

Improvement can best described by ifi .. just more obvious improvement to already notable older version idefender 3.0

Who knows ..maybe the super expensive (to me) Shunyata Sigma usb cable at usd2000 has some differences in handling grounding issue of Antipodes compared to Oyaide 5s that idefender and idefender+ alleviated ?

Enjoy !

 

[richardloh]

The utility power quality and grounding on some non north American power systems can be suspect.

Indeed but it is not reasonable to expect mega bucks Antipodes to have whatever solution that a usd50 idefender fixes ?

I believe my expectation is not unreasonable.

Cheers.

 

[richardloh]

This has been my experience too. One has to be careful to not think that perfection can easily be achieved in the real world. Just because a manufacturer claims that their DAC's input is galvanically isolated, doesn't mean that the manufacturer's implementation perfectly isolates.

Hi Kenny, believe you are in Singapore .. please pm me your mailing address for me to mail you 1 of the 2 older idefender to try out in your Antipodes and if it does shows improvement, do consider getting the idefender+.

if it does not improve your system, kindly pass it to any of your kakis with lesser system that may improves with it.

Feeling generous cos happy with the outcome but more importantly, I hope other find same improvement for so little $ which is rare in this crazy hobby .. usd2000 for a usb cable

Cheers.

 

[kennyb123]

Hi Kenny, believe you are in Singapore .. please pm me your mailing address for me to mail you 1 of the 2 older idefender to try out in your Antipodes and if it does shows improvement, do consider getting the idefender+.

I appreciate the offer, but I'm in the US so it would be easier for you to pass it on to someone in Singapore.

Who knows ..maybe the super expensive (to me) Shunyata Sigma usb cable at usd2000 has some differences in handling grounding issue of Antipodes compared to Oyaide 5s that idefender and idefender+ alleviated ?

I'm not understanding what you are saying here. Were you hearing a buzz, hum or hiss with both cables when not using the Defender? Was the problem worse for one cable than the other?

 

[richardloh]

I appreciate the offer, but I'm in the US so it would be easier for you to pass it on to someone in Singapore.

I'm not understanding what you are saying here. Were you hearing a buzz, hum or hiss with both cables when not using the Defender? Was the problem worse for one cable than the other?

Aaah .. tot u r in Singapore But no matter and glad to mail it to you.

No buzz, hum or hiss ...at least not audible ones at listening seat .. just that SQ improves as ifi described and shared.

Cheers.

 

[shsoh]

You can pass them to me! Please message me to arrange collection.

 

[richardloh]

You can pass them to me! Please message me to arrange collection.

Aaah .. in singapore and this is great.

Do kindly share your finding .. positive or otherwise in your system.

Cheers.

PS: Will PMed* you my address and mobile

 

[Whazzzup]

i got no hum, buzz, or hiss. Must be the power itself

 

[Wolfen13]

Indeed but it is not reasonable to expect mega bucks Antipodes to have whatever solution that a usd50 idefender fixes ?

I believe my expectation is not unreasonable.

Cheers.

I have found and demonstrated the following ( pause Music and listen near speaker ) :
1) Using Antipodes S40 with S60 power supply : one hears a definite electronic interference noise from the speaker ( almost sounds like you are hearing a faint cpu processing noise ).
2) Same setup but replace S40 & S60 with Innuos MK II Mini and latest Innuos MK III LPS : electronic interference noise is no longer there
3) Take S40 and power it with Innuos MK III LPS : electronic noise is no longer there ( you can do this as the S40 is just a Jetway board and will accept 9-24v )
4) Same setup as in 1 above but use an Intona USB isolator between the S40 and the DAC : noise is also eliminated

So from the above I have assumed the source of the noise is the S60 power supply and due to the fact that Antipodes don't seem to do anything special on the USB outputs ( as far as I know - could be wrong ), the noise is carried over the USB to the DAC.

There is a post on the Antipodes forum where an Antipodes user has commented about experiencing noise on his S30 ( 'USB Buzz from S30 to Rockna Wavelight DAC' )

 

[richardloh]

I have found the demonstrated the following ( pause Music and listen near speaker ) :
1) Using Antipodes S40 with S60 power supply : one hears a definite electronic interference noise from the speaker ( almost sounds like you are hearing a faint cpu processing noise ).
2) Same setup but replace S40 & S60 with Innuos MK II Mini and latest Innuos MK III LPS : electronic interference noise is no longer there
3) Take S40 and power it with Innuos MK III LPS : electronic noise is no longer there ( you can do this as the S40 is just a Jetway board and will accept 9-24v )
4) Same setup as in 1 above but use an Intona USB isolator between the S40 and the DAC : noise is also eliminated

So from the above I have assumed the source of the noise is the S60 power supply and due to the fact that Antipodes don't seem to do anything special on the USB outputs ( as far as I know - could be wrong ), the noise is carried over the USB to the DAC.

Their is a post on the Antipodes forum where an Antipodes user has commented about experiencing noise on his S30 ( 'USB Buzz from S30 to Rockna Wavelight DAC' )

Hi,

Noted and tks ..

Not hiss, hum or any noise that I can tell with and without idefender .. it just as ifi mentioned:

"better dynamic contrast, warmth and resolution"

Cheers.

 

[richardloh]

The SOtM CAT7 easily justified its price based on how much more organic music sounded with it in place. Music became more dimensional as well. I was planning to purchase one but I had the opportunity to purchase a used Shunyata Sigma at a great price. This worked out better than expected because the Sigma really began to really shine when I moved to a Shunyata Sigma USB cable. Shunyata‘s digital cables are extremely quiet and free from noise and grain. Images and tones gain density as well, which is my favorite part. I think they match up well with Antipodes as they aim to bring out the same benefits.

Hey Kenny, Just acquired a used Shunyata Sigms usb cable to commensurate expenses on my Oladra upgraded EX and CX with a host of Uptone ERs, oxco clock, Accoustic revive tripleC lan cables etc. as the replacement for an Oyaide Continental 5S that I prefers over Zonotone Shupreme, Furutech etc. But I nearly sold it off and glad I did not ..

Contrary to some reviews I read that said the Shunyata Sigma sounded great straight out of box with marginal improvement over weeks and month, it only blossomed many times over the Oyaide with at least overnight continued playing .. it made a obvious improvement as you had described. Put it aside and the whole process of continued play is again required.

Now looking out for an used Shunyata Sigma RJ45 cable for i2s output of my Denafrips Avatar transport clock synced to the Denafrip Terminator Plus DE to replace the Antipodes stock for perhaps fair comparison between the 10x Antipodes setup vs the Avatar .. basically now indistinguishable with music files and cd where the files were ripped from .. but with all the convenience of a music server especially streaming of very nice Qob.z hires music and other free internet radio stations.

Cheers.

 

[richardloh]

Good read on use of ddc and clocks through all stages of streaming

https://antipodes.audio/solution-architecture/