[technobear]

My apologise for bumping up this old thread.

Have being using this combo for 1 year plus and there is something issue with me, when ever I started my computer, the iDAC will not be recognized as the default playback device on my comp, anyway to solve this issue? 

If your computer is running Windows, go to the 'Sound' control panel, select the iDAC and click 'Set Default'.

The iDAC must be connected or it will not appear in the list.

 

[Letsgogo]

Do you guys experience channel imbalance at very low gain levels?  I'm using iDAC with a very sensitive CIEM and find it a pain to deal with.  Any ideas how to fix this?  Thanks!

 

[ClieOS]

  Do you guys experience channel imbalance at very low gain levels?  I'm using iDAC with a very sensitive CIEM and find it a pain to deal with.  Any ideas how to fix this?  Thanks!

 
Make sure your iDAC output is 24bit (*check its property), then lower the digital volume on your PC so that you can listen to your iDAC comfortably when the volume knob is around 12 o'clock.

 

[Letsgogo]

   
Make sure your iDAC output is 24bit (*check its property), then lower the digital volume on your PC so that you can listen to your iDAC comfortably when the volume knob is around 12 o'clock.

I guess that's the only way. Thank you!

 

[MikeyFresh]

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[ClieOS]

  Just got confirmation from MusicDirect that the new 9 volt iPower external power supply for use with the iUSBPower is now shipping, I should have it in a few days.
 
10 times quieter than the stock power supply, small gamble at $49.

 
For micro iCAN or iTube, the iPower will make sense, but not for iUSB Power. Don't forget than iUSB Power itself is already 10x quieter (0.1uV vs 1uV) than iPower.

 

[MikeyFresh]

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[ClieOS]

 
But there is also the aspect of a SMPS having the potential to pollute the AC strip it is plugged into, which has a negative effect on other devices also plugged into that same strip. So anytime you can use a power supply that is 10 times quieter than the stock version, there are benefits.

 
That's based on a really big assumption that the original ULN adapter has such an effect, which I have not observed myself. Remember though, the 1uV is referring to the outputting end (after all the filtration), not the power pins that plug into the wall / power strip. As far as we know, the power pins can just be as noisy / quiet as the original ULN adapter and have the same (or no) effect on other nearby devices.
 
Don't get me wrong though, I do like the idea of iPower and planning to get two of them, for iTube and iCAN. Just that I don't think it will be a 'must have' add-on for the current iUSB Power owner.

 

[MikeyFresh]

   
That's based on a really big assumption that the original ULN adapter has such an effect, which I have not observed myself. Remember though, the 1uV is referring to the outputting end (after all the filtration), not the power pins that plug into the wall / power strip. As far as we know, the power pins can just be as noisy / quiet as the original ULN adapter and have the same (or no) effect on other nearby devices.
 
Don't get me wrong though, I do like the idea of iPower and planning to get two of them, for iTube and iCAN. Just that I don't think it will be a 'must have' add-on for the current iUSB Power owner.

I understand your point, however regarding a big assumption, the same can be said for the notion that it won't help the iUSBPower, or for that matter that the AC pins would be just as noisy as the stock supply. We don't really know, but at $49, as I said, small gamble.
 
I pinged the folks at iFi to see if they have any sort of revised spec for the iUSBPower's .1µV output noise spec when used with the iPower. Its possible that output noise drops even lower when paired with the iPower.
 
I'm also going to loan the iPower to a friend to use with his Uptone Audio REGEN amber (assuming the current is sufficient).

 

[ClieOS]

  I understand your point, however regarding a big assumption, the same can be said for the notion that it won't help the iUSBPower, or for that matter that the AC pins would be just as noisy as the stock supply. We don't really know, but at $49, as I said, small gamble.
 
I pinged the folks at iFi to see if they have any sort of revised spec for the iUSBPower's .1µV output noise spec when used with the iPower. Its possible that output noise drops even lower when paired with the iPower.
 
I'm also going to loan the iPower to a friend to use with his Uptone Audio REGEN amber (assuming the current is sufficient).

 
Not that a big assumption IMO. Even if it is somehow capable of dropping from 0.1uV to 0.01uV, it is in the reign of inaudibility anyway. There will be other noise that is far more dominant. At some point, you need to question how dark a  room is dark enough that you can't physically see anything anymore. At that point, adding more light shielding on the outside of the room really won't make your inability to detect light any better than it already is. That's my point.

 

[MikeyFresh]

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[ClieOS]

 
But an assumption nonetheless, you never know until you try something and listen for yourself, numbers don't always tell the whole story. That was my point.

 
It is a glass-half-full-or-half-empty discussion between us, so I'll stop at that.

 

[MikeyFresh]

  Just got confirmation from MusicDirect that the new 9 volt iPower external power supply for use with the iUSBPower is now shipping, I should have it in a few days.
 
10 times quieter than the stock power supply, small gamble at $49.

I received the iPower 9vdc today and connected it to the iUSBPower. In my opinion this is in fact a must have accessory for iUSBPower owners at just $49.
 
Despite any published specs that might suggest otherwise, the iUSBPower takes a leap forward in performance in the context of my bedroom/desktop/computer system. I have yet to try it in my big-rig Hi-Fi system.
 
Specifically, the tone gains a greater degree of fullness in the midrange and bass, with a more natural organic feel to it, and slightly enhanced dynamic contrast.
 
The only explanation is that this power supply allows for a reduction of jitter in the iUSBPower, which in turn allows the connected DAC (the buss powered Resonessence Labs Herus) to perform better. 
 
This is my experience after listening for a few hours this afternoon, however it didn't take long at all to hear these differences, I heard them right away.
 
As always YMMV, and please refrain from starting any sort of "bits are bits" or "it's just ones and zeros" type of debate here. Not only is that type of debate inappropriate for an appreciation thread such as this one, but I won't engage in that debate in any thread, nor would proponents of that stance ever use an iUSBPower anyway, so their opinion becomes moot in the context of this product as they would have no first hand use/experience with it anyway.
 
In August I will loan this unit to a friend on the west coast for testing with the Uptone Audio REGEN, assuming it has sufficient current for that application.

 

[MikeyFresh]

iFi iPower 9vdc unboxing:
 





A size comparison with the iUSBPower's stock ULN AC/DC adapter (very similar in size), the iPower adds a ferrite choke not found on the ULN's umbilical cord, and has an additional .5 amp of current headroom available compared to the ULN:
 

 

[johnzz4]

So I checked with the DAC designer at audio gd about the Amanero card in the master 11 being internally or bus powered. He confirmed it is internally powered and will ignore the bus power. The reason I asked is because I own the ifi iUSBpower and didn't know if I still need it or if I could sell it. The description of the iUSB basically says it's a power supply but doesn't do any reclocking or anything else to the signal portion of the USB. So, I remove it from the chain and start listening and the music is noticably darker. This prompts me to A/B with and without the iUSB. With it in the chain, there is more treble, tighter bass (though maybe a bit less) and overall a more accurate, resolving sound. The real problem is that I have no idea why. This isn't placebo, it's obvious. I have sent an email to ifi asking if the iUSB DOES manipulate the signal somehow, but curious if any of you have thoughts...