[audiohamster]

I picked up this iDefender thing to go with my Grace Standard DAC that is USB powered. I have already noticed that this Grace Standard DAC changes its signature based on cables and ports but up till now it was just different versions of horrid. The iDefender changed it substantially for the better becoming so much smoother and more analog. Oddly with this DAC, you also need to use a proper USB cable, I'm using a "fast charging" cable that says it can handle 3A of current. Lastly, I plug the whole setup into a powered USB HUB rather than the motherboard. All this together seems to allow the SDAC to perform the best that I have heard so far. Still not perfect but finally it has an analog sound rather than the horrible mess from before. I can only imagine that some other iFi products would further improve the sound but then it would kind of defeat the whole concept of buying an $80 USB powered DAC. Anyway, really interesting journey so far with the Grace DAC, can't say I wholly recommend it considering what a pain it has been to get remotely right, but it does respond to upgrades and is apparently capable of good sound.